Ingredients

• 6 – 7 cups homemade turkey or store-bought chicken broth
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced canned tomatoes, or whole canned tomatoes hand crushed, with their juices
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, sliced or diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into thin slices or diced
• 1 cup dried pasta, small shells or macaroni work well
• 1 (19 ounce) can white or red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 & 1/2 – 3 cups cooked turkey, cut into bite-sized pieces
• Thyme sprig, or a 1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

To Finish:

• 1-2 tbsp tomato paste, optional
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, spinach or kale and/or frozen peas
• Additional salt and pepper, as needed to taste

Instructions

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until the onion has softened, about 5-6 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, with juices and 6 cups of the turkey or chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Add the dried pasta, kidney beans and cooked turkey. Stir to combine. Stir in the thyme and season with some salt and pepper. Continue to simmer the soup for another 25-30 minutes or so, or until the vegetables are tender and the pasta is cooked. Taste test to be sure. If soup gets too thick near the end of cooking, simply add a bit more broth, stock or water to thin, as needed.

Near the end of cooking, stir in tomato paste, any frozen vegetables and chopped greens and stir in. Allow to cook until the frozen vegetables are cooked and/or the greens are wilted.

Taste soup and add additional salt as needed. A little freshly ground pepper is nice, as well.

Chef’s Notes:

If you have leftover cooked carrots (or any vegetable, really) that you’d like to use in the soup, wait and add them at the end of cooking the soup and simply allow them to warm in the soup for a few minutes.

Recipe from Seasons & Suppers