This Leftover Turkey, Kale, Mushroom, and Bean Soup is a delicious way to use up those holiday leftovers! It’s a healthy, hearty soup that’s made in one pot!
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Like so many others, we had another small Christmas at home this year. Since we had a 20 pound turkey in the freezer (my husband gets one from work every Thanksgiving), that was our Christmas dinner. Just the two of us versus a beast of a bird!
This past Christmas was pretty unmemorable, for the most part. So the only thing I’m really hanging onto from the holiday season is lots of turkey leftovers in our freezer.
I had big plans for the rest of our turkey – smothering it with gravy, turning it into sandwiches, and making a big pot of soup!
I had made a slightly different version of this soup a couple months ago using ingredients I had in our fridge and freezer. Instead of leftover turkey, I had used turkey sausage, and I don’t think I added any mushrooms to it.
While the turkey sausage added a nice, smoky flavor to the soup, I figured that leftover turkey would work just as well. And it does! The mushrooms also help to bulk up the soup and add an earthy flavor.
Leftover Turkey, Kale, Mushroom, and Bean Soup
If you have a lot of turkey leftover in your freezer, this soup is a great way to help use it up! I had a can of red beans to use, so I threw those in as well. But you could use any bean variety you like in this soup.
I like to use my Dutch oven to make soup since everything can be made in one pot. So we’ll start this soup by adding garlic and onion to the pot with a little olive oil, cooking just until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Then, we’re going to add the kale to the pot and cook it just until it starts to wilt. At this point, it should turn bright green in color.
Now, we’re going to pour in our broth. Chicken or vegetable broth would work well in this recipe.
Give everything a stir, then the add chopped turkey meat, sliced mushrooms, and red beans. Season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese, and crushed red pepper, if desired.
The longer soup cooks, the better it is. Let the soup simmer for at least 30 minutes before serving. If freezing, allow the soup to cool and transfer to freezer-safe containers.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup red onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 bunch kale, cleaned with stems removed and torn into pieces
- 2 - 32 oz. containers chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 cups cooked turkey, chopped
- 1 - 15 oz. can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 tbsp. Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Pinch of red pepper, optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and garlic to the pot. Cook until the onion has softened and the garlic becomes fragrant, about two minutes.
- Add the kale and cook until it softens and becomes a brighter green.
- Carefully pour in the broth and increase heat to medium-high.
- Add the turkey, mushrooms, and beans. Then, add the seasonings and stir to combine.
- Bring the soup to a boil. Then, lower it to a simmer.
- Cook the soup for at least 30 minutes. Then, spoon into bowls and serve with grated Parmesan cheese on top.
It’s a great time of year for packing the freezer with soup since winter is just starting! Put those turkey leftovers to good use and toss them in this easy and delicious soup recipe!
Did you make this Leftover Turkey, Kale, Mushroom, and Bean Soup recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!
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