Coconut milk soups have long been a way of turning something plain into something flavourful. Across Southeast Asia, coconut broths built up around whatever meat or vegetables were on hand — a way of stretching a little into a lot, while keeping every bowl rich and warming. Leftover roast turkey, with its mild flavour and generous shreds of meat, takes to that treatment especially well.
The trick is building layers into the broth rather than relying on the coconut milk alone to carry the flavour. Ginger, garlic and chilli go in first to wake everything up, and a spoon of Wilson’s Coconut Flavoured Oil goes in with them, so the coconut character is there from the very first minute of cooking, not just poured in at the end.
This one comes together in under an hour, uses up leftover turkey beautifully, and tastes like it took a lot more effort than it did. Here’s the full recipe.
Turkey & Coconut Milk Soup
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the Wilson's Coconut Flavoured Oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.
- Stir in the garlic, ginger, chilli, turmeric and ground coriander. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the turkey and stir well to coat it in the spiced oil.
- Pour in the stock and coconut milk. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer for 15-20 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
- Add the green beans and simmer for a further 5 minutes, until just tender.
- Stir in the fish sauce and lime juice.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper or extra lime juice as needed.
- Ladle into bowls and top with fresh coriander and sliced spring onion to serve.
Notes
We Use Coconut Flavoured Oil
Coconut milk on its own can go flat in a broth — it thickens things up nicely, but the flavour can get lost once it meets stock, spice and simmering time. Wilson’s Coconut Flavoured Oil is what holds the coconut note in place from start to finish.
Because it’s an oil, it carries the coconut flavour into the aromatics right at the start — the ginger, garlic and chilli cook in it and pick up that flavour before the liquid ever goes in. It’s a different kind of coconut hit to the milk: rounder, and it reaches right through the broth rather than just floating on top.
The result is a broth with real depth — coconut milk for body, coconut oil for flavour that doesn’t fade.
Our Tips
Use cooked turkey if you have it — shred it and add it towards the end so it just warms through instead of overcooking.
Toast the spices first — a minute in the hot oil before the liquid goes in makes a real difference to the depth of flavour.
Add lime juice at the end — simmering it too long dulls the freshness, so stir it in just before serving.
Keep the chilli separate — add less than you think and let people top up their own bowl, so everyone gets the heat they want.
Don’t boil the soup hard — once the coconut milk goes in, keep it at a gentle simmer so it doesn’t split.
Save the green bits for last — coriander and spring onion go on right before serving, so they stay bright and fresh.
How We Serve It
We like this soup in big, deep bowls with steamed rice spooned in at the bottom, so it soaks up the broth as you go. A wedge of lime on the side lets everyone add their own extra sharpness.
Crusty bread works just as well if rice isn’t on hand — something to mop up the last of the broth once the turkey is gone. A scattering of fresh coriander and sliced spring onion on top finishes it off.
It’s the kind of soup that’s just as good the next day, so don’t be shy about making a full pot.
More Ways to Use Coconut Flavoured Oil
Once you’ve got a bottle of Wilson’s Coconut Flavoured Oil in the pantry, it earns its keep well beyond soup.
Thai stir fry — use it as your base oil for a quick weeknight stir fry, it works beautifully with chilli, garlic and fresh vegetables.
Oven roasted vegetables — toss root vegetables in it before roasting for a subtle coconut edge that pairs well with warm spice.
Fluffy coconut rice — stir a spoonful through cooked rice for a fragrant side that goes with almost any curry.
Another coconut soup — try our Red Lentil, Sweet Potato & Coconut Soup for a plant-based take on the same idea.
Spiced soups generally — it works just as well stirred through our Mulligatawny for extra warmth.
The Good Stuff
Coconut-flavoured oils are useful in any kitchen that leans on coconut milk or cream. They carry true coconut character into hot fat before liquid ever goes into the pan, which means the flavour builds from the base up rather than sitting only in the final broth.
That makes them handy across a wide range of cooking — not just Southeast Asian dishes, but anywhere a recipe calls for coconut milk or cream and could use a little more backbone to the flavour.
Wilson’s Coconut Flavoured Oil is great for Thai stir fry, oven roasted vegetables and fluffy coconut rice, and it comes in 250ml and 6x250ml pack sizes, so it’s easy to keep a bottle in the pantry and a spare in the cupboard.
Ways to Change It Up
Swap the turkey for chicken — leftover roast chicken works just as well if that’s what you have on hand.
Add noodles — rice noodles turn this from a soup into a full meal, just cook them separately and add to the bowl before ladling over.
Bulk up the vegetables — sliced mushrooms, baby corn or shredded cabbage all take well to the broth.
Make it a curry soup — a spoon of curry powder alongside the turmeric and coriander deepens the spice further.
Go dairy-free with the garnish — skip any cream drizzle and stick with coriander, spring onion and lime for a lighter finish.
Questions You Might Have
Can I use raw turkey instead of leftovers?
Yes. Dice raw turkey breast and add it with the aromatics, then let it cook through in the simmering broth before the coconut milk goes in.
Can I freeze this soup?
It freezes well for up to three months. Cool it fully before freezing in an airtight container, and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating gently.
Is this soup spicy?
Not particularly, though you can adjust the heat easily. Start with less chilli than you think you need and add more at the table.
What can I use instead of fish sauce?
Soy sauce is a good substitute if you don’t have fish sauce on hand, though the flavour will be slightly milder.
Where can I buy Wilson’s Coconut Flavoured Oil?
It’s available to order directly from oliveoil.co.za and at leading retailers across South Africa.
How long does this soup keep in the fridge?
Kept in an airtight container, it will keep well in the fridge for up to three days.
Can I make this soup ahead of time?
Yes, and it’s often better the next day once the spices have had time to settle. Reheat gently on the stove without letting it boil hard.
Ready to Make This?
Grab a bottle of Coconut Flavoured Oil and turn your leftover turkey into something worth going back for seconds.
More From Our Kitchen
Red Lentil, Sweet Potato & Coconut Soup — Granola Dust Waffles — Mulligatawny — All Recipes
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