Go Back

Creamy Loaded Potato Soup With Smoked Turkey And Chives

Creamy loaded potato soup with smoked turkey and chives—simmered until the russet potatoes are tender, then mashed for a thick, creamy texture. Finished with melted cheddar and a topping bar of sour cream, extra cheese, and fresh chives.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 630
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

smoked turkey
  • 2 cup smoked turkey diced or shredded
russet potatoes
  • 3 lb russet potatoes peeled and cubed
onion
  • 1 onion diced
garlic
  • 4 clove garlic minced
chicken or turkey broth
  • 4 cup chicken or turkey broth
heavy cream
  • 1.5 cup heavy cream
cream cheese
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
cheddar
  • 1.5 cup cheddar shredded
unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
garlic powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
salt
  • 1 salt to taste
black pepper
  • 1 black pepper to taste
fresh chives
  • 1 bunch fresh chives for serving
sour cream
  • 0.5 cup sour cream for serving
extra cheddar
  • 0.5 cup extra cheddar for topping

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté aromatics
  1. Melt the unsalted butter in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 4 minutes, until softened with a light gloss.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly so it doesn’t brown. Keep the heat at medium for steady simmering later.
Simmer potatoes
  1. Pour in the chicken or turkey broth and add the cubed russet potatoes, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced.
Make it creamy
  1. Mash about half the potatoes directly in the pot to thicken the soup. Stir well so the mixture turns creamy without large lumps.
  2. Add the softened cream cheese and heavy cream, then stir until the soup is smooth. Keep heat at a gentle simmer to help everything melt evenly.
  3. Stir in the shredded cheddar until melted, then fold in the smoked turkey. Continue stirring until the cheese is fully incorporated and the turkey is warmed through.
Season and serve
  1. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes so the flavors meld.
  2. Serve immediately, topped with a very generous handful of fresh chives, sour cream, and extra cheddar. Add toppings at the table for the best contrast of textures.

Notes

For a thicker soup, mash a little more than half the potatoes and keep the heat at a gentle simmer once the dairy is added. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat on the stovetop with a splash of broth or cream to loosen. Freezing is not recommended because the cream cheese and cream can separate after thawing. Dietary swap: use lactose-free cream cheese and lactose-free heavy cream for a lactose-reduced version.