Instant Pot Potato Sausage Soup

 Instant Pot Potato Sausage Soup (with stovetop instructions, too!)

Now that we live in the mountains where it is cold and snowy, I just want to have soup all the time! This was the latest in our pot!

• 1 lb ground venison sausage (can use Italian sausage, spicy or mild)
• 1.5 lbs baby potatoes, diced
• 1 TBSP butter
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 3 large carrots
• 2 TBSP minced garlic
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or more if you like it spicier)
• 1.5 cups beef stock
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• salt
• pepper

1. Turn your IP on to saute, add butter, then add sausage.  Brown.
2. Add onions, carrots, and garlic.  Saute until onions soften.
3. Add potatoes, seasonings, and stock.  Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure you get all the stuck-on pieces off the bottom of your IP or you'll get a burn notice.   
4. Cancel saute and pressure cook for 8 minutes on high.  Natural release for 10 minutes.
5. I used my immersion blender to smash up some of the potatoes to make the soup thicker.  You can also just use a potato masher or the back of a spoon.  
6. Add sour cream and mix well.  Garnish with shredded cheese and more sour cream.

For stove top:  Add butter to stock pot or dutch oven.  Add sausage and brown.  Add onions, carrots and garlic and saute until onions soften.  Add potatoes, seasonings, and stock.  Stir well.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.  Use immersion blender, potato masher, or spoon to smash some of the potatoes.  Add sour cream and mix well.  Garnish with shredded cheese and more sour cream.