Whole30ish is a lot better with our favorite lemony turkey bean soup!

Especially when it's (checks again) negative 20 degrees out

I’ve been tinkering with this recipe since I first made it (incorrectly) after seeing it in The New York Times. Since then, it’s earned the distinction of being one of the few recipes that all four kids are genuinely excited to see coming to the table.

Last week, when our menu plan went off-kilter due to my forgetting we’d need to be in New York for scans, Per called an audible and decided that this was the only recipe worth making from the list. Knowing the forecast for the weekend, we didn’t bother freezing the leftovers. And if you happen to be married to a Norwegian who thinks that it’s a good idea to go for a walk on the frozen lake despite the wind chill, you’ll be happy to find it waiting for you, ready to be heated up and eaten from a cup in front of a fire.

Our lake walk didn't last more than a few minutes

This soup has too many virtues to not be a part of your regular rotation:

• It’s healthy, full of protein, fiber and vegetables

• It’s a one-pot meal

• It’s easy to make, and even though it does take some time…

• It also freezes well, and maybe most importantly for frozen food…

• It’s something that you’ll actually want to pull out of the freezer, unlike the things you freeze for “someday” but never end up in the mood to eat (or is that just me?)

• And I don’t even really like soup! I guess that makes this a soup for non-soup lovers.

I think it’s especially delicious when you make it with dried beans so you can add some bean broth to the mix; but this is not a requirement, especially if you’re trying to pull it together quickly. I usually make it with big Rancho Gordo’s Cassoulet Beans; but the kids recently announced they much preferred a batch Per made with smaller Alubia Blanco beans, a fancy white navy bean. I found this super irritating until I tried it and had to begrudgingly admit it may have been as good, possibly better.

Whichever bean you use, I highly recommend serving topped with a drizzle of lemon-scented olive oil to put it right over the top.

Favorite lemony turkey beans and greens soup

Here is the recipe, starting with instructions using dry beans; instructions for the faster version that uses canned beans are just below.

Lemony Turkey, Beans, and Greens Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb dried white cassoulet beans (or alternate white dried bean) or two 15 oz cans of white beans, drained and rinsed

2 T. olive oil

1 large onion, diced

2-3 large carrots, diced

Few handfuls of baby kale or other greens, rinsed and coarsely chopped

2 T tomato paste

1.5-2 t ground cumin, plus more to taste

¼ t red pepper flakes, plus more to taste

1 lb ground turkey

8 garlic cloves, minced

2 T finely chopped fresh ginger

1 t kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 quart chicken stock, plus more to taste

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

Lemon juice from one lemon, or more to taste

---

Instructions for dried beans:

Prepare the Beans:

Soak dried beans overnight in water, or as long as you’ve got if you don’t remember.

Place beans in a pressure cooker with 8-10 cups of water. Cook for 35 minutes at high pressure (start with 25 minutes for smaller white beans).

Or, skip the pressure cooker and boil beans in a large pot with 2 inches of water covering them. Lower the heat and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until just tender.

Prepare the Soup Base:

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and warm for 30 seconds.

Add onion and carrots; sauté until very soft and browned at the edges, about 7-10 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, cumin, and red pepper flakes; cook until the paste darkens, about 1 minute.

Add garlic, ginger, turkey, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook, breaking up the turkey, until browned, 5-7 minutes.

Combine Beans and Soup Base:

Strain the cooked beans, reserving the bean broth. Return the beans to the pressure cooker or the pot.

Add chicken stock, the turkey mixture, and a portion of the reserved bean broth (if you prefer a brothier soup).

Pressure cooker: Cook for an additional 10 minutes at high pressure. Test beans for doneness and simmer longer if necessary.

Pot: Simmer everything together for 20-30 minutes until the beans are tender.

Finish the Soup:

Stir in greens, parsley, and lemon juice. Adjust seasonings, including salt, cumin, and additional lemon juice, until the broth is lively and bright-tasting.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and more red pepper flakes if desired.

Storage Tip:

If freezing, set aside portions before adding greens, parsley, and lemon juice. Add these fresh when reheating for best results.

---

Instructions for canned beans:

Prepare the Soup Base:

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and warm for 30 seconds.

Add onion and carrots; sauté until very soft and browned at the edges, about 7-10 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, cumin, and red pepper flakes; cook until the paste darkens, about 1 minute.

Add garlic, ginger, turkey, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook, breaking up the turkey, until browned, 5-7 minutes.

Combine Beans and Soup Base:

In a large pot, combine the canned beans, chicken stock, and the turkey mixture.

Simmer for 15-20 minutes to meld the flavors and soften the beans slightly.

Finish the Soup:

Stir in greens, parsley, and lemon juice. Adjust seasonings, including salt, cumin, and additional lemon juice, until the broth is lively and bright-tasting.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and more red pepper flakes if desired.

Storage Tip:

If freezing, set aside portions before adding greens, parsley, and lemon juice. Add these fresh when reheating for best results.