Description
This Kielbasa Potato Soup is a hearty and comforting dish perfect for chilly days. It features savory browned kielbasa sausage, tender yellow potatoes, sweet corn, and a creamy broth made with chicken stock and 2% milk. Finished with sharp cheddar cheese and a touch of seasoning, this soup offers rich flavors and satisfying textures with every spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Oil
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound Kielbasa Sausage
Vegetables and Seasonings
- 1 Tablespoon onion powder
- 1 cup carrots (diced)
- 1 cup celery (diced)
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 cups yellow potatoes (peeled and diced)
- 1 can corn (drained)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Liquids
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups 2% milk
Thickener and Cheese
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Prepare Vegetables: Peel and dice the carrots, celery, and yellow potatoes to ready them for cooking.
- Slice Sausage: Slice the kielbasa sausage in half lengthwise then cut into ½ inch pieces to ensure even cooking and bite-sized pieces.
- Heat Oil: Warm the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large stock pot over medium-high heat until hot.
- Brown Sausage: Add the sausage pieces to the hot oil and stir to coat. Brown them thoroughly, adding extra olive oil if needed to prevent sticking.
- Set Sausage Aside: Once browned, remove the sausage from the pot and set aside, leaving the oil and drippings in the pan for added flavor.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add the diced carrots, celery, and onion powder to the pot. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables soften.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds to one minute until fragrant.
- Add Flour: Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. Cook for one minute to remove the raw flour taste.
- Incorporate Broth: Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking continuously to prevent lumps and to scrape up any browned bits for extra flavor.
- Combine Ingredients: Return the sausage to the pot and add the diced potatoes, drained corn, milk, salt, and black pepper. Stir everything together.
- Simmer Soup: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover with a lid left slightly vented. Cook for 10-12 minutes until potatoes are tender.
- Add Cheese: Remove the pot from heat and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted and fully combined.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with minced parsley, extra shredded cheese, and fresh ground black pepper as desired.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, use smoked kielbasa if available.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, reduce broth by one cup or add an extra tablespoon of flour during the sauté step.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat well on the stovetop.
- To make this soup gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
- Adding a pinch of smoked paprika or cayenne pepper can enhance the flavor with a subtle spicy kick.
