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Creamy Loaded Potato Soup With Smoked Turkey And Chives

Creamy loaded potato soup with smoked turkey and chives—made with simmered russet potatoes, mashed for thickness, and melted cheddar for a velvety finish. Topped with sour cream and extra cheese for classic “loaded” flavor.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 660
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Smoked turkey
  • 2 cups smoked turkey diced or shredded
Russet potatoes
  • 3 lb russet potatoes peeled and cubed
Onion
  • 1 onion diced
Garlic
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
Broth
  • 4 cups chicken or turkey broth
Heavy cream
  • 1.5 cups heavy cream
Cream cheese
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
Cheddar
  • 1.5 cups shredded cheddar
Smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
Garlic powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
Unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
Salt and pepper
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste
Chives and toppings
  • 1 fresh chives a generous bunch
  • 1 sour cream for topping
  • 1 extra cheddar for topping

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté aromatics
  1. Melt the butter in a large pot, then sauté the diced onion for 4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant.
Simmer the potatoes
  1. Add the chicken or turkey broth, russet potatoes, smoked paprika, and garlic powder; bring to a simmer.
  2. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork.
Make it creamy
  1. Mash about half the potatoes in the pot to thicken the soup while leaving some chunks.
  2. Stir in the softened cream cheese and heavy cream and mix until smooth.
  3. Add the shredded cheddar and stir until melted, then fold in the smoked turkey.
Season and finish
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then simmer for 5 minutes to heat through.
Serve
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a very generous handful of fresh chives, sour cream, and extra cheddar.

Notes

Pro tip: mash potatoes right in the pot—partial mashing keeps the soup thick and chunky instead of fully puréed. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently to avoid separating. Freezing is not recommended because the dairy can break after thawing. For a dairy-light swap, use reduced-fat cream cheese and half-and-half (texture may be slightly less rich).