Turkey Veggie Zucchini Soup

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 12 oz lean ground turkey (93% or higher)

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 medium zucchini, spiralized into noodles

03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced

05 - 1 small onion, diced

06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

07 - 1 cup baby spinach

08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)

→ Broth and Seasonings

09 - 5 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth

10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme

12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano

13 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

15 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

16 - Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.

02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

03 - Add ground turkey to the pot. Cook while breaking it apart with a spoon for approximately 5 minutes until no pink remains.

04 - Pour in chicken or turkey broth. Add thyme, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes if using, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil.

05 - Reduce heat to a simmer. Add cherry tomatoes if using and cook for 10 minutes until vegetables become tender.

06 - Add spiralized zucchini noodles and baby spinach. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until zucchini noodles are tender but retain their texture.

07 - Stir in fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

08 - Ladle soup into bowls, garnish generously with fresh parsley, and serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

It fills you up completely without that post-meal heaviness that makes you want a nap.
You can have dinner on the table in under 40 minutes, no shortcuts required.
The zucchini noodles stay tender but don't turn to mush if you time it right—and I'll show you how.

02 -

Zucchini noodles release water as they cook, so if you add them too early or cook them too long, your soup becomes watery and the noodles turn to mush—the last 3 minutes is exact, not approximate.
Lemon juice is the ingredient that prevents this soup from tasting one-dimensional; don't skip it or think you'll add it later because the soup changes completely once that acidity hits.

03 -