Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Brown the sausage
- Brown the andouille sausage in a large pot, then remove and set aside. Cook until the slices have browned edges and rendered drippings remain in the pot.
Build the Cajun base
- Sauté the onion, celery, and green bell pepper in the drippings for 5-6 minutes. Stir often until the vegetables soften and turn glossy.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir continuously until fragrant and lightly golden.
- Stir in the Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and cayenne, then cook for 1 minute. Cook until the spices darken slightly and become very fragrant.
Simmer and thicken
- Add the chicken broth and Yukon gold potatoes, then simmer for 22-25 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Look for a steady, gentle bubbling and easily pierced potato cubes.
- Mash some of the potatoes to thicken the soup, then return the andouille to the pot. Mash right in the pot until the broth looks creamy and thickened, then heat through.
Make cheddar cream
- Heat the heavy cream and stir in the shredded sharp cheddar until smooth. Warm just until melted and glossy, with no grainy bits.
Serve
- Ladle the Cajun potato soup into bowls and drizzle the cheddar cream over the top. Finish with green onions and hot sauce on the side.
Notes
For the thickest texture, mash only a portion of the potatoes and leave the rest chunky—this keeps the soup hearty. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove, then add more cheddar cream if desired. Freezing is not ideal because the cream can separate when thawed. If you want a lower-fat option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for the cheddar cream and simmer just until melted.