There’s something so cozy and satisfying about a warm bowl of soup, especially when it’s loaded with tender turkey and fluffy sweet potato dumplings. This Turkey Soup with Sweet Potato Dumplings Recipe is a complete meal in a bowl that brought me comfort on chilly nights and I bet you’ll love its rich flavors and unique twist too.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Why They Work
- Make It Your Way
- Step-by-Step: How I Make Turkey Soup with Sweet Potato Dumplings Recipe
- Top Tip
- How to Serve Turkey Soup with Sweet Potato Dumplings Recipe
- Make Ahead and Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Final Thoughts
- Turkey Soup with Sweet Potato Dumplings Recipe
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This turkey soup isn’t your everyday broth—it’s packed full of flavors that meld perfectly with sweet potato dumplings you can’t resist. I was surprised by how the dumplings add that delicate sweetness, making each spoonful comforting yet a little special.
- Hearty and Nourishing: Packed with lean turkey and veggies, this soup feels like a cozy hug in a bowl.
- Unique Sweet Potato Dumplings: The sweet potato adds moisture and a subtle sweetness that elevates the dumplings above typical versions.
- Simple Pantry Ingredients: You won’t need anything exotic—just wholesome basics you likely already have.
- Perfect for Leftovers: This recipe reheats beautifully, so you can enjoy it the next day or freeze it for later.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Each ingredient in this Turkey Soup with Sweet Potato Dumplings Recipe is chosen to balance flavors and textures. The turkey breast tenderloins keep the soup lean but tender, while aromatic herbs and spices deepen the flavor. The sweet potato in the dumplings adds moisture and a subtle sweetness that ties everything together.
- Turkey breast tenderloins: Lean and tender, they shred beautifully after simmering.
- Unsalted butter & extra virgin olive oil: A combination that adds richness and helps brown the turkey perfectly.
- Celery, carrots, onion: Classic soup base vegetables that add sweetness and depth.
- Garlic: Adds a fragrant punch without overpowering the soup.
- Fresh thyme & bay leaves: Provide subtle herbal notes that marry with the turkey flavor.
- Dried oregano, smoked paprika, Jamaican allspice: These spices create a warming, slightly smoky backdrop.
- Turkey or chicken stock/broth: The heart of the soup—use a good quality one or homemade for the best flavor.
- Frozen peas: Add color and a bit of sweetness, stirred in just before dumplings.
- All-purpose flour & yellow cornmeal: The dumpling base, providing structure and a slight corn flavor.
- Baking powder: Helps the dumplings puff up nice and fluffy.
- Salted butter & buttermilk: Make the dumplings tender and moist.
- Mashed sweet potato: The star ingredient in the dumplings for sweetness and moisture.
Make It Your Way
I love playing around with this Turkey Soup with Sweet Potato Dumplings Recipe whenever the seasons change. You can easily swap herbs or add in other veggies to suit your mood or what’s fresh in your fridge.
- Variation: I sometimes toss in chopped kale or spinach towards the end for extra greens—it adds a nice punch of freshness.
- Dietary tweak: If you want it gluten-free, simply swap out the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free blend and you’re all set!
- Spice level: If you tend to like a little kick, sprinkle in some crushed red pepper flakes when you add the garlic.
- Make it vegetarian: Skip the turkey, use vegetable broth, and add mushrooms and extra beans—though that’s a different vibe altogether, still delicious!
Step-by-Step: How I Make Turkey Soup with Sweet Potato Dumplings Recipe
Step 1: Season and Sear the Turkey
First, I generously season the turkey breast tenderloins with kosher salt and fresh black pepper and let them sit at room temp for about 25-30 minutes—it really helps them cook evenly. Then, I heat butter and olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat until it sizzles. I brown the turkey on each side just until it gets a gorgeous golden sear, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remember, we’re not cooking it through here, just locking in flavor!
Step 2: Sauté the Veggies and Build Flavor
With the turkey resting on a plate, I toss in chopped celery, carrots, and onion right into the pot. Scraping up any browned bits left behind from the turkey gives this step extra oomph. After about 4-5 minutes, once the veggies soften, I stir in minced garlic and cook just until fragrant—usually around a minute. Then comes the fresh thyme, bay leaves, oregano, smoked paprika, and Jamaican allspice. A quick toast together really makes those spices pop.
Step 3: Simmer the Soup
Next, I nestle the browned turkey back into the pot and pour in the stock until the turkey is fully submerged. This gets covered, and I reduce the heat to low for a slow simmer, usually 45-50 minutes. It’s the perfect time to relax or prep the dumplings. Once that’s done, I remove the turkey, shred it finely with two forks, and fold it back into the soup—makes for a lovely bite every time.
Step 4: Prepare and Add the Sweet Potato Dumplings
While the soup simmers, I whisk all the dry ingredients for the dumplings in a large bowl: flour, cornmeal, and baking powder. Then I mix in melted butter, buttermilk, and that velvety mashed sweet potato. The dough comes together quickly; I try to avoid overmixing so the dumplings stay tender and light. After letting the mixture rest a couple of minutes to activate the baking powder, I spoon dollops of the dumpling dough over the simmering soup, covering them lightly with broth. Covered again, they cook for 10-15 minutes until fluffy and cooked through.
Step 5: Final Touches and Serve
After uncovering, I stir in the frozen peas for a pop of color and sweetness. Then, I ladle the soup into bowls, carefully removing the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. A fresh crack of black pepper on top finishes it off. Serve immediately and enjoy that perfect marriage of turkey-rich broth and pillowy dumplings.
Top Tip
From my experience making this Turkey Soup with Sweet Potato Dumplings Recipe a bunch of times, these tips save the day and make sure your soup and dumplings turn out perfect every time.
- Room Temperature Turkey: Let the turkey come to room temp before searing to get an even cook without drying it out.
- Don’t Overmix Dumplings: Stir just until combined to keep dumplings tender and fluffy, not dense.
- Gentle Simmer: Keep your soup at a low simmer so the turkey slowly becomes tender while flavors develop.
- Cover Dumplings Completely: Spoon broth over the dumplings before covering the pot—they’ll steam beautifully and cook all the way through.
How to Serve Turkey Soup with Sweet Potato Dumplings Recipe
Garnishes
I usually keep garnishes simple because the soup stands so well on its own. A sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley adds a nice color contrast and fresh herby note. Sometimes I like a few red pepper flakes or a drizzle of good-quality olive oil for extra richness. Freshly cracked black pepper is a must for that final seasoning pop.
Side Dishes
This soup shines as a one-pot meal, but if you want to round it out, I love serving it with crusty sourdough bread or a simple mixed green salad with lemon vinaigrette. A side of roasted root vegetables also works wonderfully to complement the sweet potato dumplings.
Creative Ways to Present
For special occasions, I’ve served this soup in mini Dutch ovens or individual soup crocks—makes it feel extra homey and inviting. Sometimes I float a swirl of herb-infused cream on top or add crispy turkey skin as a garnish for a fun textural twist.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Any leftover turkey soup with sweet potato dumplings stores well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I usually leave the dumplings in the soup—it keeps them nice and moist, though they do soften a bit overnight.
Freezing
If you want to freeze, it’s best to freeze the soup and dumplings separately. I freeze the shredded turkey soup base in one container and the dumpling dough in another. When you’re ready, thaw both and add fresh dumplings to the reheated soup for best texture.
Reheating
I reheat leftovers gently on the stove over medium-low heat. If the soup has thickened, I add a splash of stock or water to loosen it up and stir frequently to prevent sticking. The dumplings soften with reheating, but you’ll still get that lovely fluffy feel.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! If you have leftover cooked turkey, simply skip the searing step and add the shredded turkey directly to the simmering broth. Adjust cooking time accordingly to gently heat everything through.
You can prepare the dumpling dough ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours. However, I recommend adding and cooking the dumplings fresh in the soup for the best texture and fluffiness.
A simple substitute is adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to ¾ cup of milk. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes to curdle before using as a buttermilk replacement in the dumplings.
Definitely! Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour for the dumplings to keep the recipe gluten-free without sacrificing texture. Double check your stock ingredients to ensure they're gluten-free too.
Final Thoughts
This Turkey Soup with Sweet Potato Dumplings Recipe holds a special place in my kitchen because it’s feel-good food that’s also a little different from the ordinary. It’s a fantastic way to honor leftover turkey or simply enjoy a comforting, nourishing meal on its own. I hope you find as much joy in making and eating it as I do—grab your apron and dive in; I promise it’s worth every step!
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Turkey Soup with Sweet Potato Dumplings Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Lactose
Description
This comforting Turkey Soup with Sweet Potato Dumplings is a hearty, flavorful dish perfect for cozy meals. Tender turkey breast is simmered with aromatic vegetables and spices, then topped with light and fluffy sweet potato dumplings for a deliciously satisfying experience.
Ingredients
For the Turkey Soup:
- 2 pounds turkey breast tenderloins
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 celery hearts, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 6–8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon Jamaican allspice
- 8 cups (2 quarts) turkey or chicken stock/broth
- 1 cup frozen peas
For the Sweet Potato Dumplings:
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup fine yellow cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- ¾ cup whole buttermilk
- ¼ cup mashed sweet potato or sweet potato puree
Instructions
- Season the Turkey: Place the turkey tenderloins into a large bowl and season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover the bowl and let the turkey come to room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Brown the Turkey: Heat butter and olive oil in a large dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat. Once sizzling, add the seasoned turkey tenderloins and brown them for 3 minutes on each side to achieve a golden sear. Remove the turkey and set aside on a clean plate.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add chopped celery, carrots, and onion to the same pot. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden utensil and sauté the vegetables until soft and tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add Herbs and Spices: Add fresh thyme sprigs, bay leaves, dried oregano, smoked paprika, and Jamaican allspice to the pot. Stir well and toast the spices gently for 1 minute while stirring continuously.
- Simmer the Soup: Return the turkey tenderloins to the pot and pour in the turkey or chicken stock to cover. Stir to combine, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 50 minutes.
- Shred the Turkey: Remove the turkey from the pot and shred it with two forks on a cutting board. Return the shredded turkey to the pot and stir to combine. Keep the pot uncovered while preparing dumplings.
- Prepare Dumpling Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, and baking powder. Pour in melted salted butter, whole buttermilk, and mashed sweet potato. Stir gently until just combined, taking care not to overwork. Let the dough rest for 2 minutes to activate the baking powder and become fluffy.
- Add Peas and Drop Dumplings: Stir frozen peas into the soup. Using a spoon or spring-loaded scooper, drop 2–3 tablespoons of dumpling dough evenly over the surface of the hot soup. Spoon some broth over the tops to moisten.
- Cook the Dumplings: Cover the pot and simmer the soup for 15 minutes until dumplings are cooked through and fluffy.
- Serve: Uncover the pot, remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Ladle the turkey soup with sweet potato dumplings into bowls, season with freshly ground black pepper if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Read the full blog post for additional tips and tricks to perfect this recipe.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Make sure not to overmix the dumpling dough to keep dumplings light and fluffy.
- You can adjust seasoning by adding more salt or spices according to taste.
- Use homemade turkey or chicken stock for richer flavor if available.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1 ½ cups)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg

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