A Weight Loss Soup recipe that is packed full of veggies! This homemade Turkey Vegetable soup is really low calorie because it’s basically a bunch of veggies, broth, and ground turkey. Ground turkey is a great way to bring in tons of flavor! So you will actually want to eat it! It’s really quite delicious, and the first meal I make whenever I kick off a diet! Originally published January 12, 2021.
Eric and I were sitting at the table working earlier today, when a truly terrible song started playing on the radio. I started making gagging sounds in the background, knowing it was likely a David Bowie song. (Eric has been obsessed lately). Anyway, I stopped paying attention and then half a minute later I realized “hey, I like this part! This song is okay toward the end!” No, said Eric, I changed the song. This is the Strokes.
Well, so much for that. I thought maybe good ol David was growing on me. I think I’m just not cut out for extreme 80s music.
Eric has been on a HUGE David Bowie kick the last few months (no doubt started from this scene in the movie Frances Ha, a fabulous film by Greta Gerwig, the one who did the latest Little Women rendition.) He’s even reading a book all about David Bowie right now. Don’t get me wrong, I like all of his main hit songs, like the Modern Love song playing on that clip. It’s the obscure ones that make me want to claw my eyes out.
Turkey soup is a hearty delicious, and nutritious meal that can be enjoyed year-round. Made from turkey meat broth, vegetables, and grains, this soup provides a variety of health benefits that make it a wise food choice.
The Many Benefits of Turkey Soup
There are several reasons why turkey soup can be considered a healthy food:
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Turkey is a lean protein. Turkey is lower in fat and calories compared to red meats like beef and pork. The lean turkey meat in soup provides protein, B vitamins, zinc, selenium, and other nutrients.
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Contains immune-boosting nutrients. Turkey is a good source of immunity boosters like zinc, selenium, vitamin B6, and protein. The veggies in the soup also provide antioxidants and phytochemicals that support immune health.
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Bone broth boosts gut health. Homemade turkey broth cooked with the bones provides gut-healing nutrients like collagen gelatin and amino acids. This helps seal and heal the gut lining.
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Packed with veggies. Most turkey soup recipes include a variety of vegetables like carrots, celery, onions, and greens. This provides a range of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
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Uses leftovers efficiently. Turkey soup is the perfect way to use up leftover turkey from a holiday meal. This prevents food waste while providing another delicious and nutritious dinner.
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Satisfying and comforting. A bowl of hot turkey soup fills you up thanks to the protein from the turkey, fiber from the veggies, and carbs from grains or pasta. It’s also comforting and nostalgic for many people.
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Easy to customize. Turkey soup can be adapted in endless ways depending on the veggies, seasonings, grains or pasta added. This makes it family-friendly and ideal for using up fridge contents.
Tips for Making Healthy Turkey Soup
Follow these tips to get the most nutrition from your homemade turkey soup:
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Start with homemade turkey broth. Make broth using the turkey carcass, bones, skin, and giblets for up to 24 hours to extract the most nutrients, gelatin, and collagen. This maximizes the gut-healing benefits.
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Load up on veggies. Fill your turkey soup pot with any variety of vegetables you enjoy – carrots, onions, celery, squash, green beans, tomatoes, peppers, parsnips, cabbage, etc. Go for a rainbow of colors.
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Add prebiotic foods. Consider throwing in prebiotic foods like onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, and dandelion greens. This feeds the good gut bacteria.
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Include whole grains. For extra nutrition, use whole grains like barley, farro, quinoa, or brown rice instead of pasta or bread. These provide B vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein.
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Spice it up. Boost the antioxidants in your soup by seasoning with anti-inflammatory spices like turmeric, thyme, oregano, sage, and rosemary.
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Keep it low-sodium. Be mindful of sodium levels, especially if using prepared broths or bouillon cubes. Flavor soup with herbs instead of salt.
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Go easy on refined carbs. Limit starchy additions like noodles, rice or bread. Or keep portions small since these spike blood sugar levels compared to vegetables.
Delicious Turkey Soup Recipes To Try
Here are some nutritious turkey soup recipes to help you get started:
Mom’s Turkey Soup – This recipe uses the turkey carcass to make broth, then simmers it with veggies like carrots, onions, and celery, herbs, egg noodles and shredded turkey. Simple and comforting!
Healing Turkey Vegetable Soup – Make this immune-boosting version with the turkey broth, meat, lentils, quinoa and veggies like corn, green beans, carrots, onion, and garlic. Season with sage and thyme.
Homestyle Turkey Soup – For cozy flavor, this soup recipe includes roasted turkey, prebiotic leeks, farro or barley, parsley, poultry seasoning and lemon juice. A tasty, hearty meal.
Turkey Chili – Put a fun twist on classic turkey soup by making it into a turkey chili. Cook ground turkey with beans, corn, bell pepper, zucchini, chili powder, and cumin. Top with avocado.
Curried Turkey Soup -Flavor it up Thai-style with coconut milk, curry powder, ginger, cilantro, lime juice, mushrooms and optionally some chopped spinach or kale. Serve over brown rice.
Turkey and Wild Rice Soup – Cook wild rice separately, then add to soup along with sautéed mushrooms, shredded turkey, onions, carrots, celery, parsley, and thyme.
The Bottom Line on Turkey Soup
While any soup loaded with veggies, lean protein and whole grains can be considered healthy, turkey soup emerges as an especially nutritious choice. The wide range of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and healing compounds provided in turkey soup make it a smart meal option that offers considerable health benefits. So feel good treating yourself to a steaming bowl – it’s both delicious and good for you!
What is Weight Loss Soup?
Have you heard of Weight Loss Soup? It’s from one of those diet trends from the 80s (the 80s: a strange era indeed). I told my brother I was making Weight Loss Soup and he said, oh, like the Celery Soup mom used to always make when she was on a diet? I don’t remember any celery soup and quite frankly it sounds disgusting, unless there is a lot a cream involved, which would definitely make it not-so-diet. (Mom? Celery Soup?? Tell us more.)
Basically the idea behind this diet (called the GM Diet) was to make a really basic soup, mostly cabbage and broth, that you can eat anytime during the diet because it’s super low calorie. The first day you eat all fruit. The second day you eat all veggies. Day four of the diet says, “Consume only bananas and milk.” That’s where they lost me. I’m no nutritionist, but this sounds like a recipe for disaster!! Bananas and milk?? Wth?
The 80s were weird guys. (Just try listening to some obscure David Bowie songs.) But they were onto something with the Weight Loss Soup. Broth and a ton of vegetables really is a super low calorie, delicious meal option if you are trying to lose some weight. I’m not a doctor; don’t take diet advice from me! This soup is delicious and low calorie, and it’s the first thing I make every time I kick off a new healthy eating plan. I turn to it when I get bored with salad. It has about 250 calories per serving, if you divide it into 12 servings.
I’ve rounded the soup out with some ground turkey to make it nice and hearty. Yes, of course this adds more calories! But it will keep you full longer, and it adds a ton of flavor, making your soup taste restaurant quality (yes, really!). I got the turkey tip from Des and Kadee over at Oh So Delicioso, their recipe inspired today’s version! If you are not following them, you should, they have amazing recipes! Love following them on Instagram too, OhSoDelicioso.
Turkey Vegetable Soup Ingredients
See the full recipe in the recipe card below!
- Ground turkey
- Onion
- Garlic
- Seasonings (kosher salt, black pepper, oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, celery seed, basil, crushed red pepper, and dried thyme)
- Broth (chicken or turkey broth)
- Carrots
- Celery
- Potato
- Coleslaw mix (or fresh cabbage)
- Canned diced tomatoes
- Canned white beans
- Zucchini and yellow squash
- Garnishes (optional – chopped parsley, pesto, and parmesan cheese)
Alton Brown’s Turkey Soup | Food Network
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