Sausage Potato Soup

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Cheesy, creamy, and comforting Sausage Potato Soup is loaded with Italian sausage, golden baby potatoes, veggies, and a cheesy cream base. Try my take on the famous cheeseburger soup!

This hearty soup pairs perfectly with a lighter side dish like a salad. Try this Italian salad, winter fruit salad, or roasted veggie salad on the side.

Sausage potato soup in a bowl, hearty, savory, and delicious ready to eat.

The Best Sausage Potato Soup

If you’re familiar with cheeseburger soup, my Cheesy Sausage Potato Soup is a unique take on it. Instead of the typical ground beef and Velveeta® cheese, I use sharp Cheddar and spicy Italian sausage. This soup is especially appealing in colder weather, even more so than the classic cheese-packed burger.

The soup requires some prep, mainly chopping, but it’s straightforward to make. To save time, opt for pre-chopped mirepoix (onions, celery, and carrots) from grocery stores, use pre-minced garlic, and leave the potato peels on. These steps will speed up the process.

Check out the quick pictorial overview below, and don’t miss the brief video showing the easy preparation of the Sausage Potato Soup. Enjoy!

Finished dish being made, showing the meat being cooked; veggies being cooked; and other ingredients being added and mixed together.

Ingredients

  • Italian Sausage (hot or mild): Provides the primary flavor and protein base of the soup. The choice between hot or mild impacts the spice level.
  • Unsalted Butter & Olive Oil: Used for cooking and flavoring. Butter adds richness while olive oil is used for sautéing and making the cream sauce.
  • Mirepoix (Carrots, Celery, Onion) & Garlic: These vegetables form the aromatic foundation, adding depth and savory notes to the soup.
  • Baby Gold Potatoes: They add texture, heartiness, and thickness to the soup.
  • Dried Basil & Parsley Flakes: These herbs infuse the soup with classic, herby flavors.
  • Chicken Stock or Broth: The liquid base of the soup, contributing to its overall flavor and consistency.
  • Flour: Used in making the cream sauce, it thickens the sausage potato soup.
  • Milk & Heavy Cream: These dairy ingredients create a creamy texture and add richness to the soup.
  • Colby Jack or Extra-Sharp Cheddar Cheese & Sour Cream: These add creaminess, tanginess, and depth to the soup’s flavor profile.

QUICK TIP

For an extra layer of flavor, use a hot cast iron skillet to brown the sausage, and don’t over-stir or over crumble the meat — you want it to get browned to develop layers of flavor.

How To Make Sausage Potato Soup

  1. Cook the Sausage: Brown the sausage in a large pot, remove it, and set aside. Keep some of the grease in the pot.
  2. Sauté Veggies: In the same pot, melt a bit of butter and sauté diced carrots, celery, onion, and minced garlic until tender.
  3. Add Potatoes and Seasoning: Add chopped potatoes, dried basil, parsley, salt, and pepper. Pour in chicken stock and bring to a boil, then simmer until the potatoes are tender.
  4. Make Cream Sauce for Sausage Potato Soup: In a separate saucepan, melt some butter, stir in flour, and then gradually add milk, whisking until thickened. Stir in heavy cream.
  5. Combine and Finish: Pour the cream sauce into the pot with the vegetables. Add shredded cheese and heat until melted. Stir in sour cream and the cooked sausage. Adjust the seasoning as needed.

Finished sausage and potato soup full of vegetables and spices, warm and ready to be enjoyed.

Notes For Success

  1. Prefer less heat? Use mild sausage; the soup isn’t very spicy with spicy sausage, but spice tolerance varies.
  2. Best with 1% milk; whole milk is too rich, and skim milk or milk alternatives change the flavor and consistency.
  3. Doesn’t freeze well due to the dairy. Halve the recipe if you don’t want leftovers.
  4. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat, stirring frequently. Avoid boiling to prevent separation.
  5. Sausage Potato Soup best consumed within 1-3 days.
  6. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable stock and replace sausage with plant-based crumbles like Beyond Meat® or omit meat entirely.

Side Dishes To Serve With Sausage Potato Soup

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Sausage Potato Soup

5 from 61 votes
Cheesy, creamy, and comforting Sausage Potato Soup is loaded with Italian sausage, golden baby potatoes, veggies, and a cheesy cream base.
Sausage potato soup in a bowl, hearty, savory, and delicious ready to eat.
Print Recipe

Sausage Potato Soup

Sausage potato soup in a bowl, hearty, savory, and delicious ready to eat.
5 from 61 votes
Cheesy, creamy, and comforting Sausage Potato Soup is loaded with Italian sausage, golden baby potatoes, veggies, and a cheesy cream base.
Course Dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword sausage potato soup
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 6 -8 servings
Chelsea Lords
Calories 945kcal
Cost $5.81

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Italian sausage hot or mild
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 ¼ cups mirepoix: 3/4 cup diced carrots, 3/4 cup diced celery, 3/4 cup diced yellow onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups chopped baby gold potatoes
  • 1 teaspoon EACH: dried basil, dried parsley flakes
  • 4 cups chicken stock (or chicken broth)
  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups 1% milk
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 cups freshly grated Colby Jack or extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup sour cream (fat free is great)

Instructions

  • SAUSAGE: Line a large plate with paper towels and set aside. Heat a very large pot (I recommend cast iron), over medium-high heat. Once hot, add in the sausage. Let stand without touching for 30 seconds to a minute to develop a sear. Then stir and chop the meat until you have sausage crumbles. Transfer to the prepared plate and drain off any grease except for 1 tablespoon. If there is no grease, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot.
  • VEGGIES: In the same pot, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the diced carrots, celery and onion and sauté 5-7 minutes or until tender (if not diced small, you may need 7-10 minutes). Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds more.
  • POTATOES AND SEASONING: Stir in the chopped potatoes, dried basil, dried parsley, salt and pepper to taste. (I add 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and ½ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper, but add to preference and don't forget to taste and adjust at the end!) Stir. Add in chicken stock or broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium, cover with lid and cook 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender (easily pierced with a fork).
  • CREAM SAUCE: Meanwhile, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. While whisking vigorously, slowly pour in milk and whisk until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to gently boil and thicken; stir in the heavy cream.
  • FINISHING: Remove sauce from heat and once all soup veggies are tender, pour the milk/cream mixture into the soup and stir. Lower heat to low and stir in the shredded cheese. Heat until cheese is melted. Stir in sour cream, return the sausage into the soup and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm with freshly chopped parsley or thyme and some warm bread!

Video

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8servings | Calories: 945kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 61g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 159mg | Sodium: 1173mg | Potassium: 1321mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 1298IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 496mg | Iron: 4mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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Recipe Rating




144 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I tried this recipe out last night and it was delicious, my in-laws couldn’t stop raving about it! The hot italian sausage gives it such a good flavor. The only thing I would do differently in the future would be to add a bit more vegetables and a little less milk. Thank you for a great recipe!

    1. So happy to hear it was a hit 🙂 And glad you liked the hot italian sausage in it! Both sound like great changes for the future. Thanks Shannon!

  2. 5 stars
    My husband and I loved this soup! I made the recipe as directed, but also added some frozen broccoli and cauliflower when the potatoes were almost done before adding the cream sauce. Love your recipes, Chelsea! Your site is my go-to for new recipes.

    1. Yay!! So happy to hear you both enjoyed the soup 🙂 The broccoli and cauliflower addition sounds delicious! And thank you so much for saying that, it makes my day! Hope you love whatever you try next <3

  3. We are going to try this tonight! Question: near the top of the printable recipe card it says 4-6 servings; but the nutrition information below that says 8 servings. Which is correct? Both say 533 calories per serving. Thanks!

    1. Hope you loved it! And sorry about that Gretchen! It’s 6-8 servings; it’s a very filling soup 🙂

      1. That soup was amazing! The whole family loved it. We will definitely make it again! Made it exactly as written.

  4. It calls for two cloves of garlic minced in the ingredients list but I can’t find where it goes in on the recipe

  5. 5 stars
    I could be blind as a bat, but I don’t see anywhere in your recipe, when you add the sausage back? After boiling the potatoes or with? Thanks 🙂

  6. 5 stars
    My family and I loved this delicious soup! So full of flavor! It was a big hit, and I’ll definitely make it again. I look forward to trying other recipes of yours. Thanks for a great addition to our meal rotation.

  7. 5 stars
    I made this vegan style and it was a hit! Still full of flavor and had great consistency! Thank you for sharing this recipe, it’s a keeper!

    1. YAYY!! I’m soo happy it turned out delicious! I’d love to hear the subs you made! 🙂 Thanks for your comment!

    2. How did you make this vegan? Did you use almond milk or coconut cream? I want to do that but I’m not sure how much to add

      1. I made it vegan and added Ripple milk (as to coffee, cereal, oatmeal, sauces). Just add more flour to make the soup thicker since you’re not adding heavy cream. I added grilled burger “meat” and some Italian sausage. Instead of cheese, I added kale and we are garlic people so added more of that and all veggies, too.

  8. 5 stars
    This recipe was very delicious! I followed it pretty closely, but changed a few things based on some of my previous experience making potato soups. I added more carrots, potatoes, onions and celery than called for, which ended up in a bit more broth. I added some cayenne, chili flakes, hot sauce and thyme, as well as some fresh parsley and basil as well as the dried. I did not use any heavy cream or sour cream. Instead I used about 3.5 cups of 1% milk. When making the roux, I added the cheese once the milk/flour/butter mixture was thickened, so it made a creamy cheese sauce roux. I let it simmer on the stove for about 20 minutes once the sausage and roux were in the soup. Turned out delicious. Thank you!

      1. If I make the soup Saras way omitting the heavy cream & sour cream, then could it be frozen?
        Will all soups containing dairy become grainy when thawed?

        1. I’ve never successfully frozen a dairy-filled soup; it always turns gritty or just a little “off” when thawed. I also think that soups with a lot of cooked veggies when frozen and thawed aren’t ever as good either.

    1. I’m going to make it your way! Your ideas will easily cut the fat by 1/2.
      I hope it’ll still taste great.

  9. 5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! Didn’t change a thing. Even my husband who always gripes about soup “not being a meal” LOVED IT! Thank you!

  10. 5 stars
    Made this tonight and it was fabulous! Had to guess when to add the sausage back in (should’ve read the comments, lol), but suspect it’s not that critical. Will definitely tag this as a keeper!

    1. So happy it was a hit! Thanks for the comment John; I previously updated the recipe to show when the sausage is added back in 🙂

  11. 5 stars
    Delicious and a new family favorite! My husband was intrigued and commented throughout the process “you sure are going to a lot of trouble for a Monday”…”smells like a holiday meal”…”this is a 5 star meal!”…definitely making this again.

  12. 5 stars
    So delicious! I like it less chunky so I immersions blended half of the veggies. Also used venison, jalapeño cheddar sausage and it’s so delicious!

  13. 5 stars
    We made this last night because we had all the stuff or good substitutions. Used whole milk and evaporated milk instead of heavy cream since it was all we had. Added broccoli that needed to be used up.

    It is heavenly!!! Even better for lunch today! Thanks for the recipe. Found it on pinterest but will follow your site now.????

    1. YAYY!! I’m soo happy to hear you loved this so much! Thanks for taking the time to comment! 🙂

  14. 5 stars
    I have just finished making this and having tasted it I have to say “wow!” Thank you. I was searching for a recipe to use up ingredients I had in my fridge. The key ingredient I didn’t have was sausage mince – but I did have actual sausages in my freezer, so I cooked them whole as the first step, then browned the mirepoix in the oil from the sausages and a dab of butter. I let the sausages cool a bit while this was sautéing, then cut them up into small pieces and mixed them back in. Wonderful smokey flavour to the soup. I’m looking forward to having it for dinner tonight. I bought some crusty bread to go with it but I don’t think I will be able to eat a bite of that – the soup tastes rich enough that I think a side will be a bridge too far for me!

    1. Yum! the way you described that, I’m seriously drooling! I’m so happy you loved it so much! Thanks for your comment! 🙂

  15. 5 stars
    I don’t normally write reviews but this soup was out of this world. Thank you soo much for a great recipe to add to my list.

    1. I’m so glad you took the time to write this review! And so glad you loved it! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂

  16. Oh man, this soup is absolutely delicious. I have made it numerous times. This is my husband’s favorite recipe for soup. If you haven’t tried it yet, it’s definitely a must !! This is what’s for dinner tonight !! Thank you for sharing Chelsea

    1. Glad you enjoyed it! Unfortunately, this soup doesn’t freeze very well because of all the dairy in it; it will separate and become grainy.

      1. I never knew that. I want to be a good cook so I’ll make a note NOT to freeze soups with dairy.
        Thank you

  17. 5 stars
    Made this last night and it was really really good!!!My butcher was out of Italian sausage so used there house made chorizo sausage and added some broccoli cause I had some and white cheddar.Winner Winner..Thank you so much!!!

  18. 5 stars
    I made this tonight with a minor changes based on what I had. I had red potatoes that I needed to use up, mild cheddar and sweet Italian sausage. I love the results! This is definitely on the make again list and I can tell it would be even better with sharp cheddar.

    1. So happy you were able to make it work with what you had 🙂 Thanks so much for the comment and review!

  19. 5 stars
    I made four piece of bacon and put the Cheese and bacon at the end. It was absolutely fantastic one of the best recipes of made in awhile.

  20. 5 stars
    Hi Chelsea!
    This is one of my FAVORITE soup recipes! Seriously, so delicious. I wanted to make this for a vegetarian friend.. so do you think I could use Beyond Meat for this recipe?

    1. Yay!! So thrilled to hear that! 🙂 Thank you Tracy! I haven’t actually ever tried beyond meat, so I’m not really not sure what it tastes like, but I do think this soup is very forgiving so it should work. Wish I could be of more help!

  21. 5 stars
    Your sense of quality and style not only goes with the recipes but with your excellent use of the camera! Appreciate your hard work 😉

  22. 5 stars
    Oh my GOODNESS! This was so good on a rainy cold night. I made it as you prescribed and it is amazing! Thank you.

  23. 5 stars
    Ive made this a few times now, ive used less dairy and lactose free for my son and husband but we love love love it. My toddler cant get enough of it

    1. So glad you enjoyed it! Unfortunately with all the dairy in this soup it’s not a great candidate for freezing (it turns grainy)

  24. 5 stars
    This soup is delicious! Easy to make as I had all ingredients at my fingertips ready to go. I did not have 1% milk so I used whole milk and the consistency is fine for my family. Pair with a multigrain baguette. Yum!

  25. 5 stars
    VERY tasty soup! I had 2 russet potatoes on hand so used them. They were fully cooked (almost over done) after 15 minutes. I needed a little more stock and had an open container of beef stock, so I threw some of that in & it was awesome! I would make it again.

  26. Thank you for providing this recipe. I made it for Mother’s Day and my wife and kids loved it. I used deer sausage because we have alot of it. My wife asked me to make it again. I’ll use the Italian for the next time.
    God Bless

  27. Just finished making this soup..it is delicious! I did use spicy Italian Sausage. I also put more potatoes in… nice and thick for a Fall day. Thanks!

    1. I don’t think it makes a whole lot of sense to make in the slow cooker since the sausage still needs to be browned and the thickening sauce needs to be made separately on the stovetop so the crockpot would be adding another dish into the mix instead of simplifying things! I also don’t know if it would thicken properly. That said, I personally haven’t tested it in a crockpot, so if you give it a go, I’d love to hear your results!

  28. 5 stars
    So good!! Used final crop of celery from our garden and new potatoes from my brother’s garden. Spicy sausage have it a little kick. Thank you for sharing!

  29. 5 stars
    I rarely take the time to write reviews but this soup is the best ever! I have a 28 year old son that’s into the “textures of food” all of a sudden. I’ve made several soups as of late and all were bombs! Matthew said “mom, this was a triumph in the kitcen. Enough said.

    ‘s

  30. 5 stars
    I made this last night and my husband and daughter love it, it was scrumptious. For the roux, I use potato starch. I omitted the cheese and heavy cream. I also use chicken apple sausage Adelle from Costco instead of Italian sausage which I didn’t have it in hand. Added 2 leaves of bayleaves & 1 can of corn and just half of the potato it’s called for. It was delicious, even better the next day. I made sourdough bread to go with it! Yummy. Thank you Chelsea!

  31. 5 stars
    This is the best soup I’ve made-ever! I added spinach and followed the recipe for all directions. Served it with toast. So good. By the way, I’ve been cooking for more than 50 years. Best soup in all these years.

    1. Sorry I don’t have final serving sizes measured into cups. (To get an exact quantity for nutrition facts, you’ll want to divide the soup into 6 equal parts and each part is 1 serving)

  32. Fantastic soup. My wife and I loved it. We used impossible sausage to cut down on the fat, but it did not make a difference…….left overs for a couple more meals!

  33. 5 stars
    Tried this recipe and my whole family absolutely loves it! My kids say that, “it’s a keeper!” I followed the recipe exactly. Is delicious as is.

  34. 5 stars
    I made this tonight and it was a huge hit across three generations and different taste buds! Is it possible to freeze the non-cream portion of it for ease of making during the winter?

  35. While the basic recipe is good, why are you adding butter, cream, and cheese!
    Like the Italian sausage isn’t fatty enough? I was just wanting to find a recipe using Italian sausage because my husband requested it. I just smushed up some of the potatoes to thicken it and added milk as needed. No cream or cheese needs to be involved unless you’re trying to gain weight and clog your arteries! Also used basil and Italian seasoning instead of dried parsley.

  36. This looks amazing! Can it be made without the cheese? (Yes, I’m a weirdo that doesn’t like cheese, I know!) 🙂

    1. Yes! You can leave out the cheese. You’ll likely need some extra seasonings to make up for the flavor difference and it will be a bit less thick!

  37. I made this exactly as directed. I felt it was too thick & needed more flavor so I added more stock and 1/2 c Parmesan cheese (+/- to taste) Huge difference! . I’ll also use Sharp cheddar vs Colby next time. Turned out really good.

  38. 5 stars
    Made it more chunky, used sausage links. Cut them into 1/2 inch pieces. Also chunked the potatoes and parboiled them to ensure softness. I happen to like chunky soups.

  39. 5 stars
    This is my absolute favorite soup of all time. I make it a few times every fall/winter and it’s a staple for my husband and I. Thanks for creating such a delicious soup!!

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