Sage Sausage Potato Soup
A brothy, kid-approved potato soup with sage sausage, tender veggies and just a splash of milk. It's lighter than a cream soup on purpose, so it pairs perfectly with our cheesy Pizzeria Cheddar Garlic Sourdough Focaccia.
Ingredients
1 lb sage breakfast sausage
1 medium-large yellow onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
3 rounded tbsp all-purpose flour
1 scant tbsp beef bouillon paste
5 cups warm water
About 1¾ lb russet potatoes (5 small to medium), peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
1 cup milk
1½ tsp lemon juice
Salt, to taste
Sour cream, for serving (optional)
Steps
Brown the sausage in a large pot over medium heat, breaking it up as it cooks. Don't drain it; the fat is what you'll cook the flour in.
Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook 6 to 8 minutes, until the onion turns translucent. Stir in the garlic for the last minute.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, until there's no dry flour left. If your sausage was lean and the pot looks dry, add a tablespoon of butter first so the flour doesn't clump.
Stir in the bouillon paste. Add the warm water about a cup at a time, stirring each addition smooth before adding the next.
Add the potatoes and simmer gently, partly covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until a fork slides through. Some of the smaller pieces will break down and naturally thicken the soup.
Turn the heat to low and stir in the milk. Don't let it boil from here on. Taste before adding salt, since the sausage and bouillon bring plenty. You probably won't need pepper either.
Right before serving, stir in the lemon juice. It shouldn't taste lemony, just brighter. Top bowls with a dollop of sour cream if you like.
Michael's notes
Our 4-year-old kept telling us how much she liked this one. Not sure about the lemon? Test a couple drops in a spoonful on the side first. Russets are the way to go here, since their starch gives the broth body without any cream.