A truly gorgeous soup for the colder months, this one-pot Curried Turkey and Sweet Potato Soup recipe is super healthy and so very flavorful, thanks to the store-bought Thai-style red curry paste and generous helping of veggies and aromatics (hello, garlic!). NOTE: you can sub your leftover holiday turkey for the ground turkey here, making for a great way to totally reinvent those holiday leftovers.

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Thai-Style Turkey and Sweet Potato Soup

When I say “Thai style” here, I’m referring to the ingredients used in the soup, not so much the soup itself. To my knowledge there isn’t a well-known Thai soup that features ground turkey and sweet potatoes. So, the Thai reference is in regards to the things in the soup. We’re talking about the scallinos, ginger and garlic here. I’m looking at you, Thai-style red curry paste and spicy red chile. Oh, hello coconut milk and cilantro. Yes, these are all common ingredients in and on some of my favorite Thai style dishes, which is why this is “Thai style,” if that makes sense.

I wanted to create a soup that honored those deep, layered Thai and Southeast Asian flavors, but that I could whip up easily with things that are readily available to me in my Portland, OR kitchen, in one pot, and in a healthy, nourishing way.

This soup is loaded with fresh vegetables and aromatics and is essentially a vehicle for you to add any veggies you’ve got on hand. Need to use up some fresh spinach or mushrooms? Go for it. Have a regular potato to throw in the pot as well? Yes, absolutely. I also happen to know that a fresh apple us really lovely in a curry as well. As is pumpkin.

So, riff away, friend.

What you’ll need

This soup is loaded with good-for-you ingredients. We’re talking things that will go to work for you – nutrient-rich foods like sweet potato, ginger, garlic, and colorful bell peppers. Lean ground turkey is the protein of the day today, but you certainly could use ground chicken as well.

How to make this soup vegetarian

If you want to keep this strictly on the vegetarian side of the soup aisle, no problem! Simply omit the meat altogether, and opt for vegetable stock and veggie stock concentrate instead.

INGREDIENTS

3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil or other preferred cooking oil
2 small sweet potatoes, diced (no need to peel)
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 bunch scallions, chopped, white and green parts separated
2 bell peppers, any color, diced
1 red chili, minced (optional)
6 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced or grated
One pound ground turkey (or chicken)
4-ounce jar Thai style red curry paste
2 teaspoons chicken stock concentrate (optional)
15-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons cornstarch or AP flour
Salt and pepper, to taste

Serving Suggestions: chopped cilantro, fresh limes, soy sauce, and scallion greens

How to make this Curried Turkey Soup

This is a very easy, one pot soup that is bursting with fresh vegetables and aromatics. Like, it really doesn’t get much more flavorful than this. I like to make a double batch and then freeze a bunch for later in the season. It will keep for you in the fridge for a few days, and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

DIRECTIONS

Add the oil to a large pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the sweet potatoes, onion, scallion whites, bell peppers, and (if using) red chili. Cook until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds more. Transfer to a plate/tray for now. Add a little more oil to the pot, along with the turkey, curry paste (yep, all of it), and stock concentrate. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the turkey is no longer raw.

Add the coconut milk, stock, and a little water if you’d like it even thinner. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and two tablespoons of the hot broth, stirring to dissolve. Add this “slurry” to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce right away to a simmer, and allow the soup to simmer gently, covered, for about 8 to 10 minutes, just so the flavors can develop (it’s ready to eat as soon as the slurry has thickened).

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top your bowls with chopped cilantro, fresh limes for squeezing, soy sauce, and the scallion greens.