Chunky Italian Turkey Fennel Soup
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground turkey breast
- 3 medium carrots
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 medium fennel bulb
- 2-3 large leaves of kale
- 4 cups low sodium tomato juice
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1 15-ounce can dark red kidney beans, rinsed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground fennel seed
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper more or less to taste
- 2 cups small pasta shells (uncooked)
- 1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or to taste
- shredded Parmesan cheese optional garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a stock pot over medium heat, and add the turkey breast. Stir to break up the turkey into small pieces, and cook until the turkey is no longer pink.
- While the turkey is cooking, place the carrots, onions, garlic, fennel bulb, and kale in batches into a food processor, and pulse until they are chopped into small, bite-size pieces.
- Add the chopped vegetables to the stock pot with the turkey and cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Add the tomato juice, chicken stock, kidney beans, fennel seed, and crushed red pepper to the pot.
- Bring the soup to a boil, and add the pasta. Reduce the heat, cover and let it simmer for about 20 minutes until the pasta is al dente.
- Stir in the chopped basil. Taste and season with salt as needed. Serve with passed Parmesan cheese if desired.
- Any leftover soup can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The soup may thicken up after refrigerated, so if it's too thick, add a cup of water or chicken stock to the desired consistency.