Description
This Sausage Potato Soup is a comforting, hearty dish featuring crumbled Italian sausage, tender baby gold potatoes, and a creamy base enriched with sharp cheddar cheese and a touch of sour cream. Perfect for warming up on chilly days, this soup combines savory flavors with smooth textures, served best with crusty buttered bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage and Fats
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or hot)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Vegetables and Herbs
- 2-1/4 cups mirepoix (3/4 cup each diced carrots, celery, and yellow onion)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 4 cups chopped baby gold potatoes (no need to peel)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
Liquids and Thickening
- 4 cups chicken stock or broth
- 6 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups milk (1%, 2%, or whole)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Seasonings and Cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups freshly shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Optional
- Hearty buttered bread for serving
Instructions
- Cook the sausage: Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage and sear for 1 minute before crumbling it with a wooden spoon. Cook until deeply browned. Transfer the cooked sausage to a plate lined with paper towels, leaving about 1 tablespoon of grease in the pot. If there isn’t enough grease, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Sauté the vegetables: In the same pot, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the diced carrots, celery, and onion, sautéing for 5–7 minutes until tender (or 7–10 minutes if vegetables are larger). Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more to release its flavor.
- Add potatoes and spices: Stir in chopped baby gold potatoes, dried basil, dried parsley, salt, and pepper. Pour in the chicken stock, and bring the mixture to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.
- Prepare the creamy base: While the potatoes cook, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Stir in the flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute to form a roux. Slowly pour in the milk while continuing to whisk to avoid lumps. Continue cooking and whisking until the mixture thickens and gently boils. Stir in the heavy cream and remove from heat.
- Combine soup components: Once the vegetables are tender, stir the milk and cream mixture into the soup pot. Turn off the heat and gradually add the shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, stirring gently until fully melted.
- Finish the soup: Stir in the sour cream and return the cooked sausage to the pot. Adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve the soup warm, optionally accompanied by hearty buttered bread.
Notes
- Ensure vegetables and potatoes are cut into even pieces so they cook uniformly and provide consistent texture.
- For best flavor and smooth melting, shred your own extra-sharp cheddar cheese instead of using pre-shredded.
- Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days.
- To freeze, place the soup in a freezer-safe bag laid flat and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (approximately)
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
