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If you love unique soup recipes, then you will love this Turkey and Acorn Squash Soup! Instead of the usual carrots + celery combination, we’re simply using an acorn squash. It pairs perfectly with the ground turkey and rice, and it is truly so delicious. And just like with any other soup, this is easily customizable – use any ground meat you want, any veggie you want, etc. Sweet potato, butternut squash, or even pumpkin would also be delicious diced up in this soup. You can add some extra nutrients and color by incorporating kale (one of my personal favorite additions to soup!), or peas, or beans, or bell pepper, etc. Soup is one of the most fun and practical meals to make because you can get creative and use what you have on hand.
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Nutritional benefits of this recipe
- Acorn squash is packed with vitamins A, C, and K, as well as potassium, magnesium, and fiber. It’s great for digestion, immunity, eye health, heart health, and more.
- Turkey is rich in protein, B-vitamins, choline, and tryptophan, which all help regulate our mood and energy.
- Onion and garlic are antibacterial and antimicrobial, so they boost gut health and your immune system.
- Chicken stock is rich in glutamine which helps to repair the gut lining which promotes better gut flora and a better immune system (over 70% of your immune system is in your gut!). It also has collagen and gelatin which are great for hair, skin, and nails.
Ingredients for Turkey and Acorn Squash Soup
Ground turkey – or substitute any other ground meat.
Acorn squash – or substitute potatoes, sweet potato, butternut squash, or pumpkin.
Onion
Garlic cloves
Jalapeños – or omit if you don’t want any spice. Or if you want it super spicy, then add a couple more!
Rice – I used cooked rice that I had in my refrigerator, but you can also use uncooked rice and follow the extra note I have in the instructions for that.
Broth
Salt, dried oregano, black pepper
How to make Turkey and Acorn Squash Soup
- Prep the onion, jalapeño, and garlic as instructed.
- Preheat a 5 quart pot (or bigger) to medium-high heat with 2 Tbsp of avocado oil.
- Once preheated, add the onion and jalapeño to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes until fragrant and translucent. Break it up and stir occasionally as it cooks.
- While waiting, go ahead and prep the acorn squash – remove the skin and cut into bite sized cubes (about 3/4 inch pieces or so).
- After the 5 minutes, add the minced garlic to the turkey and jalapeño and sauté another minute. Then add the ground turkey, 1 tsp of salt, 1 tsp of dried oregano, and some from cracked black pepper. Cook, breaking into pieces, until no longer pink.
- Add the cubed acorn squash, broth, rice, and another 1/2 tsp of salt and bring it to a light simmer. Let it simmer lightly until the squash is soft, just a few minutes.
- If you would rather cook the rice directly in the soup, then use 1 cup of uncooked rice and simmer lightly for about 10 minutes until the rice is done. You’ll also want to add another few cups of broth since uncooked rice will absorb a lot more liquid. This method will make the acorn squash extra tender since it’ll cook longer, but it’s still delicious.
- Adjust broth and/or seasonings as desired. Enjoy!
Modifications and variations
- Sub potato, sweet potato, butternut squash, or pumpkin in place of the acorn squash.
- Add more veggies, such as carrots, celery, or kale.
- Incorporate beans into the soup – great northern beans or kidney beans would be delicious!
- Use any ground meat of choice – turkey, beef, venison, chicken, bison, sausage all work great!
- Substitute lentils or chickpeas instead of rice.
Other recipes you’ll love
Ancestral Beef and Wild Rice Soup
Beef and Rice Soup with Fresh Oregano
I hope you love this Turkey and Acorn Squash Soup! Please be sure to leave a comment and a rating if you give this recipe a try. I would love to know how it turned out for you!
PrintTurkey and Acorn Squash Soup
If you love unique soup recipes, then you will love this Turkey and Acorn Squash Soup! The acorn squash pairs perfectly with the turkey for the most delicious soup.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
- Category: lunch, dinner
- Method: stovetop
Ingredients
1 yellow onion, diced
2 jalapeños, diced (seeds removed)
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground turkey – I used an ancestral blend
1 acorn squash, cubed (discard skin)
8 cups broth
2 cups cooked rice (or 1 cup uncooked for one-pot meal, see instructions)
1 1/2 tsp salt, to taste
1 tsp dried oregano or italian seasoning
Fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Prep the onion, jalapeno, and garlic as instructed.
- Preheat a 5 quart pot (or bigger) to medium-high heat with 2 Tbsp of avocado oil.
- Once preheated, add the onion and jalapeno to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes until fragrant and translucent. Break it up and stir occasionally as it cooks.
- While waiting, go ahead and prep the acorn squash – remove the skin and cut into bite sized cubes (about 3/4 inch pieces or so).
- After the 5 minutes, add the minced garlic to the turkey and jalapeño and sauté another minute. Then add the ground turkey, 1 tsp of salt, 1 tsp of dried oregano, and some from cracked black pepper. Cook, breaking into pieces, until no longer pink.
- Add the cubed acorn squash, broth, rice, and another 1/2 tsp of salt and bring it to a light simmer. Let it simmer lightly until the squash is soft, just a few minutes.
- If you would rather cook the rice directly in the soup, then use 1 cup of uncooked rice and simmer lightly for about 10 minutes until the rice is done. You’ll also want to add another few cups of broth since uncooked rice will absorb a lot more liquid. This method will make the acorn squash extra tender since it’ll cook longer, but it’s still delicious.
- Adjust broth and/or seasonings as desired. Enjoy!
Equipment
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