Turtle Soup

Name: Turtle Soup
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients: 6 tbsp unsalted butter; 1.5 lbs ground beef (80/20); 6 tbsp all-purpose flour; 2 medium yellow onion, finely diced; 4 celery stalks, finely diced; 1 green bell pepper, finely diced; 6 garlic cloves, minced; 1 can canned diced tomatoes; 6 cups beef stock; 1/3 cup dry sherry; 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 2 tsp Cajun seasoning blend; 2 dried bay leaves; 1/2 tsp dried thyme; 4 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped; 2 lemon, cut into wedges; 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped; 1/2 tsp kosher salt

A classic New Orleans restaurant staple made with ground beef, a rich dark roux, and a splash of sherry - a traditional approximation of the original that delivers the same bold, complex flavors. Finished tableside with dry sherry and a squeeze of lemon.

105 minHardServes 6360 cal/serving

CajunSoupStovetopStandardHigh ProteinCorn-Free

Ingredients

6 tbsp unsalted butter
1.5 lbs ground beef (80/20)
6 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
4 celery stalks, finely diced
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 can canned diced tomatoes
6 cups beef stock
1/3 cup dry sherry
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Cajun seasoning blend
2 dried bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
4 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
2 lemon, cut into wedges
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1

Melt 6 tbsp unsalted butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1.5 lbs ground beef (80/20) and cook, breaking it up, until browned and cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, about 8-10 minutes. Do not drain.
2

Reduce heat to medium. Sprinkle 6 tbsp all-purpose flour over the beef and stir constantly for 3-4 minutes to make a roux.
3

Add 2 medium finely diced yellow onion, 4 finely diced celery stalks, and 1 finely diced green bell pepper. Cook, stirring, for 6-7 minutes until softened.
4

Add 6 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp Cajun seasoning blend, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, and 2 dried bay leaves. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
5

Stir in 1 can canned diced tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
6

Gradually pour in 6 cups beef stock, stirring to incorporate. Add 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
7

Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes until thickened and flavors have melded.
8

Stir in 1/3 cup dry sherry and simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
9

Ladle into bowls. Top each serving with 4 finely chopped hard-boiled eggs and 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley. Serve with 2 cut into wedges lemon for squeezing.

Questions

Can I make Turtle Soup dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in this entry is 6 tbsp unsalted butter. Swap the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Can I make Turtle Soup gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in this entry is 6 tbsp all-purpose flour, 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce. Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works); the soy-based sauce for tamari or coconut aminos. Everything else proceeds as written.

How long does Turtle Soup keep?

Refrigerate it up to four days, or freeze it in portions for up to three months. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water or stock to loosen it.

Can I halve or double Turtle Soup?

Yes. As written it serves 6. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. When doubling on the stovetop, use your widest pan or work in two batches so the food sears instead of steaming.

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,504 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.