Spicy Cajun Potato Soup (Printable)
Hearty creamy potato soup with Cajun spices, smoky sausage, and vegetables for a warming meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and diced
02 - 1 large onion, diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 1 large carrot, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 2 green onions, sliced for garnish
→ Meats
08 - 8 oz Andouille sausage, sliced
→ Liquids
09 - 4 cups chicken broth
10 - 1 cup whole milk
→ Spices & Herbs
11 - 1 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
12 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
14 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
15 - Salt and black pepper to taste
→ Other
16 - 2 tbsp olive oil
17 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
18 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
19 - 2 tbsp cold water
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add sliced Andouille sausage and cook until browned, about 4–5 minutes. Remove sausage and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, add onion, celery, carrot, bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté for 5–6 minutes until vegetables are soft.
03 - Stir in Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, thyme, cayenne, and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute to toast spices.
04 - Add diced potatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15–20 minutes, until potatoes are very tender.
05 - Using a potato masher or immersion blender, partially mash some of the potatoes in the pot to thicken the soup, leaving some chunks for texture.
06 - Return sausage to the pot. Stir in the milk and simmer for 5–10 minutes longer.
07 - For extra thickness, mix cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry. Stir into the soup and simmer for 2–3 minutes until thickened.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning with more Cajun seasoning, salt, or pepper if needed. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with sliced green onions.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The heat hits you first, then this incredible creaminess follows, and suddenly you're not just eating soup anymore, you're having a whole experience
- It comes together faster than you'd think for something that tastes like it simmered all day, and the leftovers are even better tomorrow
02 -
- The soup will continue to thicken as it sits, so if you're making it ahead, hold back on the milk until you reheat it, and you can always thin it with more broth if needed
- Andouille varies wildly by brand, so taste your sausage before you start cooking and adjust your cayenne and Cajun seasoning accordingly
03 -
- Cut your potatoes into uniformly sized pieces so they cook at the same rate, because nothing's worse than some potatoes falling apart while others are still crunchy in the middle
- Let the soup rest for at least 10 minutes off the heat before serving, because this gives the flavors time to settle and the texture to stabilize