This Italian sausage chowder actually came to be because I made a mistake on a dinner I was making. I was making what was supposed to be a skillet meal and I added too much bone broth so it turned out to be a stew. Quite a happy accident because it was DELICIOUS! This will be permanently fixed into my fall and winter meal rotation.
There is a fair amount of chopping but it makes a big batch and the flavor is unreal, so it’s worth it!
Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredients for Italian Sausage Chowder
- Italian sausage – any kind will work, just make sure it’s flavorful! We make our own and I only add salt to this recipe. If your sausage isn’t very flavorful, you may need to add more seasonings.
- Onion – any color will work, I used yellow.
- Bell pepper – any color will work! I like to use yellow, red, or orange.
- Garlic – fresh minced is best
- Potatoes – any type will work, I just like the tenderness of golden potatoes. You can use gold or red without peeling too which would save time! If you use russet, I recommend peeling.
- Carrots – listed as optional because it’s good with or without them!
- Kale – also optional because it’s great without it! You could also use some spinach for some green too.
- Bone broth – any kind will work! I make my own, here’s that recipe if you want to try it.
- Parmesan cheese – I prefer to get a block from Costco and shred it myself. Pre-shredded parmesan might not melt as well because of the extra ingredients in it.
- Heavy cream – no substitutes here! You need the creamy goodness!
- Salt – The most important ingredient in your kitchen! Make sure you have a high quality salt that actually has minerals. My favorite is Redmond Real Salt, use code HAPPYHOME to save some money!
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet or dutch oven (6qt+) over medium high heat for a few minutes.
- Add in the Italian sausage and break the meat into crumbles as it cooks.
- While the sausage is cooking, prepare the garlic, onion, and bell peppers and add to the meat mixture.
- Drain the grease from the sausage, if necessary.
- Peel and dice the potatoes and carrots into ¼”-½” pieces.
- Once the meat is fully browned, add the potatoes, carrots, salt, and bone broth to the pan.
- Adjust heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and let cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost done, stirring occasionally.
- In the last minutes of the potatoes simmering, add the kale.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the heavy cream. Mix well.
- Add the parmesan cheese and stir.
- Taste test!! I don’t need to add any seasonings because my Italian sausage recipe is so flavorful. If the sausage you chose needs some more flavor, add ½ tsp of Italian seasoning (and ½ tsp of red pepper flakes) until it’s delicious!
- Enjoy!
Tools
This one doesn’t require many fancy tools! A good knife, cutting board, and a heavy bottomed pan is all you need! I like to use my 6qt dutch oven.
Variations of Italian Sausage Chowder
- The carrots are listed as optional because I’ve made it without them and it’s still amazing. I just like the color and having additional vegetables.
- The kale is listed as optional because I’ve made it without it and it’s still delicious.
- Instead of kale, you could use spinach.
Chowder Toppings
- If you want more parmesan, add some before serving!
- Garnish with some parsley flakes (fresh or dried).
Storing and Reheating Italian Sausage Chowder
Store in an airtight container for 5-7 days in the fridge. Reheat on the stove or microwave and enjoy!
You can freeze this soup. As with any recipe that has heavy cream, you do run the risk of the cream separating. Just make sure when you reheat it after freezing, you do it slowly. It will still taste the same, even if the cream does separate!
Italian Sausage Chowder (Better Than Zuppa Toscana)
Try this delicious Italian sausage chowder that turned a cooking mistake into a delightful meal perfect for fall and winter.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs italian sausage a hot variety
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 large bell pepper diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb gold potatoes peeled & diced into bite size pieces
- 2 large carrots diced (optional)
- 3 c kale chopped (optional)
- 3-4 c bone broth* see notes
- 1 c parmesan cheese grated
- 1 c heavy cream
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp italian seasoning only add if needed, see notes*
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes only add if needed, see notes*
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet or dutch oven (6qt+) over medium high heat for a few minutes.
- Add in the italian sausage and break into crumbles as it cooks.
- While the sausage is cooking, prepare the garlic, onion, and bell peppers and add to the meat mixture.
- Drain the grease from the sausage, if necessary.
- Peel and dice the potatoes and carrots.
- Once the meat is fully browned, add the potatoes, carrots, salt, and bone broth to the pan.
- Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, cover and let cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost done, stirring occasionally.
- In the last minutes of the potatoes simmering, add the kale.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the parmesan cheese and stir.
- Add the heavy cream. Mix well.
- Taste test!! See notes below.
Notes
Broth: Use 3 cups for a thicker consistency, 4 cups for a soup consistency. This will also vary a bit depending on what vegetables you included. Just make sure you have enough liquid to boil the potatoes. You can always add broth after boiling the potatoes before you add the cream if you want more liquid.
Seasonings: I don’t need to add any seasonings because my Italian sausage is so flavorful. If the sausage you chose needs some more flavor, add increments of ½ tsp of Italian seasoning (and ½ tsp of red pepper flakes, if desired) until it’s delicious!
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