Creamy Sausage Potato Soup (Dairy-free!)
What’s Inside: This creamy sausage potato soup is ready in 30 minutes or less and is deceptively decadent for being dairy-free, Paleo, Whole30, and AIP-friendly. It’s a reader favorite!
Cozy Up with This Paleo Sausage and Potato Soup
Winter is soup season but truth be told, I’ll eat soup any time of year because of how nourishing it is! And this creamy sausage potato soup is the definition of nourishing comfort food, but better than what you may have grown up eating because it’s dairy-free, Paleo, and AIP-compliant. So you can actually enjoy it and feel great, too.
This soup is built on a foundation of flavors, starting with the crispy and salty mild Italian sausage, the dried seasonings, and the savory, yet subtly sweet, sautéed veggies. They all meld together once you add the bone broth and let it simmer for 20 minutes or so. Then finish it off with the dairy-free cream sauce. Perfection!
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This is delicious enough on its own but if you’d like to dip something in it, try serving it with some grain-free biscuits or my easy Cloud bread recipe!
Key Ingredients for Creamy Sausage Potato Soup
In addition to being crazy good, this soup is crazy good for you and packed with lots of nutritious ingredients.
For the soup, you’ll need:
- Sausage: I like ground mild Italian sausage because of the flavors blended into the meat when it’s processed. See my tips below for AIP considerations.
- Healthy Fats: In total, you’ll need 2 tablespoons (divided) of ghee, or duck fat or tallow for AIP, and 1 tablespoon olive oil to sauté your sausage and veggies.
- Fresh Vegetables: This is a creamy sausage potato soup recipe, but it’s also packed with veggies. You’ll need 2 medium carrots, 2 medium stalks of celery, 1 small onion, 2 garlic cloves, and 4 gold potatoes (or rutabaga or sweet potato for strict Paleo and AIP diets) — all diced.
- Dry Seasonings: Even though the sausage is flavored with Italian seasonings, take it up a notch with some dried basil, dried parsley, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper (omit if AIP). 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Broth or Stock: The liquid component of this soup is 4 cups of bone broth or your preferred broth. Chicken or veggie is best, and homemade is preferred if you have it in stock.
- Freshly Chopped Parsley: For garnish if desired.
For the dairy-free cream sauce, you’ll need: 1 white sweet potato, peeled and chopped, 3-4 cups filtered water, divided, and 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut yogurt or canned coconut cream. The sauce gets its creaminess from the coconut yogurt/cream, of course, but also the boiled potato. It’s starchy and velvety smooth, and creates the creaminess in this broth-based soup!
Nutritional Therapy Practitioner Tip: Using bone broth provides a deep, delicious flavor and is packed with gut-healing amino acids like glutamine, soothing and sealing the gut lining. It will also aid in the digestion of the protein (sausage) in the soup! Win-win-win.
Is Italian Sausage AIP-friendly?
The key to finding an Italian sausage that is AIP-compliant is to avoid any seasoned meat processed with nightshades.
Nightshades can be problematic for many people due to their lectin, saponin, and capsaicin content. So if you notice a reaction to certain spices or nightshade vegetables like tomatoes, eggplant, and potatoes, it might be worth an experiment to eliminate for a while and see how that feels.
If you’re concerned with finding AIP-friendly Italian sausage at your grocery store, you could always make your own Italian sausage by mixing the following ingredients:
- 1 pound ground pork (or you can sub another ground meat, but I recommend pork for flavor and fat content)
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
It’s so easy to toss together and the flavors will be spot on!
How To Make Creamy Sausage Potato Soup
- Cook the Sausage: Heat a stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. then add the Italian sausage. Stir and chop the meat until you have bite-sized sausage crumbles. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, and leave 1 tablespoon of grease in the pot. (If there is no grease, add 1 tablespoon olive oil.)
- Sauté Your Veggies: In the same pot with leftover sausage grease, melt 1 tablespoon of the ghee/fat. Add the diced carrots, celery, and onion. Sauté 5-7 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 30 seconds more, until fragrant.
- Cook the Potatoes (or potato sub): Stir in the chopped potatoes, dried basil, dried parsley, salt, and pepper to taste, and 1 more tablespoon of ghee/fat. Mix well, then pour in the broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat to medium, cover securely with lid, and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Make the Cream Sauce: While the soup cooks, boil the diced white sweet potato in 2 cups of water (or more to cover) until fork-tender, about 10-12 minutes. Drain, and add it to a blender with ⅔ cup of water and ¼ cup coconut yogurt. Blend until smooth. It should yield 2 cups. If it’s too clumpy and not blending, add more water as needed.
- Serve: Pour the cream sauce into the soup, and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low, and return the sausage into the soup, stirring and letting everything meld for a minute or so. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and garnish as you’d like with fresh chopped parsley. Serve, and enjoy!
Can I Make Sausage Potato Soup in the Instant Pot?
Absolutely! Just set your Instant Pot to SAUTE and follow the same steps for cooking your sausage, veggies, and spices, but do so in your pressure cooker’s insert. Then, after you’ve added the bone broth, cancel SAUTE mode, close the lid, and set the steam release knob to SEALING. Next, set the appliance to MANUAL (or Pressure Cook), and choose 5 minutes on HIGH PRESSURE. (This will take several minutes.)
After the cooking cycle ends, allow a 10 minute NPR (Natural Pressure Release) period. Then, do a controlled QUICK RELEASE for the rest of the steam. When the pin in the lid drops, open the lid. Then stir in the dairy-free cream sauce, serve, and enjoy!
How To Store, Freeze, and Reheat Paleo Sausage and Potato Soup
- To Store: Allow soup to cool completely, then ladle into an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- To Freeze: Place cooled soup in a freezer-safe, airtight container or plastic bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. If storing in a plastic bag, freeze flat if possible for easier storage.
- To Reheat: Allow frozen soup to thaw overnight, if possible. Bring chilled (or frozen) soup to a simmer in a pot over medium heat. Once warmed through, it’s ready to serve. You can also reheat it in the microwave for a couple of minutes, but do so in 1-minute intervals so the veggies aren’t overcooked. And if you need to add a bit more water that may have been absorbed in the potatoes, go for it!
More Recipes To Try
If you enjoyed this Creamy Sausage Potato Soup, then check out my other healthy soup recipes:
- Chicken Florentine Bone Broth Soup
- Coconut Curry Soup with Shrimp
- Instant Pot Paleo Chili
- Sesame Kabocha Squash Soup
- Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Video: Watch How To Make The Recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage (see section on AIP considerations)
- 2 tbsp ghee, divided (or duck fat or tallow for AIP)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 cup carrots diced small (approx. 2 medium carrots)
- 3/4 cup celery diced small (approx. 2 medium stalks)
- 3/4 cup yellow onion diced small (approx. 1 small onion)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 gold potatoes (use rutabaga or sweet potato for Paleo/AIP)
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 4 cups chicken or turkey bone broth or stock
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (omit for AIP)
- freshly chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Dairy-Free Cream Sauce
- 1 white sweet potato peeled and chopped
- 3-4 cups water divided
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut yogurt (or may sub canned coconut cream)
Instructions:
- SAUSAGE: Heat a stockpot or Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Once hot, add in the sausage. Stir and chop the meat until you have sausage crumbles. Transfer to a plate and leave 1 tablespoon of grease in the pot. If there is no grease, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot.
- VEGGIES: In the same pot with grease or olive oil, melt 1 tablespoon of the ghee/fat. Add the diced carrots, celery, and onion and sauté 5-7 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds more.
- POTATOES AND SEASONING: Stir in the chopped potatoes, dried basil, dried parsley, salt, and pepper to taste, and 1 more tablespoon of ghee/fat. Mix well, and add in the broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium, cover with lid and cook 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- CREAM SAUCE: Meanwhile, boil the diced white sweet potato in 2 cups of water (or more to cover) until fork-tender, approximately 10-12 minutes. Drain and add it to a blender with ⅔ cup of water to start, and ¼ cup coconut yogurt. Blend until well-combined and smooth, it should yield 2 cups, if it’s too clumpy and not blending, add more water as needed.
- Pour the cream sauce into the soup and stir. Reduce heat to low and return the sausage into the soup, stirring and letting everything meld for 30 seconds or so. Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish as you’d like with fresh chopped parsley, serving right away!
Notes:
If you are on the elimination phase of AIP, make sure there are no nightshades in your store-bought Italian sausage, or make your own following my instructions in the post. Also swap potatoes for rutabagas, sweet potatoes, or even turnips!
This recipe was made in partnership with Grass Roots Coop – As always, I only recommend and partner with brands I trust and use myself.
-Alison Marras
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
browse more recipes:
AIP Dairy-free Fall Gluten-free Grain-free Nut-free Paleo Pork Potatoes Soups Whole30 Winter
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51 comments
Delicious!!!
This was absolutely delicious! I used an orange sweet potato as that is what I had on hand so the color was different, but it almost made it seem more rustic. I will definitely make again. Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear that!
This soup is wonderful and like nothing I’ve made before. I cooked my veggies in a crock pot all day, added my cooked sausage towards the end and used a regular sweet potato and plain Greek yogurt in my broth mixture and it all turned out great! I will definitely use the boiled sweet potato/yogurt trick again to to thicken a soup.
Woohoo! So happy you enjoyed.
Can you use something else in place of the coconut in the cream sauce? I’d love to make this recipe but I’m severely allergic to coconut so I’d have to use something else in place of it and not any tree nuts either.
Check out my “cheese” sauce recipes, perhaps the sweet potato or cauliflower one would work out, and use a liquid you can tolerate for those.
https://foodbymars.com/best-dairy-free-cheese-sauces/
Looks delicious. Can’t wait to try this for fall.
It’s definitely a fave! Hope you enjoy it.
Wow! This is the first AIP soup recipe I’ve tried that actually turned out amazing! It took me about an hour from start to finish which I was happy with considering I’m not an expert in the kitchen! I will definitely be making again! 🙂
Oh my goodness! This soup was delicious. I was hesitant, I haven’t cooked with a lot of these ingredients before. The soup was flavorful and filling. My teenage daughter loved it too. Loved that it’s healthy and yummy!
woohhooo it’s a fave for sure!
This soup is really yummy. I love the white sweet potato puree as the “cream” – turned out great. What a genius idea!
Perfect – so happy you enjoyed it. love the white sweet potato as well!
Could you use dairy free cream cheese instead of the cream sauce?
I haven’t tried it! I like the sauce bc it mixes in and idk if the cream cheese would curdle.
Love this recipe! It’s so delicious and comforting. I did a combo of sweet potatoes and rutabaga and it did not disappoint. Can’t wait for the cool book!
This will definitely be a repeat in our house! My 7 year old said it was the best thing I’ve ever made. The potato and yogurt mixture really sets this apart.
Woot woot!! So happy you all enjoyed it, Kelsey!
I love this soup! And I love that there is no dairy in it at all. I adjusted a few things in the recipe and it still came out great! I have never tasted a soup like this. The cream mixture that you mix into the rest of the soup at the end set this soup off perfectly. Such a tasty soup…and my 6 year old loved it! I will be making this again.
I so agree, it’s been a hit in my house and I’m so happy you’re loving it too with your 6 yr old!
I love this hearty and comforting soup!
thanks so much!! happy you like it.
Such a hearty and filling soup! So tasty too!
My friends came to dinner and I made them this soup, it was a big hit!
Holy Moly! This is perfect for a chilly night.
How Creamy and delicious is this soup recipe. Perfect for weather here. Thanks for sharing
This turned out great! Made the AIP version and even my husband and son loved it!
awesome, I’m so glad it was a crowd pleaser!
Looks really yummy! I’ll definitely try this recipe as soon as the weather gets cooler!
What a beautiful soup. Looks warming and comforting and full of seasonal flavors. That dairy-free sauce sounds amazing too. I have to give this a try. Thanks!
Made this with rutabaga and it’s still SO delicious and comforting!
What delicious comfort food. Such a warming bowl and perfect for winter.
WHat a flavorful and comforting soup recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.
So easy and delicious. I’m telling you, I was a little skeptical putting it together because it was a veggie broth with just dried basil and parsley but actually I feel like that was exactly what it needed to elevate the sausage and potato. What a great dish. My two girls, 3 and 6 DEVOURED. I make soups all the time and they can be hit or miss. This was definitely a hit and will be a return in this kitchen. Thank you for the recipe!
I’m so stoked to hear you and your kiddos loved it, Cristal! Thank you so much for sharing. Enjoy it!
So good! Used a regular sweet potato since I couldn’t find a white one.
Delish! Glad you enjoyed it, Tara!
Love that an option is to use coconut cream because that’s my fave to use for cooking and I know adds so much creaminess and deliciousness! Yummy!
What a hearty and comforting soup. I can’t wait to give it a try.
My family couldn’t get enough of this soup. They kept asking for seconds.
YAY That’s what I love to hear, thanks so much! Glad everyone enjoyed it.
This is such an amazingly comforting meal!! So yummy!
thank you so much!! I have to agree!
Such a hearty and comforting soup. The whole family loved it.
that makes me so happy, Beth – thanks for sharing! xx
This creamy sausage potato soup was so easy to make and delish that I packed some for my lunch today and got a few interesting looks, so I passed on your link to them!
YUM – so happy to hear it. Perfect for meal prep and leftovers!
This soup is so comforting and perfect for the weather at this time of year. On my list to make this week.
My husband kept raving about this soup! Safe to say we’ll be making it again soon.