Smoked Turkey and Collard Green Soup

📍 Where this dish comes from: Clarksdale, Mississippi · The Crossroads (Highway 61 & 49)
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This soup takes the same smoked-meat-and-greens combination that anchors a classic pot of collards and turns it into a full, brothy bowl — smoky, a little peppery, and just as satisfying as a plate of greens with none of the long simmer time collards traditionally need.

What You’ll Need

Smoked Turkey and Collard Green Soup

A smoky, savory broth built from smoked turkey and simmered greens, a lighter take on the classic pot of collards.

Print Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 270kcal

Ingredients

• 1 lb smoked turkey wings or necks
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 onion diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 bunch collard greens stemmed and chopped
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

• In a large pot, combine smoked turkey, broth, onion, and garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, 35–40 minutes.
• Remove turkey, let cool slightly, then shred the meat off the bone and discard skin and bones.
• Return shredded turkey to the pot along with collard greens, vinegar, and red pepper flakes.
• Simmer, uncovered, 15–20 minutes, until greens are tender.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 270kcal | Protein: 26g | Fat: 14g | Fiber: 3g

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Health Benefits

• Collard greens are rich in vitamin K, vitamin A, and fiber.
• Smoked turkey provides lean protein with deep flavor, needing no added fat.
• A broth-based soup that’s naturally filling without being heavy.