This salsa-based turkey tortilla soup with tender beans, veggies, and sour cream is an easy twist on a Mexican weeknight classic. It’s great for skipping take-out and using up leftovers when you don’t want to cook a lot.
Easy Turkey Tortilla Soup
This spicy turkey tortilla soup is an easy twist on an easy, classic dinner. It’s simmered in a tomatoey, salsa-based broth filled with natural sweetness. Lots of black beans and tender broccoli make it super hearty. It’s so good that the sour cream and crunchy tortilla chips are just nice extras!
Why You’ll Love This Tortilla Soup With Turkey
There’s nothing like a bowl of homemade, 20-minute soup after a long day.
- Convenient. Canned beans, juicy tomatoes, and store-bought broth are the keys to making this an easy, low-effort recipe.
- Fresh. Each spoonful is packed with fresh veggies like broccoli and creamy avocado.
- Gluten-free. Anyone with gluten dietary restrictions can enjoy this soup too.
- Great for leftovers. Throw in leftover turkey and veggies to reduce food waste and add loads of flavor.
Recipe Ingredients
The salsa and canned tomatoes add a smokey, slightly spicy flavor base you’ll love. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.
- Turkey – Shred it as finely as you like.
- Black beans – Use canned or homemade.
- Salsa – I prefer Frontera Jalapeno Cilantro sauce, but add your favorite.
- Canned tomatoes with chilis – Only use diced tomatoes if you don’t like spicy food.
- Chicken broth – Low-sodium chicken broth or homemade is best.
- Broccoli – Store-bought, pre-cut florets are great for this.
- Avocado – A dollop of creamy guacamole can be used instead.
- Lime juice – Feel free to use lemon juice.
- Sour cream – This is an optional topping. Mexican crema works too.
- Tortilla chips – I prefer gluten-free ones, but they’re optional.
How to Make Turkey Tortilla Soup
It’s a very low-effort soup that only needs to be simmered and stirred. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe card.
- Simmer it. Mix the broth, beans, salsa, tomatoes, and broccoli in a large pot. Simmer it over medium heat for 5-8 minutes. Add the turkey and cook the soup for another 5 minutes.
- Make it creamy. Stir in the lime juice and mashed avocado until well combined.
- Serve it. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top it with sour cream and crumbled tortilla chips to taste. Enjoy!
Tips & Variations
Turn it into chicken tortilla soup when that’s all your fridge allows on busy weeknights.
- Use store-bought. Leftover turkey or rotisserie chicken can be shredded for this recipe.
- Spice it up. Stirring 1 teaspoon onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to the broth will add extra flavor. You can also swap all the spices for 1 1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning.
- Grill it. Dice 1-1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless turkey breasts and grill them until cooked through. Add it to the recipe as usual instead of using shredded turkey.
- Make it spicy. Add 1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or chili oil for some heat. A splash of your favorite hot sauce works too.
- Add more veggies. Stir 1/2 cup peas, diced carrots, or sweet corn into the soup for extra texture.
Serving Suggestions
This turkey tortilla soup is a hearty dinner option. Serve it on its own or with Mexican/Tex-Mex inspired sides. Try it with Mexican street corn salad or Grilled Corn. Guacamole or refried beans with corn chips are another great option. If you prefer biscuits, dip my Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuits into the soup.
How to Serve Leftover Tortilla Turkey Soup
Once the turkey tortilla soup is fully cooled, it’s ready to be stored.
- Fridge: Place it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Pour it into freezer-friendly bags or containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge or reheat it straight from frozen.
- To reheat it: Microwave it for 30 seconds, stir, and microwave again until warm. You can also heat it in a pot over medium heat for 10 minutes. If it’s frozen, heat it for 20 minutes.
More Soup Recipes To Try
- Curried Lentil Soup with Tomato and Coconut
- Easy Salmon Soup
- The Best Chicken Noodle Soup
- Creamy Chicken Florentine Soup
Turkey Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded turkey mostly white, but add a bit of dark meat for flavor
- 2-15 ounce cans black beans drained and rinsed
- 2-16 ounce jars salsa I used Frontera Jalapeno Cilantro
- 1 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 5 cups low sodium organic chicken broth
- 2 heads of broccoli broken into small florets (about 1 1/2 cup)
- 1 avocado peeled, pitted and mashed
- 1/2 lime juiced
- Light sour cream {optional}
- Gluten Free Tortilla chips optional
Instructions
- Add the broth, beans, salsa, tomatoes, ad broccoli to large stock-pot and bring it to a low simmer, about 5-8 minutes.
- Add in the turkey and cook it on low heat for an additional 5-8 minutes.
- Add lime juice to mashed avocado. Mix well.
- Once the soup is warm, add it to a bowl.
- Add a dollop of sour cream and diced avocado to top
- Sprinkle in crumbled tortilla chips and enjoy.
Nice way to spice up those leftovers! Pinning to my “recipes to try” board!
Thanks David!
Thanks for another great recipe, Amy! Can’t wait to try this one!