This Turkey Enchilada Soup is a quick, easy and delicious way to use up leftover turkey. It’s a hearty soup packed with veggies, beans, tomatoes, enchilada sauce and other southwestern flavors.
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Southwest Turkey Enchilada Soup
Next time you find yourself with leftover turkey, skip the turkey sandwiches and give this Turkey Enchilada Soup a try. Since the turkey is already cooked, it only takes about 30 minutes to make and is just so darn good. This is also the perfect soup for tossing in leftover green beans, corn, or other veggies you may have lying around.
Mix and match your favorite southwestern toppings like sour cream, tortilla chips, avocado and fresh cilantro, then serve with Wheat Rolls, Parker House Rolls, or Homemade Flaky Biscuits or popovers for a seriously hearty meal.
If you're looking for a great whole turkey recipe, this one is flavor-filled and I'll show you how to make it step by step. For something a little easier, you try this herb-crusted turkey breast or even a slow cooker turkey breast. All of these recipes are perfect for Turkey Enchilada Soup.
Ingredients in Turkey Enchilada Soup
- Turkey - leftover turkey works great for this soup, as does cooked ground turkey. It can also be made with rotisserie chicken, or any kind of leftover cooked chicken.
- Butter - I like the flavor of butter in this recipe, but you could absolutely substitute olive oil or avocado oil.
- Onion - either white or yellow onion works great for this soup.
- Garlic - fresh garlic has the best flavor, but minced garlic from the jar will work well in a pinch.
- Chili Powder - use your favorite kind of chili powder and feel free to add a little more or less depending on how spicy you like your turkey soup.
- Corn - fresh or frozen corn can be used for this recipe. If you use frozen corn, be sure and thaw and drain it first.
- Black Beans - rinse and drain your black beans well before adding to the soup. You could also use kidney beans or pinto beans to mix things up.
- Tomatoes - this recipe calls for a can of crushed tomatoes. Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles is a great option that fits perfectly with the Southwestern flavors if you want a chunkier tomato.
- Chicken Broth - you can use any kind of chicken broth for this recipe, or even use your own homemade Chicken Stock.
- Enchilada Sauce - use your favorite brand of red enchilada sauce for this recipe.
Toppings for Southwest Turkey Soup
Here are just a few topping ideas to get you started:
- Tortilla chips
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Fresh cilantro
- Salsa verde
- Lime wedges
- Sliced jalapenos
How to Make Turkey Enchilada Soup
- Saute the onion and garlic. In a large stockpot, add the butter and melt over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they are a light caramel color, or about 5 minutes. Then add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
- Simmer. Once the garlic is fragrant, add the turkey, chili powder, salt, pepper, corn, black beans, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and enchilada sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Serve. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly before ladeling into bowls. Top with tortilla chips, cheddar cheese, sour cream, diced avocado, fresh cilantro or any of your other favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! We still recommend sauteing the onions and garlic first, then add them to your slow cooker along with the rest of the ingredients. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Yup! Make sure it is completely cooled, then transfer the soup to freezer bags or another airtight container and store frozen for up to 3 months.
If you don’t have any leftover turkey, there are plenty of other tasty options. Ground turkey enchilada soup is also quite delicious. Just brown the ground turkey along with the sauteed onion and garlic, then let it finish cooking as the soup simmers. Also, any type of leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken tastes great.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerator: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: store cooled soup in freezer bags for up to 2 months. To thaw, transfer to the fridge overnight.
- To reheat: put soup into a dutch oven or sauce pot and warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.
Tips and Variations
- If you don't have any leftover turkey you want to use, you can add rotisserie chicken, ground turkey to make it a ground turkey enchilada recipe, or ground chicken instead of the leftover turkey.
- Add your favorite beans.
- Add any veggies you love. The broth is delicious, and this recipe is so versatile.
Turkey Enchilada Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups Turkey cooked and diced into ½" chunks
- 3 Tablespoon Butter
- 1 large Onion diced
- 2 Tablespoons Garlic minced
- 2 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 2 cups Corn fresh or frozen
- 2 15-oz cans Black Beans rinsed and drained
- 1 10-oz can Crushed Tomatoes
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 14-oz can Red Enchilada Sauce
Toppings
- Tortilla Chips
- Cheddar Cheese shredded
- Sour Cream
- Avocado diced
- Fresh Cilantro
Instructions
- In a large stockpot, add the butter and melt over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they are a light caramel color, or about 5 minutes. Then add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
- Once the garlic is fragrant, add the turkey, chili powder, salt, pepper, corn, black beans, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and enchilada sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and let cool slightly before ladeling into bowls. Top with tortilla chips, cheddar cheese, sour cream, diced avocado, fresh cilantro or any of your other favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More of the Best Soup Recipes To Try
- Lasagna Soup
- Easy Taco Soup
- Black Bean Soup
- Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe
- Turkey and Rice Soup
- Roasted Tomato Soup
- Creamy Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup
- 30 Minute Chicken Noodle Soup
- Broccoli Potato Cheese Soup
- More Soup Recipes
- More Turkey Recipes
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This Turkey Enchilada Soup is one of the best leftover turkey recipes. It's quick, easy and tastes great topped with sour cream, avocado, tortilla strips and cilantro.
Zoya
I’ve made this multiple times with rotisserie chicken, so yummy!
Stephanie
Looks SO good !! Making this today to use up my turkey. Can't wait to try it, thanks for sharing.
The Carefree Kitchen
Awesome! Hope you love it!