Instant Pot Ground Turkey, Sweet Potato and Kale Soup Recipe

A hearty, warming soup is perfect for the fall and winter seasons, and this Instant Pot ground turkey, sweet potato and kale soup is one you’ll want to try!

There are 3 reasons I love making soups: they’re easy and require little cooking skill, you can add in tons of nutrients and herbs for increased health benefits, and they go a long way in terms of servings and providing satiety.

If you’re looking for a recipe that fits that description then I think you’ll love this one that I adapted from Wholesomelicious. The main ingredients are ground turkey, sweet potato, and kale, but you can add in extra veggies or grains as I did to make it your own.

This recipe uses an InstantPot, but you could also make it in a slow cooker (see tips below) or on the stovetop.

Health Benefits of Ground Turkey, Sweet Potato and Kale Soup

• Ground Turkey – provides plenty of protein with lower saturated fat than red meat and healthier than highly processed sausage links
• Sweet potato & carrot – full of fiber that helps to reduce cholesterol and keeps you full longer, beta-carotene for eye health, calcium for bone health and much more
• Kale – Provides vitamin A, folate, omega-3 fatty acids, potassium and more
• Onion & garlic – prebiotics that help feed the good bacteria in your gut
• Chicken bone broth – supports a healthy gut and joint health

How to Make Instant Pot Ground Turkey, Sweet Potato and Kale Soup

Prep time: 10-20 minutes

Cook time: 15-20 minutes

Servings: the original recipe indicates that this yields 6 servings at 278 calories each, but I could not find the serving size in the recipe. However, my husband and I got closer to 8 servings, it will just depends on what serving size you use.

Soup Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb. ground turkey or ground turkey sausage (or pork sausage)
• 1.5 tbsp sausage seasoning if using plain ground turkey (recipe linked)
•  1 medium white or yellow onion chopped
•  3 cloves garlic minced (I use a garlic press)
•  2 large sweet potatoes skinned and chopped
•  2 carrots, diced
•  4 cups chicken bone broth or chicken broth
•  1/3 cup dry white wine (optional, but adds flavor)
•  2/3 cup water
•  2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
•  1 tbsp dried basil
•  1 tsp sea salt (adjust to taste)
•  1/2 tsp ground pepper
•  3 cups chopped kale
• Dash of cayenne pepper
•  2 tbsp freshly chopped thyme or 1-2 tsp dried thyme

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Instant Pot Cooking Instructions:

1. Select the “Saute” function on the Instant Pot and let it heat up for 2-3 minutes. Add your cooking oil, then add ground turkey/sausage. Cook until pink is almost gone, stirring frequently. If you are using plain ground turkey, add the sausage seasoning and mix with meat. Alternatively, you could cook this on the stove first, which I find produces better browning/texture, then add to the pot before the next step.
2. Add garlic and onion, then continue cooking until pink is gone and meat is cooked through, about another 3-4 minutes.
3. Add in chicken broth, wine, sweet potatoes, carrots, apple cider vinegar, dried basil, dried thyme (if using), salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. If not using wine, you can add more chicken broth in its place.
4. Secure the Instant Pot lid, then select “Pressure Cook” and set to High Pressure for 8 minutes.
5. When cooking is finished, do a quick release and carefully remove the lid, avoiding the steam. Add in your kale and cook for another 3-5 minutes with the lid on. Or, after you add the kale, leave lid open and set the Instant Pot to the slow cooker or saute setting to maintain heat.
6. Check doneness after 3-4 minutes. Kale should appear soft.
7. Leave on “Keep Warm” setting until ready to serve. Serve into bowls and top with fresh thyme (if using). I also like a sprinkle of parmesan cheese just before serving.

Slow Cooker Cooking Instructions:

1. Follow steps 1-2 but cook on the stovetop.
2. Add to the slow cooker, then add all other ingredients except kale and fresh thyme. Put the lid on and cook for about 4 hours. When finished, add the kale and cook for about 5-10 minutes until kale is soft.
3. Or, if you’re lazy like me, you can try tossing all ingredients into the slow cooker at once (minus the kale) and cook for the same amount of time. I haven’t tried this, but it likely works almost as well but may result in less flavorful, softer meat.  

Additional Options:

• Add barley, Israeli couscous or minestrone noodles for added carbohydrates or in place of sweet potatos
• Add parmesan cheese before serving
• Add sliced mushrooms, corn, zucchini rounds or other veggies of choice
• Skip the wine and use ¼ white wine vinegar
• Try using turkey broth instead of chicken broth
• Add other herbs you like to change the flavor
• Make this with leftover ground turkey, sausage, or Thanksgiving turkey and simply add the meat after the pressure cooking until warm.

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