Make a one-pot creamy turkey potato soup using leftover Thanksgiving turkey, veggies, cheese, and a tasty roux. This comforting soup is warm, filling, and easy to enjoy.
This super-creamy and cheesy leftover turkey potato soup is the perfect way to enjoy your holiday leftovers. Enjoy it with crusty spelt bread or crispbread.
And if you are looking for more homemade turkey soup recipes for a cold day, try our Turkey Lentil Soup, Buckwheat Soup, or Cream of Turkey Soup.
Ingredients: 15 + oil, salt & pepper | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 4 | Difficulty: Easy
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Recipe ingredients
Turkey leftovers: Either dark or white meat, or a mixture, anything you happen to have. I had a little over 2 cups of shredded meat, but anything between 1 and 3 cups is ok; use as much as you have.
- Alternatively, make this creamy potato soup with cooked chicken, rotisserie chicken, or leftover ham.
- Check out a pretty different way of making potato soup, this incredible Potato Dumpling Soup.
Potatoes: I used all-purpose. Some examples of all-purpose potatoes include Yukon Gold, red, and white potatoes.
Bacon or pancetta. If you don't have it, you can leave it out, but we love to add it; it makes the soup even heartier than it already is.
Stock: You can use Turkey Broth or stock (if you have the turkey carcass and are willing to make your own).
Cheese: Sharp cheddar, Gouda, or another flavorful cheese such as Gruyere or Monterey Jack. Don't use pre-grated cheese; its additives prevent it from melting nicely, making the soup grainy.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make potato turkey soup?
- Prepare the ingredients: Chop the vegetables, chop the bacon and potatoes, and shred or chop the turkey. Keep them separated.
Step #1: Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven and sauté bacon and onions for about 4 minutes.
Step #2: Add carrots, celery, and garlic, and sauté for about 3 minutes.
Step #3: Add and melt butter shortly, and add the flour. Stir for 2 minutes.
Step #4: Gradually whisk in the chicken broth.
Step #5: Pour in the milk and add the chopped potatoes, milk, dried herbs, salt, and pepper.
Step #6: Bring to a gentle boil, lower the heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes or until tender.
Step #7: Add the cream. Stir in the turkey and reheat gently without boiling the soup again.
Step #8: Gradually add the grated cheese and stir until melted. Remove from the heat and adjust the taste.
Tips
Add cheese strategically: When adding cheese, shred it finely and add it gradually while stirring continuously to ensure it melts smoothly and evenly into the soup. Don't use pre-grated cheese; it will not melt nicely, and the soup might be grainy.
Control thickness: Adjust the soup's consistency by mashing a portion of the cooked potatoes against the pot's side or using a blender for a smoother texture. This helps thicken the soup without additional cream or flour. Do that before adding the meat.
Store and reheat
Store creamy leftover turkey soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Ensure it's cooled completely before storing.
Reheat gently over low heat and stir it frequently. Avoid bringing it to a rapid boil, as high heat can cause the cream to separate.
Freezing: Theoretically, you can freeze the soup. However, the texture of potato and dairy-based soups might change slightly after thawing. So, I actually never recommend it because I personally don't like the changes.
The Best Turkey Potato Soup
Equipment
- Large soup pot
Ingredients
- 2 cups leftover turkey shredded or cubed, Note 1
- 2 oz bacon or pancetta
- 1 medium onion finely chopped, about 120 g/ 4 oz
- 2 carrots finely chopped, about 150 g/ 5 ½ oz
- 2 celery stalks finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 lbs all-purpose potatoes chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter Note 2
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken stock Note 3
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup heavy cream Note 4
- 5 oz sharp cheddar grated, Note 5
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients and keep them separated as they have different cooking times. Shred or cube the turkey, chop the bacon or pancetta, and finely chop the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Peel and cube the potatoes.2 cups leftover turkey + 2 oz bacon + 1 medium onion + 2 carrots + 2 celery stalks + 2 garlic cloves + 2 lbs all-purpose potatoes
- Sauté: Heat the oil in the pan. Add bacon and onions and cook for about 4 minutes until the onions are softer and golden but not brown.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add carrots, celery, garlic, and sauté for another 3 minutes, occasionally stirring.
- Roux: Add butter and let it melt shortly. Sprinkle the flour on top and stir continuously until it is lightly golden and toasted, 1-2 minutes. Gradually, whisk in the stock.2 tablespoons butter + 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour + 2 cups chicken stock
- Simmer: Add the potatoes, milk, dried herbs, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer the soup, partially covered with a lid, for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Stir occasionally, as the soup tends to set at the bottom of the pot.potatoes + 2 cups whole milk + 1 teaspoon thyme + 1 teaspoon rosemary + 1 teaspoon fine sea salt + ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Add the turkey and reheat it gently.
- Stir in the cream, but don't let the soup come to a boil again. Gradually add the cheese and stir until melted.½ cup heavy cream + 5 oz sharp cheddar
- Adjust the taste with more salt and pepper if required.
Notes
- Turkey: You can use anything between 1 and 3 cups. It can be either white or dark meat. Alternatively, make the soup with leftover chicken or ham.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted, but adjust the salt accordingly.
- All-purpose potatoes typically have a medium starch content, which means they hold their shape moderately well when cooked. Some examples of all-purpose potatoes include Yukon Gold, red, and white potatoes.
- Chicken stock or broth, homemade or store-bought. Alternatively, you can use turkey broth or stock or vegetable stock.
- Heavy cream: You can replace it with whole milk, but heavy cream makes the soup extra creamy.
- Cheese: Or use Gouda, Gruyere, Monterey Jack, etc. Don't use pre-grated cheese; its additives prevent it from melting nicely, making the soup grainy.
Julie says
This was SO delicious! Perfect way to use up left over turkey. It was so thick, I didn't add the heavy cream near the end. I used Monterey Jack cheese (I shredded it myself). I really appreciate how the ingredients & the amounts are listed with each step.
Adina says
Hi Julie, I am so happy to hear it; we love this soup, too; I made it again the other day. Thank you for the feedback.
Margarete says
This is delicious. I actually had to change the recipe to mostly dairy free (for our family) and did not add turkey. I did use 2 Tbsp. of butter (next time dairy free butter), used unsweetened oat milk, and full fat canned unsweetened coconut milk with dairy free cheddar cheese; not grainy at all. Rosemary was a little less because someone cannot tolerate the taste. The vegetables were not finely cut and I used a little less amount of red onion. Thank you for a wonderful recipe.