Smoked Turkey and White Bean Soup

This recipe for smoked turkey soup with white beans and veggies is a hearty, nutritious, and delicious way to use leftover smoked turkey.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

• It’s so easy to make! Most of the cooking time is actually just the soup simmering to really bring out the flavors.
• This is a great recipe for leftover smoked turkey from Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. It’s warm and hearty, and way better than another boring turkey sandwich.
• It’s a perfect freezer meal. Prepare the soup as instructed, and let it cool completely. Store it in an airtight container (or in a zippered freezer bag laid flat on a shelf) and freeze for up to six months.

Key Ingredients

Smoked Turkey Meat – Specifically the meat from smoked turkey legs. It’s tender, juicy, and tastes a little like ham. Smoked turkey has a deeper, richer flavor than roasted turkey thanks to the use of smoke and the long cooking time. Turkey legs are generally available at most grocery stores, or you can check with a local butcher.

Great Northern Beans – A white bean similar to cannellini, Great Northern beans are high fiber, low fat, and have no cholesterol. They taste a little nutty and they’re super versatile. If you can’t find Great Northern beans, you can use Navy beans or cannellini beans for this recipe, though the flavor will be slightly different.

Chef’s Tips

• Before cooking, separate the turkey meat from the bones and skin, and cut or shred the meat into bite sized pieces. Sometimes meat that was exposed during the smoking process will be tough and leathery – cut that away, too.
• This recipe uses canned beans to keep things easy, but you can absolutely use fresh beans instead. 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.
• 45 minutes is the minimum amount of time needed for this recipe to simmer on the stove. The longer it simmers, the more flavorful it will be!

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