Ultra-Thick Pantry Rescue Potato & Sausage Chowder

When you need an easy and affordable dinner that satisfies the whole family, this rustic Pantry Rescue Potato & Sausage Chowder is your ultimate go-to. Packed with tender, skin-on Yukon Gold potatoes, savory smoked sausage, and sweet frozen veggies, this hearty one-pot meal proves you don't need heavy cream or flour to make a rich, velvety chowder. By reclaiming all that caramelized flavor from the skillet and hand-mashing the starchy potatoes right in the pot, you get maximum comfort with minimal effort!

 

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Servings: 6

 

Ingredients

• 12–16 oz smoked sausage, sliced into rounds
• 3.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes (about 7 medium-large), diced into 1/2-inch cubes, skin-on
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 cups (1 quart) chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen sliced carrots
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas
• 2 tablespoons Pam’s Prep All-Purpose Classic Seasoning
• 1–2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

1. Sear the Sausage

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced smoked sausage and sear for 4–5 minutes until browned and crisp around the edges. Remove the sausage to a plate, leaving the flavorful drippings in the skillet.

 

2. Build the Fond Base

Add the diced onion and Yukon Gold potatoes directly to the hot skillet with the sausage drippings. Season with Pam’s Prep All-Purpose Classic Seasoning. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onions begin to soften and the potatoes pick up golden-brown edges from the fond.

Transfer the potatoes and onions from the skillet. Pour 2 cups of the chicken broth into the hot skillet and gently scrape up all the flavorful browned bits left behind by the potatoes, onions, and sausage. Pour the broth and all of those reclaimed flavors over the potatoes and onions.

 

3. Simmer the Base

Transfer the sautéed potatoes and onions to your main stock pot. Add the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 10–12 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.

 

4. Mash & Thicken

Turn off the heat or reduce it to low. Using a hand potato masher, manually mash roughly 2/3 of the potatoes in the pot, leaving about 1/3 of the potato cubes whole for texture. The starch from the Yukon Gold potatoes will naturally transform the broth into a rich, thick, velvety chowder without flour or heavy cream.

 

5. Add the Veggies & Sausage

Stir in the frozen carrots, frozen peas, and browned sausage slices. Simmer uncovered for 3–5 minutes, or until everything is heated through. Keeping this final simmer short allows the peas and carrots to become perfectly tender while maintaining their color and texture. Serve warm and ENJOY!

 

Pam's Pro Tip:

Don't skip the manual hand-mash! Avoid using an immersion blender or food processor for this recipe. Over-processing potatoes breaks down their starches too aggressively, which can make the chowder gluey and gummy. Hand-mashing leaves rustic chunks while naturally releasing just enough starch to make your soup thick, rich, and perfectly velvety!

 

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