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Cream of Turkey Soup

creamofturkeysoupIt’s not what you’re thinking. Campbell's cream of chicken soup is NOT playing any role in this recipe. I don’t think I’ve even had it before, unless it was tucked into a glorified casserole that I had no clue about. Any soup labeled "cream of'' might trigger the idea of a broth-based soup thickened with a roux and cream… that’s about it. If you’re lucky, there might be some pieces of chicken hanging out in there, but good luck. I’ve decided that cream of turkey soup wouldn’t have that reputation. Instead, it’s going to be a warm wholesome soup with celery, carrots, poblano chiles, shiitakes and bits of turkey. And it was only right to make this soup with homemade stock.

What makes a soup “cream of”? Most of the time, a soup is creamy because of the addition of heavy cream; however, soup can also be thickened with flour and butter, which in turn makes the soup seem even creamier in texture. Puréed starches are great alternatives to thicken soup too.

5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 poblano chile, finely chopped
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
2 lbs turkey breast, skin-on, bone-in
9 cups water, cold
1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped
10 cloves garlic, grated
8 oz baby potatoes, quartered
2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
½ cup (1 stick) butter
½ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached (60 g)
2 cups heavy cream

To Serve:
Worcestershire sauce

In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat 3 Tbsp. oil. Cook mushrooms and chile, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned, 5-6 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Transfer mushroom mixture to a medium bowl; set aside.

In same pot over medium-high heat, heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil. Cook turkey skin side down, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add water, onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Bring to a simmer and cook 1 hour.

At the 1-hour mark, transfer turkey to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Add potatoes to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 25-30 minutes.

Cut the turkey meat off bone and shred into bite-size pieces. Add reserved mushroom mixture, turkey meat and thyme to broth; season with salt and pepper.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour and whisk to dissolve. Cook, whisking constantly, until blonde in colour, 1-2 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Add roux to soup, whisking to avoid clumps. Pour in cream, bring to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 3 minutes.

Divide soup among bowls. Serve with Worcestershire sauce alongside.

Makes 6 servings.

Cook's Notes:

Substitutes:

  • If you don't want to use cream, adding a starchy replacement, like potatoes or rice, will work here. You can also use a bit of oat milk mixed with cornstarch to thicken the soup.
  • You can add bell peppers instead of poblano chiles or a mixture of wild mushrooms in place of the shiitakes.
  • If you prefer dark meat, use turkey thighs and cook for an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Feel free to add ditalini, baby shells, wild rice, or yucca as other forms of starchy bites to the soup as well.

Make-Ahead: This is a great soup to meal prep for lunch or dinner since you’ll get turkey, vegetables and potatoes in every bite. It will be fresh for up to 5 days in the fridge. If you want to freeze the soup for up to 1 month, hold off on the cream and add once it’s been slowly heated on the stove.