Ground turkey tortilla soup is made with ground turkey, vegetables, spices, and crunchy corn tortilla chips. It is an easy, flavorful dinner that comes together in about an hour.
What's great about this recipe
- Pantry staples and fresh ingredients come together to make a hearty, satisfying soup.
- It's a budget-friendly dinner made with simple, easy-to-find ingredients.
- Leftovers reheat well, making this soup great for meal prep.
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Budget Check
- The full recipe is about $10.50-$12.00
- Per serving (4 servings): about $2.60-$3.00
Uses conventional ingredients. Based on recent U.S. national averages. Actual prices will vary by store and region.
Ingredients you'll need
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Oil - We use olive oil to sauté the onions and garlic and brown the ground turkey. Use your favorite cooking oil with a moderate to high smoke point.
Produce - Onion and garlic build the flavor base for the soup, while frozen corn adds a little sweetness and texture.
Meat - Use lean ground turkey, but not ground turkey breast. We used 85/15, but 93/7 will also work well.
Spices - Chili powder, salt, cumin, black pepper, and crushed red pepper season the soup. Leave out the crushed red pepper if you don't like spicy food.
Pantry - Chicken broth and diced tomatoes make up the base of the tortilla soup. We use fire-roasted diced tomatoes for extra flavor, but regular canned diced tomatoes work just as well.
Garnish - Corn tortilla chips are a must for serving. Everything else is optional. Good topping choices include chopped cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream, hot sauce, sliced avocado, jalapeños, or other sliced peppers. (Not pictured)
📖 See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make ground turkey tortilla soup
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until they become translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Raise the heat to medium-high and add the ground turkey.
- Sprinkle with the chili powder, salt, cumin, black pepper, and crushed red pepper (if using).
- Cook the turkey for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula, until browned.
- Add the tomatoes and chicken broth and stir well.
- Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the soup simmers, cook the corn just enough to defrost.
- Add the corn to the pot, raise the heat to medium, and stir.
- Cook uncovered for another 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the soup thicken a bit and the flavors come together.
Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference, we did not add extra salt to ours. Before adding more, taste it with a tortilla chip since they're usually salty.
Serve in individual bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro. Add the tortilla chips right before serving. Serve with lime wedges on the side if desired.
Recipe tips and notes
- Use reduced-sodium chicken broth and/or reduce or leave out the salt used to season the ground turkey if you're sensitive to salt.
- Use lean ground turkey, but avoid ground turkey breast. It just doesn't have enough fat and will dry out as it browns and as the soup simmers.
- Add the tortilla chips right before serving so they stay crunchy.
Storing and reheating
Let the soup cool, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
To freeze, place cooled leftovers in freezer-safe containers, leaving a little room for expansion. Label and date the containers and freeze for 2-3 months for the best quality. Do not add the tortilla chips before storing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat leftovers in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until hot. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave. Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
For food safety, refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the ambient temperature is above 90°F.
If you enjoyed this ground turkey tortilla soup, try one of our other ground turkey recipes. This turkey taco soup is quick, easy, and perfect for weeknights. For a hearty meal, try our ground turkey tater tot casserole, or make ground turkey spaghetti, which is always a hit. Ground turkey picadillo is another easy dinner that's packed with flavor.
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📖 Recipe
Turkey Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Oil we used extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Medium Onion finely diced
- 2-3 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 pound Ground Turkey use lean but not turkey breast (we used 85/15)
- ½ tablespoon Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt plus extra at the end if needed (we use kosher salt)
- ½ teaspoon Cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper optional, leave it out if you don't like spicy
- 1 (14 ounce) can Diced Tomatoes (use fire roasted if available)
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 2 cups Frozen Corn cooked just enough to defrost, and drained
- 4 ounces Corn Tortilla Chips broken into bite-sized pieces
- 2-3 teaspoons Chopped Cilantro for garnish (optional)
- Lime Wedges for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes or until they become translucent. Stir frequently.
- Add the garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Next, raise the heat to medium-high and immediately add the ground turkey.
- Sprinkle the turkey with the chili powder, salt, cumin, black pepper, and crushed red pepper (if using). Stir well to combine.
- Cook the turkey for approximately 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula, until browned.
- Add the tomatoes and chicken broth and stir well. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the soup simmers, cook the corn just enough to defrost. Follow the instructions on the package but cook it only for half of the recommended time.
- Add the corn to the pot, raise the heat to medium and stir. Cook the soup uncovered for another 10-15 minutes to let it thicken a bit and allow the flavors to come together. Stir occasionally.
- Taste the soup and add salt if needed. As a reference, we did not add any to ours. Before adding extra salt, taste the soup with a tortilla chip because they're usually salty.
- Serve the soup in individual bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro (if using). Add the corn tortilla chips right before serving. Serve with lime wedges on the side, if desired.
Notes
- Use reduced-sodium chicken broth and/or reduce or leave out the salt used to season the ground turkey if you're sensitive to salt.
- Use lean ground turkey, but avoid ground turkey breast. It just doesn't have enough fat and will dry out as it browns and as the soup simmers.
- Add the tortilla chips right before serving so they stay crunchy.
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
Christy
I'm a huge fan of soups during the cooler days, so I made a large stockpot of this soup. I also love adding extra veggies in where possible. I added 4 carrots with one extra large onion and then added 2 diced up peppers for color and nutrients. I cooked up 3 lbs of ground turkey to make a good hearty soup. This will keep my large family happy for at least 2 meals.