Hearty Sausage Potato Soup Recipe is one of those comforting meals that feels like a warm hug on a chilly evening. It’s loaded with savory sausage, tender potatoes, and cozy flavors that simply hit the spot every single time.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
This soup has been a staple in my kitchen when I want something filling yet straightforward. What makes this Hearty Sausage Potato Soup Recipe stand out is the perfect balance of savory sausage and creamy potatoes, and every spoonful feels like home.
- Full of Flavor: The blend of herbs, mustard powder, and a hint of hot sauce gives the soup a rich depth you won’t expect.
- Simple Ingredients: Most of what you need is probably already in your pantry and fridge, making it easy to throw together on a busy day.
- Customizable Comfort: Love cheese or want it dairy-free? This recipe handles tweaks like a champ so you can make it truly yours.
- One-Pot Wonder: Minimal cleanup and maximum coziness—a big win in my book when I’m craving something warm.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Every ingredient here has a job to do: build flavor, provide texture, or add richness. When combined, they create a soup that’s hearty but balanced, creamy but not heavy. Picking red potatoes is a great choice—they hold together nicely during cooking, so you get chunks in every bite.
- Ground Italian sausage: Whether hot or mild, it brings a robust, meaty base that infuses the broth with savory goodness.
- Butter: Adds creaminess and helps soften the veggies, enriching the soup's depth of flavor.
- Yellow onion, carrots, celery: These form the aromatic trinity that adds subtle sweetness and texture.
- Garlic: Just a few cloves give a fragrant punch, enhancing every other ingredient.
- Flour: It thickens the soup gently, ensuring a velvety texture without feeling heavy.
- Soy sauce and hot sauce: Don’t worry—they don’t make the soup taste Asian or spicy, but add umami and a slight kick that deepens flavors.
- Chicken broth: The liquid base that carries all the flavors together.
- Heavy cream: For richness and that silky mouthfeel we all crave in comfort soups.
- Red potatoes: They hold shape beautifully, which means no mushy bits here.
- Cheddar cheese (optional): Melts into the soup and adds an extra layer of indulgence.
Make It Your Way
I love tweaking this Hearty Sausage Potato Soup Recipe depending on the season or what I have on hand. For example, swapping sausage types or adding veggies can keep it fresh every time you make it.
- Variation: I sometimes add corn toward the end for a little natural sweetness, especially in late summer when fresh corn is abundant—it turns out so good!
- Dairy-free option: You can swap out heavy cream for coconut milk or a plant-based alternative to keep it creamy without dairy.
- Mild or spicy sausage: Pick your heat level; I usually go for mild, but hot sausage kicks it up a notch for those who like a little zip.
- Crock Pot friendly: If you want to set it and forget it, using the slow cooker method works wonderfully, just be sure to drain the sausage drippings well first.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Hearty Sausage Potato Soup Recipe
Step 1: Brown the Sausage to Lock in Flavor
Start by removing casings if your sausage is in links. Heat a large pot over medium heat and crumble in the sausage. Cook it halfway, then partially cover the pot and stir occasionally until fully cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. The key here is to get a nice brown on the sausage without rushing—this browning adds that irresistible depth.
Step 2: Sauté the Veggies in Flavorful Fat
Set the cooked sausage aside, leaving about a tablespoon of those tasty drippings in the pot. Add butter and melt it over medium heat, then toss in the diced onion, celery, and carrots. Cook for about 5 minutes until the veggies soften, then stir in garlic for just 1 minute so it doesn’t burn. This slow-softening step really builds a rich, aromatic base for the soup.
Step 3: Thickening and Building the Broth
Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw taste. Then, slowly add the chicken broth in small splashes, scraping the bottom of the pot with a spatula to loosen those flavorful browned bits. Stir in the heavy cream, soy sauce, hot sauce, and dried herbs. Bring everything to a boil, then lower to a simmer—you’ll start to smell those cozy flavors come together beautifully.
Step 4: Add Potatoes and Simmer to Perfection
Wash and cube your red potatoes into one-inch pieces. Add them to the simmering pot and cook uncovered for around 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender but still hold their shape. Stir the sausage back into the pot once the potatoes are ready. This is the point where that heartiness really shines.
Step 5: Finish with Cheese and Serve
Lower the heat to low and stir in shredded cheddar cheese if you’re using it. This melts right into the soup for a creamy, cheesy finish. Serve hot, and enjoy with your favorite crusty bread or crackers!
Top Tip
Over the years, I’ve learned a few secrets that really elevate this Hearty Sausage Potato Soup Recipe. Knowing these helped me avoid soggy potatoes or bland broth, so I'm sharing them to save you the hassle—and get the best flavor ever.
- Don’t skip browning: Browning the sausage well before adding other ingredients makes all the difference in flavor depth.
- Patience with potatoes: Cook them just until tender to avoid mushiness, which can make your soup cloudy and less appealing.
- Season gradually: I add herbs and sauces in steps and taste often to balance without overpowering the soup.
- Reserve sausage drippings: Use them for sautéing veggies instead of butter alone; it adds a delicious richness.
How to Serve Hearty Sausage Potato Soup Recipe
Garnishes
I love topping this soup with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley or green onions for a pop of color and brightness. A dollop of sour cream or a little extra shredded cheddar on top adds creaminess and balances the savory notes perfectly.
Side Dishes
A warm crusty bread, garlic toast, or buttery crackers go beautifully alongside. Sometimes, I serve it with a simple green salad dressed lightly with lemon vinaigrette to cut through the richness.
Creative Ways to Present
For a fun twist at gatherings, I’ve served this soup in hollowed-out mini bread bowls—everyone loved it! It’s an easy way to impress, and leftover soup gets eaten up fast.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I store leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge, and they keep really well for up to 3 days. Just be sure the potatoes aren’t overcooked before storing, so they don’t turn mushy by the next day.
Freezing
This soup freezes beautifully. After cooling it completely, I portion it out and freeze for up to 3 months. When making extra batches, freezing a couple containers lets me have quick comfort food ready anytime.
Reheating
I gently reheat leftovers on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring often to prevent scorching. Sometimes I add a splash of broth or cream to loosen it up—this keeps the texture just right.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes! You can use mild, hot, or even sweet Italian sausage depending on your flavor preference. Turkey sausage works too if you want it leaner, though the flavor will be slightly less rich.
Red potatoes are ideal because they hold their shape well when cooked, so you get nice chunks of potato rather than a mushy soup. Yukon Gold is a good alternative, but I avoid Russets since they tend to break down too much.
Not really! The hot sauce in the recipe is more of a flavor enhancer than a heat booster. It adds a subtle tangy depth without making the soup spicy—so it’s kid-friendly and perfect for all taste buds.
Absolutely. There’s a crock pot method where you cook the sausage and veggies on the stove first, then combine all ingredients (except cream and cheese) in the slow cooker. After cooking low for 6 hours or high for 4, stir in cream and cheese before serving.
Final Thoughts
This Hearty Sausage Potato Soup Recipe holds a special place in my heart because it’s so much more than just soup—it’s comfort, family dinners, and those simple, satisfying moments after a long day. I hope you’ll give it a try and make it your own. Trust me, once you do, it’s hard not to keep coming back for more!
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Delicious Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 11 cups
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Lactose
Description
This hearty and comforting Sausage Potato Soup combines savory Italian sausage, tender red potatoes, and a creamy broth seasoned with herbs and spices. Perfect for a cozy meal, this soup is rich in flavor with a touch of heat balanced by creamy cheddar cheese.
Ingredients
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Soup
- 1 lb. ground Italian sausage, hot or mild
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- ½ cup diced carrots
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 ¼ lbs. red potatoes, about 6 small potatoes
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the Sausage: Remove the casings from the sausage if using links. Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the sausage, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook until halfway done, then partially cover and continue cooking for a total of 10-12 minutes until fully cooked. Set aside the cooked sausage and reserve 1 tablespoon of drippings.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add the reserved drippings and 2 tablespoons of butter to the pot over medium heat. Add diced onions, celery, and carrots, cooking for 5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Flour and Liquids: Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes to remove the raw taste. Gradually add chicken broth, using a silicone spatula to scrape the bottom of the pot to incorporate browned bits. Slowly stir in the heavy cream, hot sauce, soy sauce, and seasonings (basil, parsley, oregano, mustard powder, and pepper).
- Simmer Potatoes: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cube the washed and dried red potatoes into 1-inch pieces and add them to the soup. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
- Combine and Finish: Return the cooked sausage to the pot and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and stir in the cheddar cheese if using until melted and incorporated. Serve hot immediately.
Notes
- Mustard powder, hot sauce, and soy sauce enhance flavor subtlety without making the soup spicy.
- Red potatoes hold their shape best in soups due to their waxy texture; Yukon Gold potatoes are a good alternative, while Russets are starchier and less ideal.
- Adding corn towards the end of cooking makes a delicious addition to the soup.
- For a crock pot method, cook and crumble sausage and vegetables on the stove, then drain grease before adding to crock pot with remaining ingredients, cooking on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours. Stir in cream and cheese at the end.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Avoid overcooking potatoes to ensure better reheating quality.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
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