One-Pot White Bean Soup with Turkey, Leeks and Kale

Posted on: January 17, 2024. Updated on: February 8, 2024.

by Carolina Gelen

This recipe presents a one-pot solution for any hectic weeknight when all you desire is to effortlessly assemble a tasty, nourishing meal by simply combining a variety of pantry staples and produce in one giant pot. This white bean soup with turkey, leeks and kale is a fuss free, time saving option for a hearty and satisfying dinner.

How to make this white bean soup with turkey leeks and kale

The dish starts with plenty of olive oil drizzled in a chunky Dutch oven, in which we’ll sear ground turkey. Since ground turkey is a very lean meat, we’ll rely on olive oil to properly sear and caramelize the ground meat for some extra flavor in the broth. If ground turkey is not your thing, ground chicken will do the job just as well. And if you can’t get your hands on ground meat, get some boneless, skinless chicken thighs and chop them up at home.

After noticing golden brown caramelized meat bits on the bottom of the pan, it’s time for the next step of our white bean soup with turkey leeks and kale: the leeks. Leeks tend to pack lots of dirt in between their layers, so taking the time to rinse them after thinly slicing them is crucial. We’ll also be cooking the kale stems during this step, they tend to be really fibrous, so the sooner you get them in the pot, the softer they will get.

If you can’t get your hands on kale leaves, Swiss chard would be my second choice. The moisture from all the greens cooking in the pot will help us scrape off all those flavorful, caramelized brown bits from the bottom of the pan and capture most of their flavor in our white bean soup with turkey leeks and kale.

The next step in our white bean soup with turkey leeks and kale is to simmer all these delicious ingredients together for a rich and flavorful broth. One thing to note here is to make sure you properly season the white bean soup with turkey leeks and kale with pinches and pinches of salt. It’s important to remember we’re working with a pretty big quantity of water — 6 cups, to be more precise — therefore it’s crucial to flavor the water not only by simmering various ingredients in it, but by seasoning it with salt. Always taste the broth and season with more salt as needed.

For the white beans in this white bean soup with turkey leeks and kale, you’ll notice I’m using my favorite-favorite butter or lima beans. They have such a great bite and texture to them, but they’re often hard to find. If you’re unable to find canned butter or lima beans anywhere, consider cooking some yourself or using another type of bean instead. I would go for chickpeas or cannellini beans.

I love love love the sweetness and richness the coconut cream brings to the soup. If you happen to be allergic to coconut, I think blended silken tofu would make a great contender for a substitute.

How to store and reheat the white bean soup with turkey leeks and kale

You can store the white bean soup with turkey leeks and kale up for up to 3 or 4 days in the fridge, I keep mine in deli 1-quart containers and label each with the date I made them on. You can also store the white bean soup with turkey leeks and kale for up to a month in the freezer, simply freeze the soup in your favorite freezer molds and reheat in the microwave or in a pot over medium heat.

Similar recipe ideas

Are you looking for recipes with a similar feel to this white bean soup with turkey leeks and kale? Try my Sesame Chicken Pot Pie for a hearty, stewy, crowd-pleasing dinner or my Easy Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Soup.

About Carolina

You may have seen me on social media, TV, Food52, or freelancing at NYTCooking, but don't know much about me. I’m from Transylvania, Romania and immigrated to the US in 2021 pursuing my passion for cooking. I’ve worked in five star restaurants and casual bakeries, but the best experience was growing up in my mother’s kitchen.

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