# Million Dollar Soup

Creamy, hearty, and loaded with sausage, cream cheese, and vegetables — a one-pot soup that tastes like it took all day but comes together in under an hour.

_Soup · American_

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 40 min · Total: 55 min · Yields: 6 servings

## Ingredients

- 1 lb ground Italian sausage (mild or hot)
- 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 medium carrot (peeled and sliced into coins)
- 3 medium celery stalk (sliced)
- 3 medium russet potato (peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz, undrained)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 8 oz cream cheese (full-fat, cubed and softened)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped, for serving)

## Instructions

1. Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the 1 lb ground Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and no pink remains, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat, leaving about 1 tbsp in the pot.
2. Add the 1 diced medium yellow onion, 3 sliced medium celery stalks, and 3 sliced medium carrots to the pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 0.5 tsp smoked paprika, 0.5 tsp kosher salt, and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add the 3 cubed medium russet potatoes, 4 cups chicken broth, and 1 can diced tomatoes with their juices. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes and carrots are fork-tender, about 15–18 minutes.
6. Reduce heat to low. Add the 8 oz cubed cream cheese to the pot a few pieces at a time, stirring continuously after each addition until fully melted and incorporated before adding more.
7. Pour in the 1 cup heavy cream and stir until the broth is smooth and uniformly creamy. Do not let the soup boil after this point.
8. Fold in the 2 cups fresh baby spinach and stir until wilted, about 1–2 minutes. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
9. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately with crusty bread.

## Tip

> Add the cream cheese in small cubes over low heat and stir constantly — dropping it in all at once into a hot, boiling soup causes it to seize and clump rather than melt smoothly into the broth.

Tags: comfort-food, one-pan, weeknight, creamy, hearty

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Canonical: https://just-recipes.io/recipes/million-dollar-soup