Southwestern Turkey Soup

I always make too much turkey at Thanksgiving. I’m not complaining, not at all. It means I get to find new and great ways to use leftover turkey. Like this southwestern turkey soup. It’s easy, it’s fast, and it is absolutely packed with great flavors. And it doesn’t matter how you cooked your turkey, whether it be smoked, fried, baked or roasted.

Southwestern Turkey Soup

For a little extra zing in your southwestern turkey soup, skip the Rotel and add a small can of diced tomatoes along with a small can of Fire-Roasted Diced Green Chiles.

I like to use my good ole trusty Dutch oven to make this soup and pretty much darned near anything like it on my stovetop. It’s nice and big and sturdy. That extra weight helps it maintain and distribute heat perfectly. As an added bonus, it’s actually pretty easy to clean up too!

Also try my Mexican corn soup and my great chicken noodle soup.

Southwestern Turkey Soup
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5 from 1 vote

Southwestern Turkey Soup

It’s easy, it’s fast, and it is absolutely packed with great flavors. And it doesn’t matter how you cooked your turkey, whether it be smoked, fried, baked or roasted.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword soup, southwestern, turkey
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 125kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
  • Add the onion and saute until tender.
  • Add the remaining ingredients except the garnishes.
  • Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes.
  • Serve with desired garnishes.

Nutrition

Calories: 125kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 186mg | Potassium: 270mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 364IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Buffalo Chicken Soup

Wow. I cannot not stop talking about this Buffalo chicken soup. It is my favorite soup. Perfect for the cool weather. It’s like eating (my favorite) Buffalo chicken wings, with celery and onion, and cheesy. Good, gooey, melted cheese.

I used some leftover fire-eater roasted chicken breast in this soup. The chicken has a nice kick to it, so the soup had a nice little kick to it too. If you use a pre-cooked chicken without any spice to it, you might want to add a bit of cayenne or hot sauce to the soup.

Buffalo Chicken Soup

Buffalo chicken soup is even better the second day, if it lasts that long. Best served with my Buffalo chicken grilled cheese sandwiches.

Buffalo Chicken Soup
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4 from 1 vote

Buffalo Chicken Soup

Wow. I cannot not stop talking about this Buffalo chicken soup. Perfect for the cool weather. It’s like eating Buffalo chicken wings, with celery and onion, and cheesy.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword Buffalo, chicken, soup
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 225kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Note: I used leftover fire-eater chicken that has a nice kick to it. If you are using rotisserie or other ‘tame’ chicken you might want to add some hot sauce or cayenne to the soup for a little kick.
  • Place butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.
  • Once melted, add the celery and onion and cook until both are tender.
  • Stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Stir in the half-and-half and water.
  • Add the bouillon and stir to dissolve.
  • Add the chicken and wing sauce.
  • Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.
  • Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Simmer 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Nutrition

Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 401mg | Potassium: 170mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 557IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 197mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Fire-Eater Chicken Enchilada Soup

Yowsa. Or, rather, olé! This fire-eater chicken enchilada soup is some mighty good (and kickin’) soup. As unbelievable as it was, it was even better the second day. This started out as a copycat of Chili’s enchilada soup, but it quickly took several turns towards even greater… greatness. The flavor is fantastic, definitely southwestern. We absolutely loved the texture and flavor the ground tortilla chips (versus using masa harina) gave to the soup.

Fire-Eater Chicken Enchilada Soup

For the chicken, I used leftover fire-eater roasted chicken. It has tremendous flavor, and is moist to boot. It also added some more kick to this fire-eater chicken enchilada soup, and kick is good. You can use any cooked chicken you have on hand, but you might want to add some more cayenne (or hot sauce).

I like to use my good ole trusty Dutch oven to make this soup and pretty much darned near anything like it on my stovetop. It’s nice and big and sturdy. That extra weight helps it maintain and distribute heat perfectly. As an added bonus, it’s actually pretty easy to clean up too!

This soup is a based on a copycat of Chili’s enchilada soup.

Fire-Eater Chicken Enchilada Soup
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5 from 1 vote

Fire-Eater Chicken Enchilada Soup

Yowsa. Or, rather, olé! This fire-eater chicken enchilada soup is some mighty good (and kickin’) soup.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword soup, southwestern, spicy
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 356kcal

Ingredients

For the soup

For the garnish

  • Tortilla strips
  • Shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • Pico de gallo or chunky tomato salsa

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven.
  • Add onion and cook until starting to soften.
  • Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
  • Add the chicken broth.
  • Mix ground tortilla chips with the water and add to the pot.
  • Add enchilada sauce, cheese, chili powder, cumin, cayenne and hot sauce. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly (or the soup will scorch). Reduce the heat to a simmer.
  • Add chicken and beans. Simmer 30-40 minutes until thickened.
  • Serve with desired garnish.

Nutrition

Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 805mg | Potassium: 322mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 633IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 351mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Cream of Celery Soup

Spring has sprung here in Indiana, but it is still rather cool here this week. So, I took the opportunity and made a big batch of cream of celery soup. And am I every glad that I did, because we both found this soup to be absolutely outstanding. It’s very creamy with just the right celery flavor. This was my first time cooking using celery root. They are quite interesting to work with. Much like a potato, but with such a fantastic celery flavor and aroma.

Cream of Celery Soup

I used some of my homemade chicken stock for making this cream of celery soup. A couple times a year, when whole chickens go on sale, I make a huge batch or two of stock to keep on hand. The flavor is fantastic. So fantastic in fact that you could just sit down with a bowl of it for lunch!

I like to use my good ole trusty Dutch oven to make this soup and pretty much darned near anything like it on my stovetop. It’s nice and big and sturdy. That extra weight helps it maintain and distribute heat perfectly. As an added bonus, it’s actually pretty easy to clean up too!

Also try my delicious cream of mushroom soup.

Cream of Celery Soup
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5 from 1 vote

Cream of Celery Soup

We both found this soup to be absolutely outstanding. It’s very creamy with just the right celery flavor. 
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword celery, creamy, soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 655kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 bunch celery chopped (also include the leafy parts)
  • 2 medium sweet onions chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • Celery salt to taste
  • ground black pepper
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • 2 large russet potatoes peeled, cubed
  • 2 medium celery root peeled, cubed
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream

Instructions

  • Heat a large stock pot over medium heat.
  • Add the butter and melt.
  • Add the celery, onion, garlic, and celery salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add the bay leaf and cook the mixture until the celery and onion are tender, about 20 minutes, stirring often.
  • Add the potatoes celery root, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil then reduce heat a simmer and continue simmering, partially covered, for 20 minutes.
  • Puree using an immersion blender. If you do not have an immersion blender you can use a regular blender, working in batches, but let the soup cool some first or it will explode in the blender.
  • Stir in the cream and keep over heat until warmed through.

Nutrition

Calories: 655kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 612mg | Potassium: 1633mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1440IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 199mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Alphabet Soup

Ok, I admit it. I tried to spell “Life’s A Tomato” in my alphabet soup tonight. I gave up after I couldn’t find an “L”. Regardless, this simple soup was fun to eat. It certainly brought back childhood memories of a quick bowl of alphabet soup for a school day lunch.

Alphabet Soup

Who didn’t love eating this soup as a kid? Well, it’s just as good (even better) now in this homemade version. Perfect on a chilly, snowy day like today here in Indianapolis. I admit, I smiled a lot as I ate this soup. It brought back memories of being a kid at the kitchen table. Mom would open a can of soup and warm it on the stove. Good times.

I like to use my good ole trusty Dutch oven to make this soup and pretty much darned near anything like it on my stovetop. It’s nice and big and sturdy. That extra weight helps it maintain and distribute heat perfectly. As an added bonus, it’s actually pretty easy to clean up too!

Also try my old fashioned potato soup or my hearty copycat of Olive Garden’s Italian sausage soup. For an Asian-inspired dish, try my classic hot and sour soup.

Alphabet Soup
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5 from 1 vote

Alphabet Soup

This simple soup was fun to eat. It certainly brought back childhood memories of a quick bowl of alphabet soup for a school day lunch.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword pasta, soup, vegetable
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8
Calories 78kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  • Add the onion, celery, carrots and Creole seasoning. Stir and cook until all of the vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, stir, and cook another minute.
  • Add the broth, water, black pepper, and the bay leaf. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let simmer, uncovered, for 35 minutes. Season with more pepper and some salt as desired.
  • Add the pasta and let simmer another 10 minutes until cooked.
  • Serve with hot fresh-baked French bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 78kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1065mg | Potassium: 481mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4493IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Cheeseburger Soup

This thick, creamy cheeseburger soup absolutely hit the spot on a really cold day here in Indianapolis. We’ve had temperatures well below zero for days now. Having a big batch of this soup on hand really helped warm us up!

Cheeseburger Soup

I’ve seen a few variations on this recipe for cheeseburger soup around the web. We decided to make a few more changes of our own. In particular, we substituted extra sharp cheddar and Fontina cheeses for the usual Velveeta. The result is so creamy cheesy good. For even more creaminess, use half the milk specified and add in some heavy cream.

Instead of crumbling the burger into the soup we made tiny meatballs. This made for a little more snazzy appearance and a feel of that more like a cheeseburger. For more great cheeseburger flavor, make a big ole batch of my cheeseburger gnocchi.

This recipe is based on a recipe from The Spice Garden.

Cheeseburger Soup
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4 from 1 vote

Cheeseburger Soup

This thick, creamy cheeseburger soup absolutely hit the spot on a really cold day here in Indianapolis. We’ve had temperatures well below zero for days now. Having a big batch of this soup on hand really helped warm us up!
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword burgers, cheese, soup
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 593kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 medium potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes
  • 1 medium carrot peeled and diced
  • 1 small sweet onion diced
  • ½ medium green bell pepper diced
  • 1 small jalapeno seeded and minced
  • 14 ounces beef broth
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper plus more
  • kosher salt
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon. butter
  • 4 ounces mushrooms sliced
  • 2 ½ cups milk divided
  • 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 4 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese cubed
  • 4 ounces Fontina cheese cubed

For garnish

  • 4 slices bacon cooked, crumbled
  • 1 green onion chopped

Instructions

  • Place the potatoes, carrot, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, broth and garlic into a large pot or Dutch oven.
  • Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and continue simmering until the potatoes are starting to soften, about 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, season the ground beef with salt and pepper. Form into small balls.
  • Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the meatballs and cook until browned on all sides. Add the meatballs to the soup.
  • Add the mushrooms to the skillet. Stir and cook until softened. Add to the soup.
  • Add 1 1/2 cups of the milk to the soup and return to a simmer.
  • Add remaining milk to a large cup or bowl. Stir in the remaining flour until smooth. Slowly add the mixture to the soup while stirring. Continue stirring until the soup thickens.
  • Add the cheese to the soup and melt, stirring occasionally.
  • Serve soup warm with crumbled bacon and green onion as garnish.

Nutrition

Calories: 593kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 483mg | Potassium: 1047mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 2320IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 406mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Refried Bean Soup

This refried bean soup is a rather interesting combination of flavors. By interesting I mean ‘dang good’. I thought it was great. I admit, I wasn’t sure what to think about it going in. Refried beans, yeah. In a soup? Well, it has a nice Southwestern kick, the perfect consistency and is just all-around yummy. Perfect on a cool fall day. And different.

Refried Bean Soup

Don’t use el cheapo canned re-fried beans when making this soup. You don’t want a cheap tasting soup. Pay the few extra cents and get a premium brand.

If you want to just enjoy some great refried beans and not a soup, follow this recipe but leave out the chicken broth.

Also try my delicious taco soup.

Refried Bean Soup
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4 from 1 vote

Refried Bean Soup

This refried bean soup is a rather interesting combination of flavors. By interesting I mean ‘dang good’. 
Course Main
Cuisine Southwestern
Keyword beans, refried, soup
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 117kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cook bacon in a large skillet. Crumble. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the drippings to a large pot or Dutch oven.
  • Add onion and celery and saute over medium-high heat until softened.
  • Add garlic and cook another minute or until fragrant.
  • Add beans, salsa, broth, parsley, cayenne, chile pepper, salt and pepper, and hot sauce. Combine well.
  • Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often. Adjust the seasonings as desired.
  • Serve hot topped with cheese and tortilla strips.

Nutrition

Calories: 117kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 721mg | Potassium: 303mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 402IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Vegetable and Meatball Soup

I had pretty low expectations when I set out to make this vegetable and meatball soup. I was very pleasantly surprised in the end. It came out very tasty despite being incredibly easy to make. This isn’t some fru-fru dish here. You’re not going to spend hours in the kitchen prepping for it. It’s not that kind of a thing.

I’ll definitely make this vegetable and meatball soup again! It’s perfect on a night when I just don’t have a lot of time to throw dinner together, but still want a filling meal.

For another a-little-different meatball recipe, try my Hawaiian BBQ meatballs with fried rice.

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4 from 1 vote

Vegetable and Meatball Soup

This isn’t some fru-fru dish here. You’re not going to spend hours in the kitchen prepping for it. It’s not that kind of a thing.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword meatballs, soup, vegetable
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 286kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine beef broth, meatballs, beans, tomatoes, spices, and vegetables in a large pot or Dutch oven.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Stir in the pasta and return to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue simmering for 10 minutes or until the pasta is done.

Nutrition

Calories: 286kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 275mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Mexican Corn Soup

We don’t ever need an excuse to eat good ole sweet corn from My Dad’s Sweet Corn in nearby Tipton, Indiana. When it is at its peak in the summer we go to our local Binford farmer’s market and load up. We blanch it and freeze it for the winter time, when eating it reminds us of summer and warmer weather.

Mexican Corn Soup

This Mexican corn soup from Ingrid Hoffman is a great way to showcase a good sweet corn. True, I strayed from the original recipe, but the end result was great nonetheless!

Also try my outstandly yummy southwestern turkey soup.

Mexican Corn Soup
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4 from 1 vote

Mexican Corn Soup

This Mexican corn soup is a great way to showcase a good sweet corn. 
Course Main
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword corn, Mexican, soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 509kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place 1/2 of the corn, both tomatoes,half of the chicken broth and oregano into a blender. Process until smooth.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add sausage and cook until browned. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
  • Add the onion and cook until it is starting to soften.
  • Add the garlic and cook another minute.
  • Add the corn/tomato puree and the remaining corn. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and continue simmering for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add the sausage back to the pan and stir.
  • Remove from heat and stir in the cream and half of the parsley.
  • Serve garnished with cheese crumbles and tortilla strips.

Nutrition

Calories: 509kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 1726mg | Potassium: 699mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1390IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 149mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Copycat Olive Garden Italian Sausage Soup

Wow, who would’ve thought something so simple could be so good? My wife absolutely loves this copycat Olive Garden Italian sausage soup. It’s very easy to make. Bonus! The ingredient list is not long at all, using mostly package ingredients that you might already have in your pantry and freezer.

Copycat Olive Garden Italian Sausage Soup

I was thinking I was going to have to add some kick, like maybe red pepper flakes or substitute spicy sausage instead, but this copycat Olive Garden Italian sausage soup can hold its own just like it is. I served it with some homemade cheddar oyster crackers for a little crunchy contrast. A couple of pieces of toasted French bread would be great too. Perfect for soaking up some of the delicious broth.

If you can’t find Pecorino Romano cheese you can use a good Parmesan cheese instead. In a pinch, a shredded Mozzarella can be used.

I like to use my good ole trusty Dutch oven to make this soup and pretty much darned near anything like it on my stovetop. It’s nice and big and sturdy. That extra weight helps it maintain and distribute heat perfectly. As an added bonus, it’s actually pretty easy to clean up too!

Also try my awesome old-school flashback, homemade alphabet soup.

Copycat Olive Garden Italian Sausage Soup
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3 from 3 votes

Olive Garden Italian Sausage Soup

Wow, who would’ve thought something so simple could be so good? My wife absolutely loves this copycat Olive Garden Italian sausage soup. It’s very easy to make. Bonus!
Course Main or Appetizer
Cuisine Italian
Keyword copycat, Italian, soup
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 620kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
  • 1 cup white rice
  • 6 cups beef broth
  • 10 ¾ ounce diced tomatoes undrained
  • 10 ounce frozen chopped spinach thawed, drained
  • Pecorino Romano cheese freshly grated

Instructions

  • Remove sausage from casings and crumble into a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook until done.
  • Add the rice, broth, tomatoes, and a pinch or two of freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and continue cooking until the rice is tender.
  • Add the spinach and stir. Cook another 3-5 minutes.
  • Serve topped with cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 620kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 2231mg | Potassium: 923mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 8400IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 170mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.