Do not be intimidated by the length of this recipe — it takes time, but the process itself is surprisingly easy. The resulting soup is fresh, aromatic and packed with vegetables, herbs and grains. If you can’t find turkey legs, substitute 6 whole chicken legs. As you’re cooking, be sure to season as you go. If you season gradually throughout the cooking process, versus adding salt at the end, you build flavor in your soup instead of it tasting salty. It may seem like a lot of salt as you are cooking, but this makes a lot of soup, and we are cutting down substantially on the sodium by making stock from scratch instead of buying the store-bought version.
Plus, this is an excellent freezer soup. Even if you are not expecting a big crowd, you can make this and freeze in individual portions. It makes for a soothing lunch during a busy workday or a ready-to-eat healthy dinner when you’re too tired to cook.
This soup is well-balanced with macronutrients, supplying the recommended 20-plus grams of protein, 5g fiber, and high amounts of unsaturated fat. The complexity of ingredients also offers a variety of micronutrients, especially with the different kinds of vegetables.
Active time: 1 hour Total time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
CLICK TO TWEET THIS ARTICLE > This turkey soup takes time, but the layers of flavor are worth the wait, plus it’s packed with macros to help you meet your goals, via @MyFitnessPal. #healthyrecipe
Big-Batch Turkey Barley Soup
Ingredients
- 2 whole turkey legs (about 4 pounds/1,800g)
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup (120ml) olive oil
- 6 celery ribs, plus 1/2 cup (15g) chopped bright green celery leaves
- 5 large carrots
- 3 large yellow onions
- 2 apples, such as Gala or Honeycrisp, peeled
- 2 heads garlic, plus 6 cloves minced garlic
- 5 thyme sprigs
- 4 sage sprigs
- 1 pound (453g) cremini mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
- 2 cups (280g) quick-cooking pearled barley
- 1 bunch curly kale or mustard greens (about 6 cups, 226g), stemmed and chopped
- 1 cup (24g) chopped Italian parsley
- 1 cup (24g) chopped dill
Optional Garnish
- More olive oil for drizzling (optional)
- Finely shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions
Season the turkey legs all over with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or stockpot (about 12 quarts), heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Sear the turkey legs over moderate heat, turning once, until the skin is golden brown and crispy, 5–7 minutes.
While the turkey is browning, roughly chop three of the celery stalks, roughly chop two of the carrots, quarter one of the yellow onions, quarter one apple, and slice the whole heads of garlic horizontally through the head. Add to the pot with the turkey legs. Tie the thyme sprigs and sage into a bundle with cooking twine, if desired, and add to the pot. Add 8 quarts of water and a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer partially covered, occasionally skimming any foam off the surface, until the turkey is very tender and cooked through, about 2 hours.
While the stock is simmering, finely chop the remaining celery, carrots, onion and apple.
Using tongs, transfer the turkey legs to a plate and cover with foil. If desired, continue to simmer the stock up to 4 hours, adding water as needed. (This step is not essential but will intensify the flavor of your soup.)
Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl; discard the used vegetables and herbs. You should have about 5 quarts of stock. Wipe out the Dutch oven and return it to the stove.
In the Dutch oven, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add the celery, carrots, onion, apple and minced garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8–10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the quick-cooking barley and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the barley is tender, 10–15 minutes.
While the barley is cooking, shred the turkey into bite-size pieces. Discard the skin and bones. You should have about 6 cups of turkey.
Stir in the turkey and greens and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the greens are wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the parsley, dill and celery leaves and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with olive oil, and garnish with freshly shredded Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper, if desired. Serve hot.
Serves: 12 | Serving Size: About 2 cups
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 351; Total Fat: 12g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 8g; Cholesterol: 57mg; Sodium: 377mg; Carbohydrate: 30g; Dietary Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 6g; Protein: 25g
Originally published January 2021
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