Description

A forgiving, creamy, and comforting slow cooker soup made with Italian sausage, Yukon Gold potatoes, and aromatics. It requires minimal prep, delivers rich flavor without heavy lifting, and is perfect for cold evenings.

Ingredients

Scale

1 lb mild Italian sausage (removed from casings)
2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 large onion (finely diced)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage, broken into chunks, and cook until browned and cooked through. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon, leaving about a tablespoon of rendered fat in the pan.
In the same skillet, add the diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the diced potatoes, browned sausage, sautéed onions, chicken broth, dried thyme, and bay leaf to a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir to combine and ensure potatoes are submerged.
Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours (or High for 3-4 hours if short on time).
Check for doneness; potatoes should be fork-tender. Remove the bay leaf. Partially mash some of the potatoes with a masher or immersion blender to thicken the soup naturally.
Stir in the heavy cream and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Cook on High for 15 more minutes to heat through the cream.
Serve hot, optionally topped with chives, bacon, or cheese.

Notes

For best flavor, brown the sausage and sauté the onions before adding to the slow cooker. Do not boil the soup after adding cream to prevent curdling. If the soup is too thin, mash more potatoes or use a cornstarch slurry. If too salty, add a raw potato to absorb excess salt. Freeze without cream for best results.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6-8 hours
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl
Calories: 450
Sugar: 4
Sodium: 900
Fat: 25
Saturated Fat: 10
Carbohydrates: 40
Fiber: 3
Protein: 20

Keywords: slow cooker soup, crockpot recipe, sausage potato soup, fall recipes, comfort food, easy dinner, creamy soup, one pot meal