This Turkey, Squash and Kale Soup Tastes Just Like Thanksgiving – San Diego Union-Tribune

By G. Daniela Galarza

The Washington Post

There are only two things I love about Thanksgiving in America: the food and the people eating that food with me. Recently, when I was craving these comforting flavors – but had no desire to cook a multi-course meal – I came up with this soup recipe, reminiscent of sage-scented turkey, sweet squash, simmered vegetables and buttery stuffing that often dress up a Thanksgiving table.

The smells and textures of these dishes on the same plate, in the same mouthful, are so deeply ingrained in my head that the moment I notice a golden leaf with purple edges falling at my feet, my brain quickly moves forward to the image of the Thanksgiving table from the previous year. This year, that moment happened during the second week of September. That’s when I developed this soup recipe that makes the most of the harvest festival.

Last year I celebrated Thanksgiving in Tucson with my family. There was roasted squash, cooked leafy greens, browned turkey, all potatoes, and a mountain of herbed stuffing. That memory inspired this soup, which starts with the basic combination of onions, carrots, and celery. Sprigs of herbs accompany extra-lean ground turkey. (Using fattier meat will make the soup greasy if not drained.) Once the meat is broken into pieces and cooked through, a little optional wine goes in, followed by diced butternut squash and plenty of broth. The chopped kale melts into the bubbling broth near the end.

I chose to use frozen diced butternut squash here, as it is much more manageable, but you can substitute fresh if you wish. Because the turkey is ground, it quickly absorbs flavors as it cooks and releases those flavors into the broth as it simmers. This also means that this soup doesn’t have a long cooking time – a godsend for a weeknight.

The crowning glory, an idea I’m particularly proud of, is a handful of stuffing croutons, placed atop each bowl just before it’s served. The dried, seasoned bread cubes slowly soften in the hot soup. In doing so, they turn into stuffing, while those on top remain crispy. You can make your own seasoned croutons, but I’ve tried several packaged stuffing mixes and found that using store-bought is both quicker and better.

This tastes like my ideal Thanksgiving meal, but you should feel free to modify it to create your own Thanksgiving in a bowl. You can skip the squash and add diced sweet potatoes or simmer halved baby potatoes to form creamy, mashed potato-like pieces. You can use chopped cabbage or green beans if that works better for you than kale. And if you’re really only celebrating Thanksgiving for the sides, skip the ground turkey, add some browned, sliced ​​mushrooms — or just a rich, mushroom-rich broth — and get ready to serve in a bowl.

The only thing missing is the warm feeling of camaraderie, but we’ll get there in a few weeks. And keep this recipe handy. I’ve included instructions on how to make it with leftover Thanksgiving turkey and more.

Thanksgiving soup

This soup with turkey, kale, butternut squash, and stuffed croutons is ideal when you want the flavors of a Thanksgiving meal in under an hour. Ground turkey, seasoned in the pot, ensures that the soup cooks quickly. Frozen and diced butternut squash also saves time. For ease, use store-bought stuffing croutons. If you want to create your own, see Notes. It’s important to look for lean ground turkey. If you are using fattier ground meat, you will need to drain the fat after step 1. Any fat that is not drained or skimmed off will rise to the top of the pan, forming an unappetizing slick of fat. Finally, feel free to modify this recipe to make it taste like your ideal Thanksgiving-in-a-bowl. See Substitutions for ideas on how to do this. To make this with leftover cooked turkey, see Variations.

Makes 6 to 8 servings (15 cups)

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons of olive oil

3 medium carrots (9 ounces total), diced

3 celery ribs, diced

1 medium yellow onion (10 ounces), washed and diced

Fine salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound ground turkey, at least 93 percent lean

3 sprigs of fresh thyme or sage

1 teaspoon salt-free poultry seasoning or Provence herbs

1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Chenin Blanc or Riesling (optional)

1 bag (12 ounces) frozen chopped butternut squash (see Substitutions)

10 cups low-sodium broth (turkey, chicken, vegetable or mushroom), plus more as needed

6 large kale leaves, any type, with large ribs removed, leaves finely chopped

2 cups homemade or store-bought seasoned stuffing croutons or prepared stuffing mix (see Notes)

INSTRUCTIONS

1: In a large Dutch oven or heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the carrots, celery and onion along with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Add the turkey, thyme or sage, poultry seasoning or herbes de Provence, and another pinch of salt and pepper. Using a wooden spoon, cut the turkey into small pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until turkey is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. (If your turkey was particularly fatty, drain off any excess fat before continuing.)

2: Add the wine, if using, or 1/2 cup broth and stir, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Stir in squash and 10 cups broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a steady boil and cook uncovered until squash is tender and flavors blend, about 15 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired.

3: Add the kale and cook until completely wilted and a deeper green, about 5 minutes. Taste the broth and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Discard the thyme or sage sprigs.

4: Divide the soup into bowls, garnish with a few stuffing croutons and serve hot.

Replacements: Olive oil can be replaced with butter or a neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola oil. Instead of onions, try leeks or shallots. No celery? Skip it or use fennel. Frozen diced butternut squash can be substituted with chopped green beans or frozen peas. You can also use diced fresh butternut squash, but it will take longer to cook. If you don’t have ground turkey, use ground chicken or chopped mushrooms. If you prefer not to use wine, simply add more broth.

Variants: To make this with leftover roast turkey, replace the ground turkey with 3 cups shredded or bite-sized pieces of cooked turkey meat, and add it with the kale.

Remarks : To make your own stuffing croutons: In a large (12-inch) skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil until shimmering. Add 2 cups cubed bread, fresh or stale, crusts removed if desired. Season with a few shakes of fine salt, ground pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika and salt-free poultry seasoning, dried thyme or ground sage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the croutons are evenly browned and fragrant.

Note on storage: Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Recipe by G. Daniela Galarza.

Originally published: November 13, 2024 at 5:00 a.m. PST