Thai-Inspired Spaghetti Squash Turkey Soup

Thai-Inspired Spaghetti Squash Turkey Soup. A bowl of sheer delightful flavors and spices that have your taste buds in awe. Also, a great way to use up that leftover turkey you froze in a sealed bag in the freezer.

Song of the day: "Movement" by Hosier.

Thai-Inspired Spaghetti Squash Turkey Soup. Talk about flavor. Beautiful tender turkey and potatoes caressed by the flavors and spices of the mirepoix, lime leaves, basil, bay leaf, lemongrass. The levels of flavor are apparent because each ingredient comes up on its own in a most subtle way, tantalizing your taste buds to no end!

Leftovers...

I have to say making soups is one of my favorite things to do. If you have a stock on hand it makes it very easy to make so you can be sitting enjoying that bundle of pure joy and comfort quickly.

After the Christmas holiday season, there is that dilemma of what to do with that leftover turkey. Well chop it up in nice chunks and place it in an airtight bag and into the freezer it goes. The best part is taking it out, thawing it, and using it for soup as I have done here.

It's all about building layers of flavor

What I love about Thai cuisine is the way they build flavors combining cooked and fresh ingredients for an end result that is mouthwatering and aromatically wonderful!

• Firstly we roast the squash with herbs and spices to get some nice sweet caramelized flavor.
• Secondly, we build the broth with spices like red curry, lemongrass, bay leaves, lime leaves, and fresh basil. We sweeten the heat a bit with some coconut milk. Consequently, this process is crucial in getting those bold fresh flavors to come through. I do this when I am sauteing the carrots onion and celery. I love potatoes in a soup like this too, because it is so delightful to encounter those soft starchy rich morsels among that flavorful broth.
• Thirdly, we add in all the support actors like turkey, corn, peas, and those crunchy bamboo shoots. I always add these towards the end so they don't get overcooked.
• Lastly, serving a nice garnish of green onion and fresh basil. Looks so good the contrast of this golden soup and the vibrant green of the garnish. I use a few drops of sesame oil to give that bit of nutty smokiness.

What about the spaghetti squash?

Well, when the squash is finished roasting in the oven steaming from the inside infusing it with those herbs, garlic, and spices. I scoop the pulp, of course when it has cooled and into the vegetable broth it goes.

A little hand blender magic and this vegetable stock has been served with flavor and rich texture!

Don't you just love the hand blenders? Easy to clean, easy to use, hence, happy cook happy food!

Fusion

Usually, you would find rice in a soup like this but as all of you know fusion is my thing so I brought a little Italian to the mix. Instead of rice, I used orzo pasta. It is a pasta that looks like a wheat seed or miniature almonds. I love how it tastes and it has just that bit of al dente bite. Similar to most pasta, it absorbs so much of the flavor it is cooked in which makes it that much more delectable!

A little note here

Put the pasta in the last stages of cooking the soup. It usually takes about 15 minutes to cook. If you add it in too soon you will have a starchy and lack of texture mess!

Got my spoon!

This is always the best part, that is if the recipe worked out. I am having a nice glass of  Pinot Grigio with the soup. I don't drink much but what I love is pairing food and wine to elevate the taste experience just a few notches.

Spoon goes in

Wow, talk about layers. Texture-wise I love the orzo pasta nice and al dente. The potatoes soft and just melt in your mouth. That turkey, moist and ever so tender. Don't you just love how the peas and corn give you a nice plump burst of deliciousness, and those bamboo shoots crunchy and nutty which compliments everything that popping in this Thai-Inspired Spaghetti Squash Turkey Soup.

Let's talk about spices and herbs!

This soup is the epitome of spices and herbs. The freshness of the basil and that bright note from the lemongrass and lime leaves awaken my taste buds. The bay leaf gives a nice earthy peppery feel and that red curry paste and in combination with the coconut milk is purely exotic. I like those nice shards of green onion and that smidgen of sesame oil gives a complimenting smoky flavor to the soup! Hence, this soup is so about levels of flavor and texture and would be perfect for a family-style meal.

Final thoughts

As a kid in my heart, I always wanted everyone to get along. I didn't like separating culture and dreamed of peace and harmony wherever I went. I discovered the world of cultural cuisine and soon discovered that food brings people together in a great way, and so my foodie's heart was born!

It is winter in a lot of parts of the world and comfort and warmth are always welcome to soothe the winter blahs. Why not bring some of that Thai flavor and color along with a piece of you and make tonight Thai-Inspired Spaghetti Squash Turkey Soup night!

From our kitchen to yours...........

Enjoy!

Song of the day: "Movement" by Hosier.

Thai-Inspired Spaghetti Squash Turkey Soup

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Thai-Inspired Spaghetti Squash Turkey Soup. Talk about flavor. Beautiful tender turkey and potatoes caressed by the flavors and spices of the mirepoix, lime leaves, basil, bay leaf, lemongrass. The levels of flavor are apparent because each ingredient comes up on its own in a most subtle way, tantalizing your taste buds to no end!

• Author: Loreto
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stove top
• Cuisine: Thai inspired

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Squash:

• 1  spaghetti squash
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 shallots quartered
• A pinch of sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, and paprika

Soup:

• 2 Tbsp Peanut oil
• 1 Tbsp Sesame oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped ginger
• 1 cup each of carrots, celery, and onion
• 2 Tbsp red curry paste
• 1 ½ Tbsp lemongrass
• 3 lime leaves
• Handful fresh basil
• 2 potatoes washed peeled and diced
• ¾ cup bamboo shoots
• 1 cup peas
• ½ cup corn
• 2 ½ cups diced leftover turkey
• ¾ cups coconut milk
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• ½ cup orzo pasta
• sea salt and pepper for seasoning

Garnish:

• ½ cup chopped green onion
• 8 fresh basil leaves
• drizzle sesame oil

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Instructions

Squash:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Wash squash, dry, and cut in half. Scoop out pulp and seeds.
3. Drizzle olive oil into the two halves and season with thyme, garlic, shallots, salt, pepper, paprika.
4. Place both halves upside down on a parchment lined baking sheet keeping all the herbs and spices inside. Roast for about 40 minutes or until a knife goes easily into the flesh of the squash.
5. Take out of the oven and let cool. When cooled, scoop out all the soft pulp into a bowl, set aside.

Soup:

1. In a large soup pot heat up peanut and sesame oil. Toss in ginger, carrots, celery, onion. Saute' for 10 - 15 minutes on medium heat.
2. Toss in bay leaves, limes leaves and season with salt and pepper and stir. Add potatoes and leftover cubed turkey, stir again. Add curry paste, lemon grass, and basil stirring frequently so ingredients don't stick to the pot. Now drizzle in coconut milk.
3. Pour in vegetable stock and stir. Turn heat to a low simmer and taste for seasoning. Season if needed. Cover partially and let simmer for about 30 minutes.
4. Add in orzo pasta. Place in peas, corn, and bamboo shoots and stir, let simmer for another 10-15 minutes, or until pasta is nice and al dente.
5. Take off heat and serve in bowls.

Garnish:

1. Place a nice mound of chopped green onion on top and add in fresh basil leaves, and a few drops of sesame oil, not too much or it will overpower the palate.

Ready to serve!

Enjoy!

Notes

1. You can use left over chicken if you don't have the turkey.
2. If you like it spicier add either more red curry paste or in the beginning toss in some chili flakes.

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Loreto

When I am not cooking, I enjoy playing musical instruments, singing, writing. I have learned over the years to live in gratitude and enjoy the moment.