There’s nothing like a good bowl of soup … comforting, filling and flavourful, with great make-ahead potential. This Turkey, Cabbage & Squash Soup with Fennel Seeds has it all. In fact, this recipe has nudged its way into my top ten of the 40 or so soup recipes I’ve developed for this site. Check out why you need it in your soup bowl! 

Ah, the virtues of a good bowl of soup. Or over 40 different bowls of soup. There’s the nutritional value, of course, and the ease of batch cooking for future enjoyment on those days when inclination or time mean all you can muster up in the way of food preparation is reheating. A soup can be simple and fast to throw together, with just a few ingredients, or a more complex blend of ingredients and seasonings that allows you to exercise your cooking chops. And finally, there’s flavour! You can take practically any combination of ingredients and create a whole world of flavour profiles by switching up the herbs, spices and other additions.

Turkey, Cabbage & Squash Soup with Fennel Seeds

This soup featuring turkey, cabbage and squash with fennel seeds wasn’t made with any particular cuisine in mind, just good flavour and satisfying nutrition. I first made it during a week with a busy work schedule, so cooking once and eating several meals was definitely an objective.

I rarely add meat to my soups, but my goal here was a hearty, one-pot meal, definitely a soup but veering toward the stew lane. So, I came home from the market with a pound of a ground turkey and chicken blend. Ever since I first used squash in a soup, it’s been a favourite of mine. The cabbage, I admit, went into the pot simply because I had half a head in the fridge that needed to be used up. It turned out to be the predominant flavour, and I decided to play it up with the sweet anise tones of crushed fennel seeds.

The result? All the virtues one hopes for. . . . A soup that’s hearty, but also somehow delicate. It’s definitely savoury, but has a sweet undertone from the combination of cabbage and fennel. And I enjoyed the textural interplay of the chewy ground meat with the luscious squash and firmer cabbage. The broth is beautifully golden, and the chunks of squash add extra jewel-like opulence.

This soup is definitely one of my favourites; it might even nudge its way into my top ten list. But then I’d have to bump another one out — what to do? Of course, I’ll have to make it a couple of times more . . . you know, just to be sure. And next time, I think I’ll get out my reeaaaalllly big stock pot and make a double batch.

Get the Soup Pot Out!

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Turkey, Cabbage & Squash Soup with Fennel Seeds

This is another soup where I use my "trick" of adding something piquant at the end, like the cider vinegar in this recipe, to lift and brighten the flavours. The final result is a soup that's rich, bright and satisfying.

Category: Soup

Keyword: turkey, squash, cabbage, fennel soup

Servings: 6 servings

Author: © Marlene Cornelis/Urban Cottage Life.com 2017–2022

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground turkey or a turkey/chicken blend
• 1-1/2 cups chopped onion (cut about 1/2 inch)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 to 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp dried chopped sage
• 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed using a mortar and pestle (see Note)
• 1-3/4 cup sweet potato, diced large (1 medium, cut into 3/8-inch dice)
• 3 cups butternut squash, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 5 cups chopped green cabbage (I used half of a small cabbage)
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

How To Make This Recipe

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot (Dutch oven or stock pot) over medium high heat. Add the ground turkey, breaking it up with a spatula and stirring frequently until it’s crumbly and most of the pink is gone.
2. Add the onion, garlic and ginger, and stir from time to time until the onions are translucent. This will take two or three minutes. Add the seasonings, herbs and spices; stir well and let them cook down for a minute or two.

3. Add all the vegetables, then the stock and stir well. Cover and turn the heat to high. Once the soup is boiling, turn the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. After 30 minutes, add the vinegar (starting with one tablespoon). Stir, then taste and adjust the seasonings and vinegar as required to suit your taste.

Recipe Notes

Note: Lightly crush the fennel seeds with a mortal and pestle until you have a blend of powder and some seeds that are almost whole. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you could use a rolling pin or the flat side of a chef’s knife to crush the seeds. Or, a small grinder—just be sure to leave some texture.

Looking for More Soups to Make You Happy?

A good bowl of soup is a happiness inducing thing. Most of my soups just happen to be naturally vegetarian or vegan, but today I’m sharing a selection that all include meat or poultry: Portobello Mushroom and Sausage Soup; Chicken, Rice and Lemon Soup; and Yellow Split Pea Soup. Enjoy!

^{First published 2017 03 17
Updated 2019 01 06
Republished 2022 10 20}