A savoury and hearty chowder which satisfies the cold weather hunger, Italian Sausage and Potato Chowder is flavourful and filling; you’re going to love this recipe! Crumbled bacon or shredded cheddar cheese on top (or both!) is a great way to serve this dish!
A few weeks back, my favourite grocery store had a sale on Italian sausages. It was those big family-size packs and even though I’m the only meat eater in our home, I couldn’t resist buying two packages. When I got home, my immediate thought was, “What the hell am I going to do with all of this sausage?” Italian Sausage and Potato Chowder – a delicious, satisfying, hearty chowder – was the answer.
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SOUP RECIPES ON PINTEREST
I’d like to take full credit for this recipe, but the idea wasn’t mine to claim. I spend countless hours scrolling through my Pinterest feed whenever I’m bored, and I remember seeing it there and when I thought about making the recipe, I couldn’t find it. That’ll teach me to pin a recipe to my board when I see it!
Anyway, because I love to make soup, and because I’ve been making soups long enough to know what works and what doesn’t, I was able to create this version of the original recipe I saw on Pinterest. And, I couldn’t be more satisfied with the result.
THIS RECIPE MAKES A LOT OF SOUP – ENOUGH TO SHARE!
Again, back to that sausage – it was a lot of sausage for one person. So, as I normally do, I was able to package up enough soup to provide a meal or two to some of my favourite neighbours in our building.
I took two portions upstairs to Jack and Shirley, and two portions down the hall for our favourite cat aunties, Louise and Donna. The rest, I placed in the freezer and reheated a week later. It was still just as delicious as the day it was made!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE
The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.
- Italian Sausage – I love the flavour of Italian sausage, but you can use a milder sausage if you wish. The casing is removed and discarded, so you could use ground sausage meat too.
- Onion – I use yellow, white, and sweet onions interchangeably. Either of them will do just fine.
- Olive Oil – I always use extra virgin light olive oil so that the flavour is muted. Olive oil has a high heat tolerance, so it’s perfect for sautéing.
- Salt and Ground Black Pepper
- Stock – You can use vegetable stock here or any meat-flavoured stock. I used chicken stock. Whatever flavour you choose, use low-sodium stock otherwise you might end up with a chowder too salty to eat. You can always season with more salt at the end if needed.
- Baby Potatoes – I love using these potatoes. They cook up quickly and I like to leave the skin on. You can use regular potatoes too. Just chop them into roughly one-inch cubes.
- Cream – I use 35% whipping cream, but any full-fat cream or whole milk will be fine.
- Thyme – Fresh thyme leaves are the best option.
- Rosemary – Use a sprig of fresh rosemary too if possible.
HOW TO MAKE ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND POTATO CHOWDER
In a large, heavy-bottomed stock pot, over medium heat, add the olive oil, the sausage, and the onion. Saute, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pot and transfer it to a paper-towel-lined colander. You will want to drain the grease well.
Add the stock, potatoes, rosemary, and thyme to the pot. Bring to a low boil. Boil until the potatoes are just done -about 25 minutes. Remove the thyme and rosemary sprigs. Add the sausage and onion mixture back to the pot. Add the heavy cream and stir well to combine.
Bring the soup back to a low boil. Once the soup begins to bubble slightly, turn off the heat and place a lid on the pot. Allow the soup to sit for 5 minutes. Remove the lid. Stir about a teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves and serve immediately. Grated cheddar cheese is a great topping for this soup!
MILD OR SPICY SAUSAGE?
When you make this recipe, you have a choice when it comes to choosing the sausage that will work best for you. I choose a mild Italian Sausage because even though I do like a little bit of spice, I really wanted the flavours of the sausage and the fresh herbs to be the stars of the chowder.
If you prefer a spicier chowder, feel free to use the hot Italian Sausage. You also have the choice of peeling your potatoes or not. I left the peel on for my particular version. I felt that it added to the rustic appeal that is, in itself, the essence of a good chowder.
USE THE POTATOES YOU LIKE THE MOST – PEELED OR NOT!
I also used the mini/baby potatoes. Again, that’s completely optional. You can use regular white or yellow flesh potatoes and just chop them into about one-and-a-half-inch chunks. Try to keep your potatoes all the same size so that they cook in the same amount of time.
Lastly, Dear Reader, in terms of this recipe, I beg of you to please use fresh herbs. It really does make a difference and because the other ingredients in this recipe are so inexpensive, you should splurge a little and go for the fresh thyme and fresh rosemary. You’ll thank me later!
WHAT IS CHOWDER WITHOUT A LITTLE BIT OF CHEESE?
When serving this chowder, add a little grated cheddar cheese – it’s simple, but adds to the richness of the dish. After all, potatoes and sausages love cheese!
As for bread or crackers, which seems to be the norm with soups, stews, and chowders, it’s really not needed. This chowder has everything you need in one bowl to satisfy your hunger and fill your belly – enjoy!
QUESTIONS?
If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!
Do You Like This Recipe?
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Italian Sausage and Potato Chowder
Ingredients
- 8 whole Italian sausage links, casings removed
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 pounds baby potatoes, halved
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- In a large, heavy-bottomed stock pot, over medium heat, add the olive oil, the sausage, and the onion. Saute, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pot and transfer to a paper-towel lined colander. You will want to drain the grease well.
- Add the chicken stock, potatoes, rosemary, and thyme to the pot. Bring to a low boil. Boil until the potatoes are just done -about 25 minutes.
- Remove the thyme and rosemary sprigs.
- Add the sausage and onion mixture back to the pot. Add the heavy cream and stir well to combine.
- Bring the soup back to a low boil. Once the soup begins to bubble slightly, turn off the heat and place a lid on the pot. Allow the soup to sit for 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid. Stir about a teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves and serve immediately.
- Grated cheddar cheese is a great topping for this soup!
Nutrition
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Anne says
This soup looks so hearty delicious! Perfect for a cold winter day!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Anne. 🙂
Jessa says
Thank you for this beautiful recipe!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
You’re most welcome. 🙂
Patti L. says
Haven’t made this yet…but my “brain taster” says it’s 5 star good!
Another idea to play with is my own sausage soup. It’s very similar to your recipe as shown! I like to sage season ground sausage for country gravy ( & biscuits). Small sausage meatballs / small potatoes, onion and celery, maybe frozen petite peas. Rosemary and thyme , etc! Soup time….my favorite season! Thank you!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Patti, that sounds delicious! I think we’d have a great time cooking and eating together! 🙂
Tia says
My uncle told me about an Italian chowder sausage that his late wife used to make for me. He described it from memories of her cooking it on cold hunting days. He never paid attention to the cooking of it only of the satisfaction in the eating. I went online and found your recipe and cooked it up for him. I used sweet Italian sausage and fresh herbs. I am not a sausage eater normally but this recipe was PERFECTION. I brought joy to my Uncle and will be making this again soon. Thank you for this one!!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Aw, that’s so nice. Thank you, Tia! 🙂