Classic Turtle and Mock Turtle Soup Recipes

Turtle soup used to be much more popular in the United States than it is today - it was once even found as a Campbell's soup variety. However, many people still want to cook this soup, which is made from turtle meat. These turtle soup recipes teach you an authentic version and a mock version.

Turtle Soup Recipe

Turtle soup is considered a delicacy in some parts of the world, and you can make it yourself with this recipe.

Ingredients

• 6 stems parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 6 peppercorns
• 1 blade mace
• 6 whole cloves
• 6 cups chicken stock or broth
• 1 pound boneless turtle meat
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoons flour
• ¼ cup Sherry wine
• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 lemon, sliced
• Peeled and sliced hard-boiled eggs for garnish

Instructions

1. Place the parsley, bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, mace, and cloves on a square of cheesecloth and use a piece of kitchen twine to tie it into a bundle.
2. Place the bundle in a large pot with the turtle meat and the chicken broth.
3. Simmer for an hour.
4. In a large pot, heat the butter on medium-high until it bubbles. Add the onion and cook until it is tender, about five minutes.
5. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for one minute.
6. Add the sherry and cook, stirring, for one minute more.
7. Add the tomatoes and the turtle meat and stock, discarding the herb bundle. Add the salt and paprika. Simmer for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Serve garnished with a lemon slice and quartered hard-boiled eggs.

Mock Turtle Soup

You'll find dozens of different recipes for mock turtle soup, each with its own flavor profiles. Since turtle meat isn't as easy to come by as it used to be, many cooks turned to making mock turtle soup from other types of meat. This classic recipe was popular in the 1970s.

Ingredients

• 20 gingersnaps
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1½ cups ketchup
• ½ cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• Sliced hard boiled eggs
• Lemon slices
• Sherry for garnish

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, soak the gingersnaps in the water. Set aside.
2. In a large pot, cook the ground beef on medium-high heat, crumbling as you cook, until browned, about five minutes.
3. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about three minutes.
4. Add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, apple sider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Cook, covered, for one hour.
5. Mix the gingersnaps so it becomes a slurry. Stir into the soup. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
6. Serve topped with the hard-boiled eggs and lemon slices and drizzled with Sherry.

Make a Meal of Turtle Soup

Serve turtle soup or mock turtle soup with oyster crackers or a warm, crusty bread to make a delicious meal. Whether you make the original or the mock version, you'll be serving a soup that was once the most popular soup in America.