This creamy bratwurst soup is made with bratwurst sausage, potatoes, vegetables, and cannellini beans in a rich broth finished with half-and-half. It's a hearty, easy soup that's ready in about an hour.
What's great about this recipe
- This soup is great for a weeknight dinner. It has straightforward steps and is ready in about an hour.
- It's hearty, with bratwurst, potatoes, vegetables, and white beans, so it's satisfying enough for dinner.
- It reheats well, making leftovers great for lunch the next day or meal prep for the week.
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Budget Check
- The full recipe is about $10.00-$11.00
- Per serving (4 servings): about $2.50-$2.75
Uses conventional ingredients. Based on recent U.S. national averages. Actual prices will vary by store and region.
Ingredients you'll need
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- Oil - We use olive oil, but other oils or fats suitable for sautéing, such as unsalted butter or avocado oil, will also work.
- Bratwurst sausage - Remove the casings and tear the sausage into small pieces, or use bulk bratwurst for convenience.
- Produce - Onion, carrots, celery, and garlic create the base for the soup. Potatoes make it hearty and help thicken the broth. We like russet potatoes for their starchy texture, but red, yellow, or Yukon Gold potatoes will also work.
- Spices - This soup is simply seasoned with black pepper, with salt added at the end if needed.
- Flour - All-purpose flour thickens the broth and gives it body.
- Broth - Chicken broth makes up the base of the soup. Use reduced-sodium broth if you are sensitive to salt.
- Cannellini beans - These tender white beans make the soup heartier and add to its creamy texture.
- Dairy - Half-and-half or whole milk adds creaminess to the broth.
- Optional garnishes - Chopped parsley or chives add color and freshness. Cheddar cheese also pairs well with the bratwurst.
📖 See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
Prep work
- If using sausage links, use the tip of a sharp knife to cut down the length of each sausage. Remove and discard the casing, then tear the sausage into pieces so it's easier to break up in the pot.
- Finely dice the onion so it blends into the broth.
- Dice the carrots and celery. You can cut them into larger pieces if you prefer but keep them roughly the same size for even cooking.
- Mince the garlic.
- Cut the potatoes into approximately ½-inch cubes, keeping them roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
- Drain and rinse the beans.
- Gather and measure the remaining ingredients before you start cooking.
How to make bratwurst soup
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the sausage. Cook for approximately 4-5 minutes, until browned.
- Stir occasionally while breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula. Drain excess oil if needed.
- Still over medium heat, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook the vegetables with the sausage for 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent and start to soften, stirring often.
- Add the garlic and black pepper to the pot and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the flour and stir to coat the ingredients. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Slowly add the chicken broth while stirring briskly, gently scraping any bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Raise the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil. Then, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook the soup for 10 minutes. Keep the broth at a simmer, adjust the heat as needed, and stir occasionally.
- Add the potatoes and cannellini beans, stirring well. Raise the heat to high and bring the broth to a boil. Then, lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Cook the soup for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender.
Keep the broth simmering, adjusting the heat as needed. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and to help thicken the soup.
- Take the pot off the heat and wait until the simmering stops. Stir in the half-and-half or milk. Place the pot back over low heat for 3-5 minutes to warm through, stirring often. The more you stir the soup, the more the potatoes will break down, thickening the soup.
- Taste the soup and add salt if needed. As a reference, we added ¼ teaspoon to ours. Serve garnished with chopped parsley, shredded cheese, or chives, or enjoy it on its own.
Recipe tips and notes
- Bratwurst typically comes in packages of 4-5 links, or about 16-20 ounces. Either size will work for this recipe.
- If the sausage renders a lot of oil, drain the excess, leaving about 1-2 tablespoons in the pot. Remove the pot from the heat, mound the sausage on one side, and carefully tip the pot so the oil pools on the other side. Use a ladle or large spoon to remove the excess, then return the pot to the heat.
- The potatoes should be tender enough to break easily when pierced with a fork or knife. The more you stir the soup, the more the potatoes will break down and thicken the broth.
- Avoid adding salt until the end because the sausage and broth can contain quite a bit. Taste and adjust as needed. If you're sensitive to salt, use reduced-sodium broth or replace some of the broth with water.
Substitutions and variations
- Beans - Swap the cannellini beans for other white beans, such as Great Northern or navy beans. Use canned beans, drained and rinsed, following the same instructions.
- Dairy-free option - Omit the half-and-half or milk. The potatoes will still add creaminess to the soup as they break down.
- Greens - Add spinach, baby kale, or Swiss chard near the end of cooking for extra color and vegetables.
- Toppings - Try crumbled bacon, sour cream, croutons, or crispy fried onions for extra texture and flavor.
Serving suggestions
Bratwurst soup is hearty enough to serve on its own. For a complete meal, pair it with a simple Caesar salad made with our homemade Caesar dressing or serve it with rye bread, dinner rolls, soft pretzels, or garlic bread.
Storing and reheating instructions
Refrigerator: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freezer: Let the soup cool, then transfer it to an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat on the stovetop over medium to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, or in the microwave until heated through.
Reheating tip: The soup will thicken as it sits. Add a splash of chicken broth or milk while reheating if needed.
Food safety: Do not leave cooked food out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Reheat leftovers to 165°F.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Prepare the soup and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a splash of broth or milk if it thickens too much.
Mash some of the potatoes with the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher. The potatoes release starch as they break down, naturally thickening the broth. Keep in mind that the soup will also thicken as it cools.
Add chicken broth a splash at a time over low heat, stirring between each addition until the soup reaches the desired consistency.
More hearty soup recipes
If you enjoyed this creamy bratwurst soup, try our sausage potato soup, another creamy and hearty option. For more easy soups, try our broccoli cauliflower soup or easy potato soup.
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Bratwurst Soup
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1-1¼ pound Bratwurst Sausage casing removed and torn into pieces (or use bulk sausage)
- 1 Medium Onion finely diced (yellow or white onion)
- 1 Large Carrot diced - if the carrot is on the smallish side, use two
- 1 Celery Rib diced
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 3 tablespoons All-purpose Flour
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 1-1¼ pound Potatoes peeled and cut into roughly ½-inch cubes (russet potatoes are best, but red, yellow, or Yukon gold can be substituted)
- 1 (15-ounce) can Cannellini Beans drained and rinsed
- ½ cup Half & Half or Whole Milk
- Salt to taste if needed at the end (we used kosher salt)
- 1-2 tablespoons Chopped Parsley or Chives for garnish, optional
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese for serving, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the sausage. Cook for approximately 4-5 minutes until browned. Stir occasionally while breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula. Drain excess oil if needed (see Recipe Notes #1).
- Still over medium heat, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook the vegetables with the sausage for 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent and start to soften, stirring often.
- Add the garlic and black pepper to the pot and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the flour and stir to coat the ingredients. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Slowly add the chicken broth while stirring briskly, gently scraping any bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Raise the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil. Then, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook the soup for 10 minutes. Keep the broth at a simmer, adjust the heat as needed, and stir occasionally.
- Add the potatoes and cannellini beans, stirring well. Raise the heat to high and bring the broth to a boil (this will take about 4-5 minutes). Once it's boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Cook the soup for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender.
- Keep the broth simmering, adjusting the heat as needed. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and to help thicken the soup (see Recipe Notes #2).
- Take the pot off the heat and wait until the simmering stops. Stir in the half & half or milk. Place the pot back over low heat for 3-5 minutes to warm through, stirring often. The more you stir the soup, the more the potatoes will break down, thickening the soup.
- Taste the soup and add salt if needed. As a reference, we added ¼ teaspoon to ours. Serve garnished with chopped parsley, shredded cheese, or chives, or enjoy it on its own.
Notes
- If the sausage renders too much oil, drain the excess, leaving 1-2 tablespoons in the pot. To do this easily, remove the pot from the heat. Mound the sausage on one side of the pot, then tip it slightly so the oil pools on the other side. Use a ladle or large spoon to remove the excess oil. Return the pot to the heat and continue cooking.
- The potatoes should be so tender that they break easily when pierced with a fork or knife. If they are not ready cook another 5 minutes and check again.
- Use reduced sodium broth if you are sensitive to salt. Adjust at the end if needed.
- Skip the half and half/milk to make the recipe dairy free.
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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