Our Smoked Turkey & Bean Soup Recipe rivals traditional ham soup for ease and flavor, but leftover ham bone or ham hocks can be substituted.
Updated with homemade bouillon and pressure cooker instructions!
Better Than the Traditional Favorite
Ham and navy bean soup used to be our traditional post-holiday soup to use the leftover ham bone. When we discovered smoked turkey thighs and drumsticks at the market, we realized we don’t have to wait to finish up a ham to make it.
Now we make a big pot of white bean soup with smoked turkey with whole wheat cornbread all winter long.
Another ingredient that sets our recipe apart is the addition of homemade beef bouillon (pork works too). This concentrated flavor boost does wonders for any soup and it’s easy to collect and store.
Navy, Great Northern, pinto, black-eyed peas, or the 15 bean concoction are all good choices for this recipe. Our favorite is cannellini, which is a white kidney bean with a soft, creamy texture.
Beans are a great source of fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals—one meal that can help you keep those New Year’s resolutions to take better care of yourself.
You’ll notice we also add red lentils, which completely break down giving the soup a thick, hearty consistency. We find red lentils create a pleasing color whereas green or brown lentils make the soup look muddy.
TIP: If you experience bloating or gas after eating beans, digestive enzymes with alpha-galactosidase can help tremendously. It breaks down the carbohydrates in beans into simpler sugars to make them easier to digest.
This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for more information.
Yes, you can smoke your own turkey, but you don’t have to.
To smoke your own turkey, take a look at Charbroil’s instructions for electric smokers or Traeger’s instructions on their wood smoker.
If you don’t have a smoker to make your own smoked turkey, Diestel Smoked Turkey Drums & Thighs make it easy to get the sweet, smoky flavor bean soup demands. Here in Colorado, this premium turkey brand is found in natural food markets.
We prefer Diestel brand because of their sustainable farming methods and natural, hardwood smoking process. The flavor is pleasantly smoky and lightly seasoned, giving me more control over the amount of salt.
Each thigh or drumstick is individually wrapped so it’s easy to customize the amount or combination you want. In this case, two smoked turkey thighs provide plenty of meat for 5 quarts of hearty bean soup.
How to Prep Smoked Turkey for Bean Soup
When prepping the smoked turkey to create bite-size pieces for the soup, you want to separate bones, connective tissue, skin, and any tough, leathery smoked meat.
As you pull the meat apart with your fingers, you can feel these tougher pieces as they don’t break apart easily.
This isn’t the skin, which is easy to remove. This is the exposed meat (not covered by skin) that gets tough and forms a rubbery type of skin when it is smoked over a long period.
I usually discard these pieces because there are so few, but if you want to include them in the soup, just be sure they are minced fine. These tougher edges won’t break down or soften even if cooked longer. The best way to know is to take a bite yourself to decide.
Homemade Bouillon
Every time you roast beef, chicken, or pork save the pan drippings. These rendered juices are the best all-natural bouillon you will ever find.
Tips for Saving & Using Pan Drippings for Bouillon
- Watch the bottom of the pan when you’re roasting meat so you can add a little water to keep the pan drippings from burning.
- If the pan drippings are thick or too dry to pour out of the pan, add a little water to the pan and dislodge the browned juices with a spatula. The water will turn brown as the browned bits mix with it. Do this until all the roasted juices have lifted from the pan and can be poured into a storage container, freezer bag, or ice cube tray.
- The amount of liquid will dictate the container used to freeze it. Ice cube trays work well for this as each compartment is about 1 tablespoon, which is handy. When using freezer bags, keep the amount to about 1 cup per bag and freeze flat. That way, it remains easy to break off pieces as needed.
- You can either skim the fat from the concentrated juices with a spoon or allow to cool in the refrigerator and simply lift off the fat that settles on the top before freezing. If there is enough liquid, a fat separator like the one shown in the photo works well too.
Homemade bouillon is absolutely the best. I’ve searched everywhere for bouillon with clean ingredients, free of maltodextrin, soy, yeast extract, and the like without success.
When You Don’t Have Homemade Bouillon
When I am out of homemade bouillon, the one I do use in a pinch is Better Than Bouillon Organic Roasted Beef or Chicken Base.
Another option for replacing bouillon in recipes is demi-glace, which has more straightforward ingredients. Most are made with wheat flour, so you have to specifically look for gluten-free.
Turkey & Bean Soup Step by Step
- Soak beans in salted water for at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse well.
- Prep and saute onion, carrot, celery, and garlic.
- Add everything else, then add enough stock/broth/water to cover by 2 to 3-inches above the solid ingredients.
- Simmer for 2 hours on the stove.
- Separate meat from the bones.
- Return meat to the pot; season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Ladle into warmed bowls and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
Recipe Variations
- Add chopped kale, red bell pepper, or hot green chilies for different flavor profiles
- Sub smoked chicken or ham for turkey
- Sub cauliflower, celery root, turnips, rutabagas, or parsnips for the carrots or celery
- Sub demi-glace in place of bouillon
TIP: Use organic canned beans if you’re in a pinch for time, reducing cooking time as well. However, we think you’ll prefer the taste and creamy texture of dried beans.
Stovetop, Slow Cooker & Pressure Cooker Instructions Included
I’ve prepared this soup in a slow cooker and in my stockpot, but I also use my pressure cooker to make soups faster (see Recipe Notes).
The beans cook beautifully in the pressure cooker, however, the meat doesn’t quite get to the fall-off-the-bone stage in such a short time, but the flavor is the same.
Smoked Turkey & Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons sea salt
- 2 cups dry cannellini beans
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 3 stalks celery chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 3 large carrots chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 quarts chicken or turkey broth , or 1-quart Basic Stock and water (See Recipe Notes)
- 2 Diestel Smoked Turkey Thighs or Drumsticks , about 2 1/2 pounds (thighs will have more meat)
- 1 cup dried red lentils , rinsed, but not soaked
- 2 tablespoons concentrated homemade beef bouillon , or 1/2 cup concentrated beef stock, or 2 teaspoons bouillon paste or demi-glace (optional)
- 2 teaspoons Paul Prudhomme’s Meat Magic , see notes for substitute seasonings
- 2 teaspoons dry Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 whole bay leaf
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley (optional), for garnish
Instructions
- Dissolve 3 tablespoons sea salt in 4 quarts of water in a large (8-quart) pot. Stir in 2 cups dry cannellini beans and soak at room temperature overnight or for at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse well.
- Chop 1 large onion, 2-3 large carrots, 2-3 celery stalks, and mince 2 cloves garlic. Heat oil in a large soup pot or pressure cooker over medium heat and cook onion, carrot, and celery caramelized, about 8 minutes. Mix in garlic and cook until fragrant. (If using a slow cooker, transfer softened vegetables to the cooker at this point and continue with remaining instructions.)
- Stir in soaked and rinsed beans, 1 cup rinsed lentils, turkey thighs or drumsticks, 2 tablespoons homemade beef bouillon (or 2 teaspoons store-bought), 2 teaspoons Meat Magic, 2 teaspoons dry Italian herb seasoning, 2 teaspoons cumin, and bay leaf to the pot. Add enough broth/stock/water to cover 2 to 3-inches above ingredients to allow beans to absorb enough liquid – about 4 quarts. NOTE: The exact amount of broth will depend on the amount of meat added. Additional water may be needed. *See Recipe Notes for pressure cooker method.
- Bring soup to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 hours on the stove or 4-6 hours in a crockpot set on low.
- Before serving, remove bones and large pieces of turkey from the pot; allow to cool slightly on a platter. Once cool enough to handle, separate meat from the bones and any unappealing connective tissue (see directions and photo in Post). Return meat to the pot and discard bones; season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle into warmed bowls, garnish with fresh parsley and serve with cornbread and honey-butter.
Video Displays Here or In Post
Notes
Yield: About 6 quarts
Pressure Cooker Method:
- Once the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic are softened, add all the ingredients to the pot, including spices.
- Bring soup to pressure based on manufacturer’s instructions. Reduce heat enough to keep at pressure for 15 minutes. Beans should be soft and ready for salt and pepper, to taste.
- Before serving, remove bones and large pieces of turkey from the pot; allow to cool slightly on a platter.
- Once cool enough to handle, separate meat from the bones and any unappealing connective tissue. Return meat to the pot and discard bones.
Recipe Variations:
- Add chopped kale, red bell pepper, or hot green chilies for different flavor profiles
- Sub smoked chicken or ham for turkey
- Sub cauliflower, celery root, turnips, rutabagas, or parsnips for the carrots or celery
- Sub demi-glace in place of bouillon
- Use organic canned beans if you’re in a pinch for time, reducing the cooking time as well.
- Substitute for Paul Prudhomme Meat Magic:
2 teaspoon (smoked or sweet) paprika
1.5 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
pinch cayenne
pinch nutmeg
Mix these spices and herbs together, then add the amount it calls for in the recipe.
Recipe Tips:
- The easy way to make homemade bouillon is to save the pan dripping from roasted meats.
- If the pan drippings are thick or too dry to pour out of the pan, add a little water to the pan and dislodge the browned juices with a spatula. The water will turn brown as the browned bits mix with it. Do this until all the roasted juices have lifted from the pan and can be poured into a storage container, freezer bag, or ice cube tray.
- The amount of liquid will dictate what you use to freeze it. Ice cube trays work well for this as each compartment is about 1 tablespoon, which is handy. When using freezer bags, keep the amount to about 1 cup per bag and freeze flat. That way, it remains easy to break off pieces as needed.
- You can either skim the fat from the concentrated juices with a spoon or allow to cool in the refrigerator and simply lift off the fat that settles on the top before freezing. If there is enough liquid, a fat separator like the one shown in the photo works well too.
- If the beans do not soften after cooking for over an hour, add a pinch of baking soda to the soup and continue to cook. This will make the soup more alkaline and help to soften the beans.
Equipment
Nutrition
Smoky bean soup and sweet cornbread go together like movies and popcorn.
I cannot imagine bean soup without whole-grain cornbread.
Start with one piece in your bowl to soak up the broth and crown another one with butter and honey (this also qualifies as dessert).
VVS says
I’m rating it before I make it because it looks delicious. Right up my alley. Question: I coudn’t find enough smoked turkey and bought a raw thigh to add for extra meat. Do I need to cook it before hand? What do you suggest? I am using an insta pot and usually a I simmer for a while before serving. Thanks.
Judy Purcell says
Hi VVS, That is a great question! For the best flavor from that raw thigh I would roast it in the oven (skin on), or brown it and cook it in the Instapot first so it is cooked before adding it to the soup—that way it best matches the pre-cooked/smoked meat in texture. Also, add 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke to the raw thigh during the pre-cook and once the soup comes together, add another teaspoon if you think the smoke flavor is weak. Please let me know how it all goes!
Rebecca says
This soup is one of the best soups I’ve ever made.. I used Great Northern Beans but will make again with the Cannelini. I missed the creaminess of the Cannelini.
Deanna Drew says
This is the absolute best soup recipe I have ever made, and I have made a lot of soups. Thank you so much. The smoke flavor was perfect. The broth was perfectly seasoned, the veggies and turkey…. I cannot say enough!
Lucy Geck says
I made this for a second time tonight to be refrigerated instead of canned and OMG! Perfection!!!! My hubby LOVES it and I’m taking some quarts to neighbors. Thahk you!!!
Lucy Geck says
This is the PERFECT soup for winter! I adjusted the recipe slightly adding 2+ lb of chopped turkey breast in lieu of the fattier turkey parts, Old Bay seasoning, finely chopped smoked ham, 2 steamed sweet potatoes cooked and chopped, chipotle pepper and wild mushrooms and a few other accommodations to make it suitable for pressure-canning and WOWZA! Best soup I’ve ever canned. Thank you!!!
Jose Ramirez says
Hi, it says check notes for substitutes for the Meat Seasoning, but I don’t see those notes anywhere! Help! This recipe looks amazing and I want to try it.
Judy Purcell says
Jose, sorry about that! I don’t know what happened there, but while I’m getting it fixed, here you go!
2 teaspoon (smoked or sweet) paprika
1.5 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
pinch cayenne
pinch nutmeg
Mix these spices and herbs together, then add the amount it calls for in the recipe. Do let me know how it turns out for you! 🙂
Cathy says
Just made this and LOVE it! Used the carcass from a smoked turkey to make the stock, and 2 cups of frozen smoked turkey drum meat which was left over after making smoked turkey graving for thanksgiving. Doubled the garlic. Had home made beef bone stock that I reduced from 2 cups down to about 3/4 cup. LOVE the seasoning and found it surprisingly light and fresh tasting. Will keep this recipe to use every time we smoke a turkey! Thank You.
Pat says
Just found this recipe and have all the ingredients except the Chef Prudhomme’s seasoning., as I, live in Canada. Can you suggest an alternative? His website does not list the spices, just paprika.
I am always looking for new soup recipes.
Judy Purcell says
Hi Pat! Here’s what I would use in place of the Prudhomme seasoning:
2 teaspoon (smoked or sweet) paprika
1.5 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
pinch cayenne
pinch nutmeg
Mix these spices and herbs together, then add the amount it calls for in the recipe. Do let me know how it turns out for you! 🙂
Yang says
What a gorgeous soup! It’s so perfect for the winter.
Hope says
Looks so delicious and hearty! Perfect comfort food!
Anne Lawton says
We are expecting snow again! I could use a bowl of this to warm me up.
Kathryn says
This is the ultimate comfort food! I love all the flavors and spices you’ve put together in this recipe!
Zuzana says
Perfect timing for our evening meal to warm up a bit
Megan Stevens says
Wow, just so yummy! I Love this soup!
Holley @ThePrimalDesire says
After cooking beans in the pressure cooker, I’m hooked. This combo with pressure cooker beans and turkey, yum!
Leslie says
Looks delicious and reminds me of the super hearty soups I ate in Italy. Can’t wait to give it a try!
Mira says
What a good idea for a great lunch for the kids!
Kelly says
What a great winter soup! I’m ready to dive into a big bowl!
paleoglutenfreeguy says
This is perfect comfort food. And that cornbread! Perfect combo.
Raia Todd says
Sounds like comfort food!
Joni Gomes says
Omg this cornbread! I love soups with cannellini beans, so hearty and filling!
STACEY CRAWFORD says
This is a lovely Fall soup for the pressure cooker! 🙂
Mira says
This is a great recipe for my comfort board. I will share this as it was delicious.
Cheryl says
I’m making this for a group of 12 ladies. I think I’ll add a can of diced tomatoes and some chicken andouille sausage in place of the Meat Magic spice. I have a ton of smoked turkey leftover from Christmas, so this is perfect. I have red lentils to use, and they usually cook down a lot more than brown ones, especially in the Instant Pot. Thanks for this – can’t wait to serve it!
Judy Purcell says
Hi Cheryl, I hope all goes well with the ladies and they enjoy your efforts! Please do let me know!
Luz says
How does the turkey looks like after smoking, I like this BEAN SOUP very much.
Judy Purcell says
I buy it already smoked and it is a caramel brown color. Glad you like the soup! Thanks.
ChgoJohn says
I love to use smoked turkey in soups, Judy. It add so much flavor to the pot, closely resembling the pork products I once used. It would work perfectly in your bean soup and I know this was one tasty bowl of comfort!
Judy Purcell says
It is surprising how much smoked turkey resembles pork in recipes like this — a good find. 🙂
Mary @ LOVE the secret ingredient says
The colors are so beautiful! It just got cold again here in NYC and this looks like an amazing recipe to help get through until spring weather returns!
Raymund says
What a nice soup recipe, definitely will keep as winter is coming fast our way. I may only have hard time looking for smoked turkey so I will be using chicken instead.
Mandy says
This is a wonderful recipe for our dinner this evening but will have to replace the turkey with chicken. Lovely.
Have a super week ahead.
🙂 Mandy xo
John/Kitchen Riffs says
I haven’t yet gotten a pressure cooker, but keep thinking I should. One of these days! I love soups like this — so many great flavors going on. Thanks.
Dynamo of Dixie says
Thank you for a great looking recipe. I can use this. Glad to see the Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Meat Magic. We use his Vegetable Magic like it’s going out of style.
mjskit says
You said it all with that first sentence! I can just look at that beautiful picture of yours and just taste to goodness in this soup. Perfect meal for the cold front we’ll be getting next week!
DebbieA says
This soup turned out fantastic! I made the stock with the turkey legs while the beans were soaking, substituted some blackening seasoning I had on hand for Prudhomme’s Meat Magic, and left out the beef bouillon because I did not have any. Then added a couple of cups of smoked turkey and the seasonings during the last half hour of cooking. It made a bunch so I will happily have some to freeze for later!
Judy Purcell says
Hi Debbie, thank you so much for taking the time to let me know how much you liked the soup–feedback is so helpful to edit and improve recipes! Substitutions are the beauty of making soup, so easy to customize, and you can’t go wrong with homemade stock. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed this recipe and that you have some for later too!
Peggy says
I used smoked Spanish paprika instead of meat magic.
Judy Purcell says
Hi Peggy, smoked Spanish paprika is good on just about everything, good choice! Thanks for commenting and for the idea. 🙂
Debbie @ Easy Natural Food says
This looks delicious! I can imagine that this would work really well with ham, too. Thanks for sharing with Sunday Night Soup Night, look forward to seeing you again soon!
diabeticFoodie says
Looks delicious. Love the smoked turkey for ham substitution.
scarino says
I love fall soups, this sounds like a perfect fit for a beautiful crisp day!
Thanks for linking up with Friday Food on MomTrends.com!
~Shannon (Food Channel Editor @ MomTrends)
Tom says
Any idea on the calorie count for this soup, recipe is spot on delicious!
5 Stars!!!
Judy Purcell says
Hi Tom, so glad you liked the soup — it is one of my all-time faves. 🙂 As to the calorie count, I put it through a couple online resources and the calorie count is somewhere between 160-175 per 1 1/2 cup serving. It can be is hard to get precise because most of the online tools can only evaluate specific ingredients it recognizes, the checking it on two sources this should be close. 🙂 Hope that helps!