When the weather really turns chilly, you just need food that hugs you from the inside out, right? Forget those thin, watery broths; we need substance! That’s why I’m sharing my absolute favorite hearty recipe: the Creamy Sausage Potato Soup. I’ve spent years tweaking this, trying to nail that perfect texture—you know, incredibly rich and comforting without ever tasting heavy or gloppy. Trust me, after a few practice batches, I finally perfected how to balance the cream content. It’s truly the ultimate comfort soup!
Why This Creamy Sausage Potato Soup is One of the Best Soup Recipes Ever
I know everyone claims their soup is the best, but honestly, this one is special. I’ve spent countless hours perfecting this recipe, testing different fats and liquids so you don’t have to! This isn’t just another bowl of soup; it’s a genuine hug. If you are looking for real Comfort Soup Recipes that feel earned but aren’t fussy, stick with this one, and check out my other easy dinner recipes for more inspiration.
- It’s fantastic for feeding hungry crowds, and leftovers are even better the next day—win-win!
- It ticks all the boxes for those dreary evenings when you need Quick Soups For Dinner on the table fast.
- The sausage adds this incredible smoky depth you just can’t get from plain broth alone.
Perfectly Balanced Texture for Creamy Soup Recipes
Remember how I mentioned refining the creaminess? That’s the secret sauce! A lot of Creamy Soup Recipes turn out thick like paste, and that’s just not what we want here. I use just the right amount of fat from the sausage and a measured amount of heavy cream so it coats your spoon beautifully without feeling heavy in your stomach. It smells amazing while it simmers, too!
Fast Prep for Easy Dinner Recipes
We are talking 10 minutes of hands-on work, folks! If you are scrambling after work and need something instantly satisfying, this will be your new go-to. Because everything cooks quickly in one pot, cleanup is a breeze, too. This definitely falls into my category of Quick Soup Recipes that deliver maximum flavor for minimal effort.
Gathering Ingredients for Creamy Sausage Potato Soup
Okay, now that you’re sold on how cozy this soup is, let’s talk about what you need to pull it together! I’m a huge believer that if you follow the measurements exactly, especially for a dish that relies on balancing fat and liquid like this one, you’ll get that guaranteed perfect texture every single time. Don’t get wishy-washy with the measurements here; precision pays off for this one! If you want to read my thoughts on salt choices before you shop, check out my article on Kosher Salt Vs. Sea Salt.
Ingredient Clarity for Your Creamy Sausage Potato Soup
- 1 lb turkey sausage, sliced or crumbled
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream, or half-and-half
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions for the Best Soup Recipes Ever
Alright, the magic happens right here on the stovetop! While this is one of my favorite slow cooker choices, doing it this way ensures the best texture because we get to control the initial browning. Ready your big pot and let’s transform these simple ingredients into one of the Best Soup Recipes Ever!
Browning the Sausage and Sautéing Aromatics
First thing’s first, we need flavor! Heat that tablespoon of olive oil in your large pot over medium heat. Toss in your turkey sausage and let it get nicely browned—don’t just steam it, we want some color on those edges. Once it’s cooked, scoop that sausage right out and set it aside; it’ll come back later. Now, drop in your diced onion and cook until it’s soft and translucent, which usually takes about five minutes. Then, add your minced garlic right in, but be quick! Garlic burns fast, so only cook it for about 30 seconds until you can really smell it. If you’re curious about the order of steps like this, I wrote a little something up detailing why we cook aromatics before the meat.
Simmering Potatoes for Tender Results
Time to build the body of the soup! Add your diced potatoes, the chicken broth, that dried thyme, and a good pinch of salt and pepper directly into the pot. Give it a good stir to make sure everything is submerged. Bring that whole mixture up to a rolling boil on high heat. Once it’s bubbling happily, turn the heat down low so it just gently simmers. You need to let the potatoes cook until they are perfectly tender, which means letting it simmer peacefully for about 15 to 20 minutes. This simmering time is what softens the potatoes and lets those savory flavors really sink into them.
Finishing the Creamy Sausage Potato Soup
The best part is almost here! Once those potatoes are fork-tender, pour in your heavy cream (or half-and-half if you went lighter) and stir in all that cooked sausage you saved earlier. Let everything simmer together gently for another five minutes—don’t let it boil hard once the cream is in! This final quick simmer helps marry all those rich flavors together perfectly, locking in that beautiful richness essential for top-tier Creamy Soup Recipes. Taste it now! Adjust your salt and pepper until it tastes exactly right for you, and then ladle it up while it’s piping hot!
Tips for Perfect Creamy Sausage Potato Soup
When you are making something as comforting as this soup, the texture is everything! Sometimes it comes right out of the pot perfect, but other times it needs a little kitchen intervention. Don’t sweat it if it seems a bit off at the end; I’ve learned a few tricks over the years that save the day. Knowing how to adjust these Creamy Soup Recipes on the fly is what separates a good cook from a seasoned one!
Adjusting Consistency in Your Creamy Soup Recipes
If, after that last five-minute simmer, you find your soup is just a touch too thin for your liking, don’t panic. You can easily thicken it up! Just take a ladle-full of those cooked potatoes and mash them against the side of the pot with your spoon, or scoop out about a cup of the soup and smash those potatoes in a separate bowl before stirring the slurry back in. That starch works wonders! If you want it thinner, though, just stir in a splash more of that chicken broth until it flows just the way you like it. For more tips on liquids, you might want to check my thoughts on using dairy, even when I’m talking about something totally different, like heavy cream versus half-and-half, because the concepts cross over!
Making Creamy Sausage Potato Soup in a Crockpot
Now, I know some days you just don’t want to stand over a stove, especially when the weather outside is miserable! That’s why I love making this recipe work for my slow cooker too—it totally qualifies as one of my favorite Crockpot Soup Recipes. You get all that incredible, deep flavor development with almost zero effort!
Here’s the quick tip: You should absolutely still brown your sausage first in a skillet to get that beautiful caramelization. Don’t skip that step; it adds so much depth to the final flavor! Then, add that browned sausage, the diced onion/garlic (no need to sauté those first, just toss them in raw), the potatoes, the broth, and the thyme right into your crockpot.
Set it low for six to seven hours or high for about three to four hours until those potatoes are super soft. Once you’re ready to finish, stir in the cream and let it heat through for that final 30 minutes on high. It’s the same delicious result with way less babysitting! For more ways to use that wonderful appliance, head over to my Crockpot and Instant Pot Dinner Recipes section.
Serving Suggestions for This Comfort Soup Recipes
This Creamy Sausage Potato Soup is so rich and filling all on its own, but let’s be real—everything tastes better with a crunchy sidekick! For those chilly evenings when you’re searching for perfect Winter Soup Recipes, you have to serve this with something fantastic for dipping. My favorite thing to pair it with is crusty French bread, but honestly, I love when people bring over warm pieces of my super simple Mini Naan Bread dipped right into the creamy broth.
If you want to lighten the meal slightly but keep the comfort factor high, a simple side salad with a bright vinaigrette works like a charm, cutting right through the richness of the sausage and cheese flavors. It truly makes a complete meal, fast!
Storage and Reheating Creamy Sausage Potato Soup
You’ll be happy to know this soup holds up well in the fridge! Store your leftovers in an airtight container, but know that the cream might shift a bit overnight—it’s normal! When you reheat it later, always use low heat on the stovetop. If you blast it high, the cream can curdle or scorch on the bottom, and that breaks my heart!
If it seems a little thicker than you remember, just whisk in a splash more of that chicken broth or a tiny bit of milk as it warms up. It tastes just as hearty the next day as it did fresh off the stove!
Frequently Asked Questions About This Recipe
I always get the same questions about my favorite cozy meals! I know you want this Creamy Sausage Potato Soup to be perfect on the first try, so let’s address the things people usually wonder about before they even start cooking. Asking these questions is half the battle to making truly great Quick Soup Recipes!
Can I make this recipe lighter or healthier?
Yes, absolutely! If you’re trying to keep this in the realm of Soup Recipes Healthy, you have a couple of swaps you can make without ruining the texture too much. First, swap out the standard turkey sausage for a leaner chicken sausage if you can find one. The next big change is the cream—heavy cream is what gives you that luxurious mouthfeel, but you can use half-and-half successfully, just like I mentioned in the notes.
For an even lighter version, you could try evaporated milk, but you’ll need to thicken the soup a bit more at the end, maybe by mashing an extra potato or two. Just remember, reducing the fat changes the richness level, but it’s still going to taste comforting!
What kind of potatoes work best for Creamy Sausage Potato Soup?
This is a big one, and I learned this the hard way! For this soup, you truly want a starchy potato, like a Russet or an Idaho. Starchy potatoes break down beautifully as they simmer, releasing that starch into the broth so they essentially help thicken the soup naturally. That’s what gives you that lovely creamy body without needing tons of flour!
Waxy potatoes, like red or Yukon Golds, hold their shape too well. They stay too firm, and they won’t melt into the soup to provide that signature texture. So stick with Russets if you can find them for the best results!
How long does this soup keep fresh?
Because we are using heavy cream, you need to be mindful of the storage time. This soup stays wonderfully fresh, full of flavor, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about four days. Honestly, it tastes even better on day two or three! If you happen to find my recipe for Turkey Noodle Soup, you’ll notice I have similar rules about dairy in that one, too.
If you know you won’t finish it in four days, it freezes fantastically! Just leave about an inch of space at the top of your container because liquids expand when they freeze solid.
Share Your Creamy Sausage Potato Soup Experience
Whew! We made it together, and now you have the secret to the ultimate cozy dinner right in your apron pocket. I truly hope that diving into this Creamy Sausage Potato Soup brings as much warmth to your kitchen as it does to mine.
I’d absolutely love to hear what you think once you’ve tried it! Did you stick with the turkey sausage, or did you try another smoky link? Use the space below to leave a rating for the recipe and tell me about your experience! If you have any questions or want to share your photo, feel free to reach out via my contact page.
Happy cooking, my friends!
By Hanna Foster, Adaptation Specialist at Recipes by Betty.
Creamy Sausage Potato Soup
Equipment
- large pot
Ingredients
- 1 lb turkey sausage sliced or crumbled
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups potatoes peeled and diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- Salt and black pepper
- Chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add turkey sausage and cook until lightly browned. Remove the sausage and set it aside.
- In the same pot, sauté the onion until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add potatoes, chicken broth, thyme, salt, and pepper to the pot.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
- Stir in the cooked sausage and cream.
- Simmer for 5 minutes, adjust the seasoning as needed, and serve the soup hot. Garnish with parsley if you are using it.