Chili Soup with Vegetables and Ground Turkey

Name: Chili Soup with Vegetables and Ground Turkey
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large onion (diced); 1 rib celery (diced); 1 red bell pepper (cored, diced); 1 pound ground turkey; 2 tablespoons chili powder; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika; 15 ounces kidney beans (rinsed and drained); 15 ounces pinto beans (rinsed and drained); 4 cups chicken broth; 15 ounces corn (drained); 1 zucchini (diced); 1 1/2 cups green beans (cut into 1-inch pieces); 4 cups Swiss chard (chopped)

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This is the best Chili Soup recipe, made with ground turkey, beans, and loaded with vegetables! It will be an easy comforting one pot meal that you can make in a Dutch oven for a cold weather day.

Soup with ground turkey, beans, and vegetables in a Dutch oven.

This recipe for chili soup is one of the most popular recipes in our house that I make on a monthly basis. It’s loaded with ground turkey, beans, and lots of vegetables, like zucchini, green beans, and Swiss chard.

The best part, is you can make the whole meal in one pot and it’s perfect for meal prepping and freezing!

I love using my Dutch oven for easy one pot meals, like Dutch Oven Pot Roast, Short Rib Ragu, Dutch Oven Beef Stew, Dutch Oven Whole Chicken, White Bean Vegetable Stew, and Dutch Oven Chicken Stew.

Why you will love this recipe

Packed with Veggies. This is one of my favorite recipes where I can put pretty much any vegetables that I have on hands.
One pot meal. There is nothing better that an easy meal that you can make in one pot.
Great for meal prep! This soup is perfect for meal prepping and freezing.

Soup with ground turkey, beans, and vegetables in a bowl.

Ingredients and Substitution

Onion, celery. This combo is a must for any soup or chili! Give it enough time to caramelize and it will provide the best base flavor to the dish.
Red bell pepper. I usually like to use red bell peppers (for their sweet notes), but you can also use yellow, orange, or green peppers.
Ground turkey. I prefer to use dark meat vs white, as it stays moist and has more flavor. And although I prefer to use ground turkey in this recipe, you can also substitute it with ground beef or chicken.
Seasoning. Chili powder and smoked paprika creates a beautiful combination of spicy and sweet smoky aroma.
Crushed tomatoes. It provides a good base for the soup. If you like it to be more chunky, you can use diced tomatoes.
Beans. Kidney and pinto beans are my favorite combo for this soup. But you can use pretty much any beans you have in your pantry.
Chicken stock. I always like to use my Homemade Chicken Stock, but any store-bought broth or stock will work as well.
Corn. I love adding corn to my Dutch Oven Chili or Chili Soup. It adds a nice sweet touch and extra texture.
Vegetables. This soup is great to add some extra veggies to make it healthier and hearty. In this recipe, I used green beans, zucchini, and Swiss chard. You can also use sweet potato, yellow squash, spinach, kale, etc.

How to make it

Preheat a Dutch oven over medium/low heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil. Then add diced onion, celery, and red bell pepper. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and starting to caramelize.

Process photos of searing onion, celery, and red bell pepper in a Dutch oven.

Then add ground turkey and cook until the meat is cooked through.

Add 2 tbsp chili powder and ½ tsp smoked paprika. Stir and cook for another minute.

Process photos of seasing ground turkey in a Dutch oven.

Add drained and rinsed kidney and pinto beans, crushed tomatoes, and chicken broth, and stir.

Process photos of adding beans and crushed tomatoes to soup.

Increase the heat to high to bring everything to boil, then reduce the heat back to low, cover the pot with a lid, and let simmer for about 40 minutes.

When done, remove the lid and bring the heat back to medium/high. Add drained corn, diced zucchini, green beans, and chopped Swiss chard.

Cook for another 5-10 minutes or until the vegetables get softer.

Process photos of adding vegetables to soup.

Tips for best results

Spices. I prefer this chili soup to have a touch of “heat”. If you don’t like your food spicy, you can reduce the amount of chili powder.
Cooking time. Let the soup slowly simmer on low heat for 40 minutes, so all the flavors can blend together.
Corn. While some people may oppose to corn in the chili soup, I strongly suggest to add it. It helps to balance the flavors very well and adds more texture.

Storage and Freezing

How to store? You can refrigerate this chili soup in an air-tight container for 3-4 days.
How to freeze? Freeze it in an air-tight freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months. To thaw, just leave in the fridge overnight.
How to reheat? You can easily reheat it in a pot or a saucepan over medium heat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use dry beans for chili soup?

Yes, you can. But you will need to cook them before adding to the soup.

Can I make chili soup in Instant Pot?

Yes! Similar to my Instant Pot Turkey Chili, you can make this recipe completely in a pressure cooker. So, instead of simmering it on the stove top for 40 minutes, you can cook it in Instant Pot on high for 15 minutes, then quick pressure release, press “saute” button and bring it back to boil, add chopped vegetables, and cook them for about 5-10 minutes until they are soften.