Our Smoked Turkey & Bean Soup Recipe rivals traditional ham soup for ease and flavor, but leftover ham bone or ham hocks can be substituted.
Bean soup with smoked turkey is the ultimate comfort food. This hearty flavorful soup is perfect for chilly weather and makes a satisfying meal on its own or paired with bread or cornbread. In this article we’ll explore the benefits of bean soup, using smoked turkey, recipe ideas, and tips for preparing the perfect pot of this cozy soup.
Why Bean Soup?
Bean soups have been cherished for their nutrition, affordability, and ability to feed a crowd for centuries. Beans are packed with fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Just one cup provides a whopping 15 grams of filling fiber and 15 grams of plant-based protein. Beans are also budget-friendly, versatile, gluten-free, and pair deliciously with meats like smoked turkey.
When combined with aromatic vegetables, savory broth, and smoked meat, humble beans are transformed into a satisfying, nourishing soup that warms you from the inside out. Smoked turkey leg and thigh meat imparts deep, smoky undertones and succulent texture to bean soup.
Benefits of Using Smoked Turkey
Smoked turkey drums and thighs lend incredible flavor to bean soup. The smoking process infuses the turkey with a lovely mahogany color and tender, smoky flavor that’s reminiscent of ham or pork.
Smoked turkey is lower in fat and sodium compared to pork products like ham hocks, making it a lighter yet still hearty option. It provides protein and no carbohydrates to balance the beans. Smoked turkey blends beautifully with bold seasonings commonly used in bean soups, like garlic, cumin, oregano, and paprika.
Using pre-smoked turkey legs or thighs eliminates the step of smoking the meat yourself. Look for quality turkey that is minimally seasoned and wood-smoked so you control the salt content and flavor profile.
Ingredients for Smoked Turkey Bean Soup
The simple combination of beans, smoked turkey, aromatics, and seasonings creates incredible depth of flavor. Here are some key ingredients to include:
Beans: Great Northern, cannellini, navy, pinto, black beans, or a bean blend. Soak overnight before cooking.
Smoked turkey: Thighs or drumsticks, chopped into bite-size pieces.
Aromatic vegetables: Onion, carrots, celery, garlic.
Herbs and spices: Dried oregano, thyme, paprika, cumin, bay leaf, black pepper.
Broth: Chicken or turkey broth. Vegetable broth to make it vegetarian.
Accents: Red lentils, chopped greens like kale or spinach, roasted red peppers.
Tips for Preparing Turkey Bean Soup
Follow these tips for killer smoked turkey bean soup every time:
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Soak dry beans overnight to allow them to fully hydrate before cooking. Discard soaking water, rinse beans.
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Cook beans from dry for creamiest results, but canned beans work in a pinch.
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Brown aromatic veggies like onions, carrots, and celery first to develop deep flavors.
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Simmer beans gently once added to prevent blowing out skins before softening.
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Add herbs, spices, greens, and roasted veggies later in cooking to preserve vibrancy.
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Cook boneless smoked turkey meat in soup. Remove bones, skin, and gristle after cooking.
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Boost flavor with homemade turkey or chicken stock and smoked paprika.
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Season judiciously with salt and pepper once beans have softened. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Full-Flavored Smoked Turkey Bean Soup Recipes
Now that you understand the basics, try one of these savory smoked turkey bean soup recipes:
Tuscan Smoked Turkey and Bean Soup
This recipe features cannellini beans, kale, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, homemade turkey stock, 2 smoked turkey legs, red wine, rosemary, and Parmesan cheese. A Tuscan-style treat!
Spicy Smoked Turkey and Black Bean Soup
Jazz up your bean soup with black beans, jalapeño, cumin, cilantro, lime juice, and spicy smoked Spanish paprika in this recipe. Top with avocado, Cotija cheese, and tortilla strips.
White Bean and Smoked Turkey Soup with Spinach
Cannellini beans, smoked turkey, onion, celery, and garlic simmer in chicken broth and white wine in this classic. Spinach is stirred in at the end for color and nutrients.
Slow Cooker Smoky Turkey Chili
Let your slow cooker do the work! This recipe calls for pinto beans, ground turkey, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, and chipotle chili to make a meaty and smoky turkey bean chili.
Satisfying Smoked Turkey Bean Soup
From Tuscan cannellini to spicy black bean and beyond, smoked turkey elevates humble bean soup into a hearty, soul-warming meal. The depth of flavor achieved by combining smoky, savory turkey with tender beans, fresh herbs, and spices is incredible. Stay cozy this season with a steaming bowl of turkey bean soup!
Smoked Turkey & Bean SoupA twist on traditional ham and navy bean soup using Diestel Smoked Turkey Thighs and cannellini (white kidney) beans.
- ▢ 3 tablespoons sea salt
- ▢ 2 cups dry cannellini beans
- ▢ 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ▢ 1 large onion chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
- ▢ 3 stalks celery chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
- ▢ 3 large carrots chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
- ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
- ▢ 4 quarts chicken or turkey broth , or 1-quart Basic Stock and water (See Recipe Notes)
- ▢ 2 Diestel Smoked Turkey Thighs or Drumsticks , about 2 1/2 pounds (thighs will have more meat)
- ▢ 1 cup dried red lentils , rinsed, but not soaked
- ▢ 2 tablespoons concentrated homemade beef bouillon , or 1/2 cup concentrated beef stock, or 2 teaspoons bouillon paste or demi-glace (optional)
- ▢ 2 teaspoons Paul Prudhomme’s Meat Magic , see notes for substitute seasonings
- ▢ 2 teaspoons dry Italian seasoning
- ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ▢ 1 whole bay leaf
- ▢ Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ▢ 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley (optional), for garnish
- Dissolve 3 tablespoons sea salt in 4 quarts of water in a large (8-quart) pot. Stir in 2 cups dry cannellini beans and soak at room temperature overnight or for at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse well.
- Chop 1 large onion, 2-3 large carrots, 2-3 celery stalks, and mince 2 cloves garlic. Heat oil in a large soup pot or pressure cooker over medium heat and cook onion, carrot, and celery caramelized, about 8 minutes. Mix in garlic and cook until fragrant. (If using a slow cooker, transfer softened vegetables to the cooker at this point and continue with remaining instructions.)
- Stir in soaked and rinsed beans, 1 cup rinsed lentils, turkey thighs or drumsticks, 2 tablespoons homemade beef bouillon (or 2 teaspoons store-bought), 2 teaspoons Meat Magic, 2 teaspoons dry Italian herb seasoning, 2 teaspoons cumin, and bay leaf to the pot. Add enough broth/stock/water to cover 2 to 3-inches above ingredients to allow beans to absorb enough liquid – about 4 quarts. NOTE: The exact amount of broth will depend on the amount of meat added. Additional water may be needed. *See Recipe Notes for pressure cooker method.
- Bring soup to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 hours on the stove or 4-6 hours in a crockpot set on low.
- Before serving, remove bones and large pieces of turkey from the pot; allow to cool slightly on a platter. Once cool enough to handle, separate meat from the bones and any unappealing connective tissue (see directions and photo in Post). Return meat to the pot and discard bones; season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle into warmed bowls, garnish with fresh parsley and serve with cornbread and honey-butter.
Better Than the Traditional Favorite
Ham and navy bean soup used to be our traditional post-holiday soup to use the leftover ham bone. When we discovered smoked turkey thighs and drumsticks at the market, we realized we don’t have to wait to finish up a ham to make it.
Now we make a big pot of white bean soup with smoked turkey with whole wheat cornbread all winter long.
Another ingredient that sets our recipe apart is the addition of homemade beef bouillon (pork works too). This concentrated flavor boost does wonders for any soup and it’s easy to collect and store.
Navy, Great Northern, pinto, black-eyed peas, or the 15 bean concoction are all good choices for this recipe. Our favorite is cannellini, which is a white kidney bean with a soft, creamy texture.
Beans are a great source of fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals—one meal that can help you keep those New Year’s resolutions to take better care of yourself.
You’ll notice we also add red lentils, which completely break down giving the soup a thick, hearty consistency. We find red lentils create a pleasing color whereas green or brown lentils make the soup look muddy.
TIP: If you experience bloating or gas after eating beans, digestive enzymes with alpha-galactosidase can help tremendously. It breaks down the carbohydrates in beans into simpler sugars to make them easier to digest.
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HOW TO MAKE: BEST NAVY BEAN SOUP w/Smoked TURKEY NECKS #recipe #southern #storytelling
How do you cook a smoked turkey leg in a bean soup?
This old-fashioned Senate bean soup with a shortcut includes beans and smoked turkey in a flavorful broth to make a hearty comfort food dish. Place bullion cubes in a pot with six cups of water (or sub for straight chicken broth instead) and add the turkey leg. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.
What is smoked turkey bean soup?
Smoked turkey bean soup is a hearty and flavorful soup that is perfect for a cold winter day. It is made with smoked turkey, dried beans, vegetables, herbs, and spices. The soup is slow-cooked until the beans are tender and the flavors have had time to meld together. Smoked turkey bean soup is a great way to use up leftover smoked turkey.
How long do you soak dry beans in smoked turkey soup?
You’ll need to soak dry beans in water for at least 8 hours to ensure they cook properly. Smoked turkey meat adds a beautiful flavor to this soup, but whatever turkey meat you have on hand will work! For more fiber and protein, use wild rice in your smoked turkey soup. It’s also a great source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Can you make smoked turkey & white bean soup in a pressure cooker?
Smoked Turkey and White Bean Soup is easy to make in the slow cooker or pressure cooker (Instant Pot). With simple ingredients, including dried white beans and aromatics, this soup comes together in no time. Easing into the winter months with hearty soups and stews.