Turkey and White Bean Soup

Simple one-pot "stew" for the crew

Relatively quick, one-pot meals packed with protein are a great way to serve a family or even yourself for a couple of days. This combination of turkey, white beans and a savory broth is an excellent combination to make ahead of time and serve through the week (or just in one sitting). This recipe is also a base of flavor, you can jazz it up however you’d like. You can add more spice, different herbs, add veggies, or even a separate protein. Have fun but stick with this basic technique for the perfect soup/stew.

Ingredients:

4 slices of bacon, diced

1 large shallot diced

5 oz shitake mushroom sliced (or any mushroom)

6 cloves garlic minced

1 lb ground turkey

2 tablespoons smoked paprika

1 can fire-roasted tomato diced (14.5 oz can)

3 cans white beans (strained and rinsed)

1-quart chicken broth

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon fresh thyme - chopped

salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

8 oz spinach, kale or greens to finish

3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan to finish

Steps:

1. Render the bacon in a Dutch oven or braising pot over low to medium heat until it releases fat and cooks through.

2. Add your shallot and saute until lightly browned - about 3-4 minutes.

3. Add your mushrooms and cook until they release their moisture and lightly brown - you can cover the pot at this point to help them steam. Make sure you do this over medium heat and not high heat, otherwise they will brown too quickly.

4. Add your turkey and cook through.

5. Mix the turkey with the smoked paprika.

6. Add your garlic and saute for another minute.

7. Add your tomatoes, white beans, and chicken stock, and simmer the stew. Smash the white beans on the side of the pan as it simmers to release the starch. This will help add viscosity to the stew and pull the broth together. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes over medium heat.

8. Add your remaining ingredients - wilt your greens into the stew. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.