Somewhere between a chowder and a stew, this dinner is rich, savory, and deeply cozy — thanks to a one-two punch of nutritional yeast and miso that gives it an almost cheesy depth without a drop of dairy. It comes together in one pot, uses simple pantry staples, and is the kind of thing you want after a long day when you need something warm and filling, fast. Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
This one’s a weeknight workhorse — hearty enough to be the whole meal, and easy enough that you’re not standing over the stove all evening. Here’s why it’s a keeper:
- One pot, easy cleanup. Everything happens in a single Dutch oven, start to finish.
- Big savory flavor, simple ingredients. Miso and nutritional yeast do the heavy lifting here — no long ingredient list required.
- Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free. Coconut milk replaces cream, and there’s no flour in sight.
- Meal prep friendly. This reheats beautifully, which makes it a great one to double.
- Freezer-friendly base. The turkey, potato, and mushroom base holds up well in the freezer (more on that below).
- Cozy without being heavy. The lemon at the end keeps it from tasting flat or overly rich.
Ingredients Overview
You’ll find exact measurements in the recipe card below. Here’s how the ingredients work together.
For the base
- Ground turkey – the protein backbone of the stew, browned first for flavor.
- Onion and garlic – your aromatic foundation, built right in the same pot.
- Small potatoes – left skin-on for texture and simplicity; they soften into the broth and help thicken it.
- White mushrooms – browned separately so they don’t turn watery, adding an earthy, meaty bite.
- Chicken broth – the simmering liquid that carries all the other flavors.
- Coconut milk – swaps in for cream to give the stew its rich, chowder-like body.
For the flavor and finish
- Nutritional yeast – stirred into the broth as it simmers for a savory, almost cheesy depth.
- White miso paste – tempered with warm broth and added at the end for a bright, umami finish.
- Arrowroot powder – whisked into a slurry to naturally thicken the stew (no flour needed).
- Lemon juice – added at the very end to brighten everything up and keep the richness in balance.
- Black pepper and salt – simple seasoning throughout.
- Spinach – stirred in at the end, just to wilt.
How To Make Miso-Nutritional Yeast Turkey & Mushroom Chowder-Stew
Here’s how it comes together.
Step 1: Brown the turkey.
Heat avocado oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey, breaking it up as it cooks, and season with salt and black pepper. Cook until no longer pink, about 6–7 minutes, then remove to a plate. Pro tip: leave any rendered fat in the pot — it adds flavor to everything that follows.
Step 2: Brown the mushrooms separately.
In the same pot, add more oil if needed and sauté the mushrooms alone until they release their liquid and start to brown, about 5–6 minutes. Remove and set aside with the turkey. Pro tip: cooking them solo (instead of with the other vegetables) keeps them from steaming and going soggy.
Step 3: Build the aromatics.
Add a touch more oil if the pot is dry, then sauté the onion until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more, just until fragrant.
Step 4: Add potatoes and broth.
Add the diced potatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 12–15 minutes.
Step 5: Stir in the nutritional yeast.
Once the potatoes are tender, stir 3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast directly into the pot. Let it simmer 2–3 minutes so it melds into the broth.
Step 6: Return the turkey and mushrooms.
Stir the turkey and mushrooms back into the pot along with the coconut milk. Bring back to a gentle simmer.
Step 7: Thicken with arrowroot.
Re-stir your arrowroot slurry (it settles quickly), then pour it into the pot while stirring. Simmer 2–3 minutes until the stew visibly thickens. Pro tip: avoid a hard boil here — arrowroot can lose its thickening power if it’s overcooked at a rolling boil.
Step 8: Temper and add the miso.
Ladle a bit of hot broth into a small bowl and whisk in the miso paste until smooth. Stir this back into the pot off heat or on very low heat. Pro tip: keep the pot from boiling hard again after this point, so the miso keeps its flavor and doesn’t turn bitter.
Step 9: Wilt the spinach.
Stir in the spinach — it’ll wilt from the residual heat within a minute or two.
Step 10: Finish and adjust.
Squeeze in lemon juice, starting with half a lemon. Taste and adjust with more lemon, salt, black pepper, or nutritional yeast as needed.
