This Keto Turkey Soup is creamy, hearty and loaded with tender turkey, green beans and cauliflower rice, all in a rich herb-seasoned broth. It's ready in about 35 minutes, has just 6g net carbs per bowl, and is one of the best ways to use up leftover turkey.
It's my favorite way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey, but you don't have to wait for the holidays. Rotisserie chicken or a quickly cooked turkey breast works just as well, so it's an easy, cozy dinner any week of the winter.
Why You'll Love This Soup
- A great use for leftovers. About 2 cups of leftover turkey turn into eight cozy bowls of soup.
- Keto friendly. Cauliflower rice stands in for noodles or rice, keeping each bowl at about 6g net carbs.
- Creamy and comforting. A cup of heavy cream gives it a rich, velvety finish without any flour or thickeners.
- Quick and flexible. It comes together in about 35 minutes and works with leftover turkey, fresh turkey or chicken.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Turkey (leftover or fresh). You'll need about 2 cups (roughly 10 ounces) of diced cooked turkey. Leftover roast turkey is perfect here, and a mix of white and dark meat gives the best flavor. Starting fresh? Dice about ¾ pound of raw turkey breast or tenderloin and add it with the broth; it will cook through in the 10 to 15 minutes the soup simmers (165°F inside). Rotisserie chicken is an easy swap, too.
- Turkey or chicken stock. Homemade turkey stock from the holiday carcass is wonderful, but boxed is fine. A bone broth like Kettle & Fire Chicken Bone Broth adds extra body and a little more protein.
- Cauliflower rice. This is what makes the soup hearty without the carbs of rice or noodles. Fresh or frozen both work, so there's no need to thaw it first.
- Green beans. Fresh or frozen cut green beans add color and a little bite. Chopped zucchini or broccoli florets are good substitutes.
- Onion, celery, carrot and garlic. The classic soup base. One carrot spread across eight servings adds sweetness and color for very few carbs, but you can leave it out to trim them further.
- Seasonings. Poultry seasoning and Italian seasoning give it that cozy, Thanksgiving-style flavor, while a pinch of red pepper flakes adds gentle warmth.
- Heavy cream. Stirred in at the end for a creamy finish. For dairy free, use canned coconut cream, such as Thai Kitchen Unsweetened Coconut Cream, and swap the butter for olive oil.
Helpful Tips
Use a big, heavy pot. This makes a generous eight servings, so start with a 6-quart pot. A heavy enameled Dutch oven softens the vegetables evenly without scorching and holds the heat well once the soup is simmering.
Soften the vegetables first. Give the onion, celery and carrot a good 5 minutes in the butter before anything else goes in. That step builds the flavor of the whole soup, and the carrots won't still be crunchy at the end.
Add the cream at the end. Pour in the cream once the vegetables are tender and keep the soup at a gentle simmer from then on. A hard boil after the cream goes in can make it separate.
Adjust the thickness. For a thicker soup, let it simmer uncovered a few extra minutes before adding the cream. For a thinner one, add another splash of stock. Cauliflower rice keeps soaking up liquid as it sits, so leftovers will be thicker the next day.
Season at the end. Stocks vary a lot in salt, especially homemade versus boxed. Taste once the cream is in, then add more salt and pepper as needed.
Variations
- Turkey noodle soup. Stir in a rinsed package of Miracle Noodle angel hair shirataki noodles for a noodle soup without the carbs. Our Low Carb Konjac Noodle Soup with Chicken and Spinach uses the same trick.
- Add mushrooms. Sauté sliced mushrooms along with the onions for a deeper, earthier flavor.
- Load up the greens. Stir in a few handfuls of chopped kale or baby spinach during the last few minutes. If you like that idea, try our Chicken Kale Soup, too.
- Smoky and extra hearty. Add crumbled cooked bacon or sliced smoked sausage with the turkey.
- Cheesy turkey soup. Melt in a cup of shredded cheddar or a few tablespoons of cream cheese with the heavy cream.
- Make it spicy. Double the red pepper flakes or add a diced jalapeño with the onion.
Serving Ideas
With turkey, vegetables and cream in every spoonful, a big bowl is satisfying on its own. For something to dunk, serve it with warm Low Carb Cheddar Biscuits or a handful of Almond Flour Crackers.
If you're making it the week after Thanksgiving, round out the meal with leftover sides like Keto Green Beans Almondine or a simple green salad with a creamy dressing.
Storing & Freezing
Let the soup cool, then keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The flavors get even better overnight, so it's a great make-ahead lunch. Reheat portions gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of stock if it has thickened up.
To freeze, cool it completely and store it in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months, leaving a little room at the top. Cream-based soups can look slightly grainy after thawing, so thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat it slowly over medium-low heat, stirring well. If you know you'll be freezing a batch, you can also freeze it before adding the cream and stir the cream in while reheating.
FAQs
How many carbs are in this keto turkey soup? Each of the eight servings has about 9g total carbs and 3g fiber, for roughly 6g net carbs, which keeps it comfortably keto.
How much protein does it have? About 14 grams per serving. Using a bone broth instead of regular stock adds a little more.
Can I make it with raw turkey? Yes. Dice about ¾ pound of raw turkey breast or tenderloin into bite-size pieces and add it with the stock. Simmer until the turkey is cooked through (165°F), about 10 to 15 minutes, before adding the cream.
Can I use chicken instead of turkey? Absolutely. Shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken works the same way, and the nutrition stays about the same.
Can I make it in a slow cooker? Yes. Sauté the onion, celery, carrot and garlic first, then add everything except the cream to the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours. Stir in the cream for the last 15 minutes.
More Low Carb Soups
If you love this keto turkey soup, here are a few more cozy bowls to try:
Cooking with ground turkey instead? Try our Low Carb Turkey Taco Skillet or browse all 12 Low Carb Ground Turkey Recipes.
📖 Recipe
Keto Turkey Soup
Ingredients
Step-by-Step Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, until fragrant.
- Add the turkey, cauliflower rice, green beans, salt, Italian seasoning, poultry seasoning, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Pour in the turkey or chicken stock and stir to combine.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, until the green beans are tender. (If using raw turkey, simmer until it is cooked through, see notes.)
- Stir in the heavy cream and let the soup simmer gently, without boiling, for 5 more minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
Nutrition
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is my best approximation. Net carbs are calculated as the total grams carbs minus the total grams of fiber.
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