A beloved comfort dish in Caribbean homes, Caribbean Smoked Turkey Soup is steeped in tradition and flavor. Using smoked turkey legs, necks, or wings, this soup delivers a rich, smoky broth that’s thickened with hearty root vegetables like dasheen, eddoes, and sweet potato. Chris De La Rosa includes aromatic herbs, black-eye peas, and optional flour dumplings, making it filling and memorable. Whether it’s a weekend treat or a potluck favorite, this large batch soup is ideal for feeding a crowd or freezing for later. Thick, fragrant, and rooted in Caribbean culinary heritage, it’s a must-try for soup lovers.
Ingredient Guide
- Smoked turkey leg (or neck/wing): Adds smoky depth; use any smoked turkey meat you can source.
- Dasheen and eddoes: Caribbean root vegetables that thicken the broth and add texture.
- Sweet potato and potato: Provide natural sweetness and body.
- Black-eye peas (or split peas): Offer protein, texture, and protein-rich comfort.
- Fresh corn: Adds a sweet crunch to the soup.
- Carrot: Sweet balance and color.
- Okra (optional): Helps slightly thicken and adds texture.
- Onion, garlic, scallions, fresh thyme, fresh oregano: Build an aromatic Caribbean base.
- Scotch bonnet pepper: Brings heat; remove after cooking for less intensity.
- Flour dumplings (optional): Simple “spinners” to make the soup extra hearty.
- Grace cock soup mix or bouillon/stock: Traditional seasoning; substitute with chicken broth if needed.
Description
A rich, smoky Caribbean soup full of root vegetables, beans, and optional dumplings, perfect for feeding a crowd.
Ingredients
Soup Base
Beans & Vegetables
Aromatics & Seasonings
Optional
Dumplings
Instructions
Heat vegetable oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add onion, garlic, scallions, thyme, and oregano. Sauté for 3–5 minutes until fragrant and softened.
Stir in black eye peas and carrot. Add smoked turkey leg and pour in 10–14 cups water. Add scotch bonnet pepper, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Simmer uncovered for 45–60 minutes, or until peas are tender. Meanwhile, peel and cube the dasheen, eddoes, potatoes, and sweet potato. Remove stems from okra. Cut corn into pieces and rinse well.
Once peas are tender, remove smoked turkey leg and set aside to cool. Add prepared vegetables, corn, tomato paste, and Grace cock soup mix to the pot. Add more water if needed to cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil.
Strip meat from the turkey leg and return both meat and bone to the pot. Simmer for 25–35 minutes, until vegetables are soft and soup has thickened. Avoid over-stirring to prevent the soup from becoming too starchy.
Taste and adjust salt if needed. If using dumplings, mix flour, sugar, and water to form dough. Pinch into small pieces and add in the final 7 minutes of cooking.
Remove and discard the scotch bonnet pepper before serving.
