This Green Posole Turkey Soup is a delightful change of pace from our typical use of leftovers from Thanksgiving. It is a hearty soup with Mexican flavors, filled with vegetables and hominy (a form of corn), that may well become a new family favorite tradition.
It is the day after Thanksgiving and you’re trying to figure out how to use up the leftover turkey beyond the obligatory sandwiches. This soup is delicious, warming, so comforting, and it is a lovely alternative to turkey sandwiches or can be served alongside them. You’ll have lunch or dinner on the table in about 45 minutes!
I used a variety of the traditional French mirepoix (meer-pwah) which is chopped carrots, celery, and onions to build a base of flavor and I added some chopped poblanos and green chiles for a little kick. You can leave out the chiles if you prefer or increase them for a spicier soup.
Hominy is corn kernels where the hull and germ have been removed. Adding hominy makes a filling soup. If you have ever wondered where grits come from, they are the end result of dried and ground hominy.
This Green Posole Turkey Soup has been simplified to make it as easy as possible to get it on the table quickly. If you want, you can make your own green salsa and puree it before adding it to the soup. That way you can control all the ingredients going into the soup.
The original recipe is made with rotisserie chicken and kitchen staples, so it can be made all year long. It is a simple soup to make, it is the garnishes that really jazz it up. Add as many or as few as you want. Feel free to change up the garnishes to suit your personal tastes.
I hope you give this easy Green Posole Turkey Soup a try. Your house will smell amazing as it cooks and it is a wonderful way to warm up on cold and wet days. Filling on its own, you can also add some crusty bread if you like to make it even heartier. A green salad rounds out a delicious and healthy meal!
Enjoy your leftovers from Thanksgiving and have a wonderful holiday weekend! See you back here next week for Chocolate Monday!
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Ingredients needed for Green Posole Turkey Soup:
- Soup: Vegetable oil, onion, carrots, celery, green chiles, garlic
- Green salsa (salsa verde), chicken broth, oregano, leftover turkey
- White hominy, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Garnishes (your choice): Red onion, avocado, radishes, cucumbers
- Sliced jalapenos, cilantro, lime wedges, tortilla chips or strips, etc.
PRO Tip:
Hominy is corn kernels where the hulls and germs have been removed. You will most likely find it in the Mexican or international foods aisle. Adding hominy makes a filling and delicious soup.
PRO Tip:
Be sure to thoroughly rinse and drain the hominy to remove excess liquid from the cans.
How to make Green Posole Turkey Soup:
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven until shimmering. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and poblanos, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and green chiles and cook until fragrant.
- Add the salsa and cook, stirring often for 8 minutes. Taste and add more chiles if desired. Add the chicken broth and oregano, and simmer partially covered, for 10 minutes. Add the turkey and hominy and simmer until heated through. Taste and add more salsa verde if desired. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle into soup bowls and let everyone garnish their own bowls.
PRO Tip:
Poblanos add a lovely pepper flavor without heat. Look to the canned green chiles for the spiciness. And if you want it hotter, add a jalapeno or serrano pepper or two. Dial it up or down according to your personal tastes.
PRO Tip:
The most time consuming tasks will be prepping the mirepoix and garnishes and deboning the turkey. Chances are you’ll already have most of the deboning already done. Everything will come together quickly and you only have to cook it long enough to soften the vegetables and warm the other ingredients through. This dish can be on the table in about 45 minutes!
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Gluten-Free Tips:
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Green Posole Turkey Soup (Gluten Free)
This Green Posole Turkey Soup is a delightful change of pace from our typical use of leftovers from Thanksgiving. It is a hearty soup with Mexican flavors, filled with vegetables and hominy (a form of corn), that may well become a new family favorite. This soup is gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and soy-free, a great option for people with dietary restrictions.
Ingredients
Turkey Soup
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3 carrots, cut into slender ‘coins’
- 2 stalks celery, chopped finely
- 2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped finely
- 1 tbsp gluten-free mild green chiles or to taste, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3/4 to 1 cup* (177 to 237 ml) gluten-free green salsa (salsa verde)
- 4 cups (946 ml) gluten-free chicken broth
- 1 tbsp dried oregano leaves
- 1 to 2 lb (454g to 907g) leftover cooked turkey, skin and bones discarded, meat shredded or cubed
- One 25 oz (709g) can white hominy, rinsed and drained well (**see Note)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Garnishes (your choice of toppings)
- Finely chopped red onion, chopped avocado, sliced radishes, peeled and chopped cucumbers, chopped cilantro or parsley, lime wedges, tortilla chips or strips, or whatever you have available
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over med-high heat until shimmering and hot. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions, carrots, celery and poblanos and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened a bit, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and green chiles and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the salsa and cook at a high simmer, stirring often, for 8 minutes. Taste and add more chiles if desired.
- Add the chicken broth and oregano, bring back to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 10 minutes. Add the turkey and hominy and simmer until heated through. Taste and add more salsa verde if desired. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and let everyone garnish their own bowls.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
*Start with 3/4 cup of the salsa verde, then before you add the salt and pepper, taste and add more salsa if you want, up to an additional 1/4 cup.
**If you can’t find hominy, you can use chopped and boiled potatoes in its place. It won’t be the same texture, but it will make a filling and delicious soup.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Adapted from a recipe by Sara Moulton
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
5Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 861Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 3999mgCarbohydrates: 137gFiber: 27gSugar: 23gProtein: 26g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate.
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