Simple Pork Sausage Potato Soup (Printable version)

Hearty soup featuring savory pork sausage, tender potatoes, and aromatic vegetables for a comforting meal ready in 50 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 14 oz pork sausage, mild or spicy, casings removed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1.3 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced
03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

07 - 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
08 - 1 cup milk or cream for richer soup

→ Spices & Seasonings

09 - 1 tsp dried thyme
10 - 1 bay leaf
11 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Optional Garnishes

12 - Chopped fresh parsley
13 - Grated cheddar cheese

# Directions:

01 - Place a large pot over medium heat. Crumble the pork sausage into the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat if desired.
02 - Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot with the sausage. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
04 - Add the diced potatoes, dried thyme, bay leaf, and chicken broth to the pot. Increase heat to bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
05 - Cover the pot and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender when pierced with a knife.
06 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the milk or cream and heat gently for 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed.
07 - Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley and grated cheddar cheese if desired.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like it simmered all day
  • The milk creates this velvety texture that makes people ask what your secret is
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day, if they last that long
02 -
  • If you want a thicker soup, use a potato masher to break up some of the potatoes right before adding the milk. The released starches naturally thicken the broth without any flour or roux.
  • Sweet potatoes work beautifully here and add lovely color, but they'll make the soup noticeably sweeter. I like doing half potatoes, half sweet potatoes for balance.
  • The soup will continue to thicken as it sits. If reheating leftovers, you might need to splash in a little more broth or milk to reach the right consistency.
03 -
  • If your soup seems too thin after simmering, remove about a cup of potatoes and broth, mash them together until smooth, then stir back into the pot. It's an instant thickener that doesn't change the flavor.
  • Start with less milk than you think you need—you can always add more, but you can't take it back once it's in there.

Go back