Kielbasa Potato Soup
Creamy, cheesy kielbasa potato soup with browned smoked sausage, tender potatoes and carrots, finished with milk and cheddar. One pot, no flour, about 50 minutes.
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 13 to 14 ounces fully cooked smoked kielbasa sliced into ¼ inch rounds
- 1 medium onion diced
- 6 medium yellow potatoes such as Yukon gold, peeled and cut into ¾ inch cubes (about 2 pounds)
- 1 rib celery finely diced
- 1 medium carrot finely diced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded from a block, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley chopped, plus more for serving
- parmesan shavings optional, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the kielbasa and brown it for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring now and then. Move it to a paper towel lined plate and pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of the fat.
- Lower the heat to medium, add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes until soft.
- Add the potatoes, celery, carrot, chicken broth, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Turn the heat to low. Stir in the milk and the browned kielbasa and warm for 2 to 3 minutes. Do not let the soup boil once the milk is in.
- Stir in the cheddar a handful at a time until melted, then add the parsley. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Serve topped with extra cheddar, parmesan shavings and parsley.
Notes
Thicker or thinner: press a few potato cubes against the side of the pot before adding the milk for a thicker soup, or add up to ½ cup more broth or milk to thin it.
Richer version: use half and half or heavy cream instead of milk.
Storage: refrigerate up to 4 days. To freeze, freeze before adding the milk and cheese, up to 3 months.