Turkey Soup with Sweet Potato Dumplings Recipe
A hearty and comforting Turkey Soup featuring tender shredded turkey simmered with fresh vegetables and aromatic herbs, topped with fluffy sweet potato dumplings. This flavorful soup is perfect for cooler weather and provides a satisfying and nutritious meal.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
For the Soup:
- 2 pounds turkey breast tenderloins
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 celery hearts, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 6–8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Jamaican allspice
- 8 cups (2 quarts) turkey or chicken stock/broth
- 1 cup frozen peas
For the Sweet Potato Dumplings:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup whole buttermilk
- 1/4 cup mashed sweet potato or sweet potato puree
Instructions
- Season the Turkey: Place turkey breast tenderloins in a large bowl. Generously season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and let rest for 25-30 minutes at room temperature to enhance flavor and even cooking.
- Brown the Turkey: Heat butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat. When sizzling, add the seasoned turkey tenderloins and brown for 2-3 minutes per side until golden. Remove turkey and set aside on a clean plate.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same pot, add chopped celery, carrots, and onion. Stir and scrape any browned bits from the bottom. Sauté until vegetables soften, about 4-5 minutes. Add minced garlic, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add Herbs and Spices: Add thyme sprigs, bay leaves, oregano, smoked paprika, and Jamaican allspice. Stir continuously for about 1 minute to toast and bring out the spice aromas.
- Simmer the Soup: Return the turkey to the pot. Pour in the turkey or chicken stock so the turkey is fully submerged. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45-50 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and turkey to cook through.
- Shred the Turkey: Remove turkey onto a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Return shredded turkey to the pot and stir. Keep the pot uncovered while preparing dumplings.
- Prepare Dumpling Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, and baking powder. Add melted salted butter, buttermilk, and mashed sweet potato. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined; avoid overmixing. Let sit 1-2 minutes for baking powder activation, resulting in fluffy dumplings.
- Add Peas and Dumplings: Stir frozen peas into the soup. Using a spoon or spring-loaded scooper, drop 2-3 tablespoon portions of dumpling dough evenly over the hot soup surface. Spoon some broth over dumplings.
- Cook Dumplings: Cover pot and simmer for 10-15 minutes until dumplings are cooked through, puffed, and fluffy.
- Serve: Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Ladle the soup with sweet potato dumplings into bowls. Optionally, add freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve immediately and enjoy the comforting flavors.
Notes
- Resting the turkey before browning helps ensure even cooking and better flavor.
- Do not overbrown the turkey to avoid drying it out; just a golden sear is sufficient.
- Use fresh herbs for the best aromatic flavor, but dried herbs can be substituted if needed.
- When mixing dumplings, handle gently to keep them tender and fluffy.
- Ensure the soup is simmering, not boiling, when cooking the dumplings to avoid tough texture.
- Sweet potato puree can be easily made by roasting or boiling sweet potatoes until soft, then mashing.
Keywords: Turkey Soup, Sweet Potato Dumplings, Comfort Food, Hearty Soup, Homemade Soup, Fall Recipes
