Potato Soup with Sausage-Pretzel Crumble Recipe
This Loaded Potato Soup is the ultimate comfort dish! The richness of the cheese combined with the malty flavour of beer creates a luxurious, creamy soup that’s hard to resist. Topped with a crispy sausage and buttery pretzel crumble (einlagen), it brings all the flavours of Oktoberfest right to your table. This dish is so addictive, you’ll want to make it all year long!
A few years ago, Jody & Kirstie were given the honour of created a recipe with an Oktoberfest theme using local pretzels. We couldn’t think of a better way to tie the three essential German ingredients together than with this soup: potatoes, sausage & pretzels!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
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- Cheesy and Creamy: Aged cheddar, gouda, or gruyère melts into the potato base, creating a silky, cheesy finish.
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- Rich Beer Flavor: A light lager adds complexity, balancing the richness of the cheese with a subtle malty flavor.
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- Fun Topping: The sausage-pretzel crumble adds a perfect crispy, salty contrast to the smooth soup.
And hey– For more ideas on cooking with beer, including soups and stews, explore our Guide to Cooking with Beer for even more recipes and tips!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 Minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the Cheese Sauce:
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 tbsp. flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1/4 lb. / 125 g grated cheese (aged cheddar, gouda, or gruyère work best)
For the Potato Soup:
- 2 tbsp. butter (second amount)
- 1 large cooking onion, thinly sliced
- 1 rib celery, finely diced
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 lb. yellow-fleshed potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 cup beer (lager recommended)
- 3 cups water or chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
For the Garnish:
- 1/2 lb. Oktoberfest Sausage, such as from FQ Butcher Shop
- 1 large pretzel (we love the Grainharvest Pretzels!)
- 1 small shallot, finely sliced
Instructions
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Make the Cheese Sauce
In a small pot, melt the butter and stir in the flour to make a light roux. Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly, and bring to a simmer. Let it thicken for about 5 minutes before turning off the heat and stirring in the grated cheese. Set aside.
2. Cook the Vegetables and Potatoes
In another pot, melt the butter and sauté the onion and celery over medium heat until softened but not browned, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the cardamom, sliced potatoes, and beer, letting the mixture simmer for a few minutes to reduce slightly. Add the water and bay leaves, and continue to simmer until the potatoes are very soft, about 10-15 minutes.
Cook With Us!
Like this recipe? You should try cooking with us! Start with an on-demand pre-recorded class, or jump in to the best experience with our live classes!
We have taken many classes over several years, and they never disappoint! Kristie & team always have great pointers and tricks to learn in the video. We love the Japanese burgers, and they are always a hit with guests. That's the thing: you make the recipe at home, it doesn't take a long time, and the result is so good that you want to make it again and again. Just try one, you'll see. 🙂I had such a fantastic experience at the cooking class! My daughter and I had an amazing time — our Bao Buns and Crispy Chicken turned out delicious, and we learned so much throughout the session. It was a fun, inspiring, and rewarding evening. I can’t wait to come back for another class. Highly recommend!Our virtual cooking class experience was top notch! Well organized, wonderfully communicated, and entertaining! A delicious outcome which boosted our confidence to try more challenging recipes in the future. Highly recommend!I have taken a few classes in the past - always find the products delicious, and I enjoy the challenge of trying to keep up 🙂
I subscribe the updates and get links to recipes - I recently made the Olive Oil Lemon cake. It turned out delicious – as you said in the description, very moist! My daughter has a birthday in strawberry season and typically she asks for strawberry shortcake with a traditional shortcake recipe… I served the lemon came this weekend with a bit of whipping cream and fresh strawberries (your picture was quite enticing) and her comment was that her birthday request this year would be to replace the traditional shortcake with this recipe!I've taken several on-line cooking classes from The Culinary Studio and have really enjoyed each one. The recipes are delicious and the instructions are very well laid out. I always learn new cooking tips and skills.It has been most likely a year and a half since I’ve made moussaka. Having the recording available was a godsend. So good and lots of leftovers! Having the recording is priceless!
I made Dan Dan noodles last month and again referred to the recording as it has been awhile. I was grateful for the reminders, tips and tricks. Not to mention, I love to cook with Kirstie and Jody. They make it so much fun!
Most of the meals I make are from your repertoire. I think I have close to 60!Love these ladies! Classes are easy to follow, informative, filled with all kinds of tricks & tips and best of all DELICIOUS!! This is our "night out" dining adventure that we can re-do & show off to our family & friends.My husband and I joined the Valentine's Day Date Night cooking class. Very enjoyable experience full of informative tips and thorough explanations followed by a delectable meal. Thank you Kirstie & Jodie. We'll be back!I recently did an online Lamb Briyani class. It used some cooking techniques I wasn't familiar with and produced a dish that was as tasty as the best Indian food I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying.I have done a few classes with the Culinary Studio and always enjoy the classes and the fabulous meals. They deliver the food to my door all prepped for the class if I like (which I do!). Highly recommended.We did a virtual zoom cooking class. It was better than cooking classes we have done in a actual class. We really enjoyed our ourselves. We have made the meal a couple of times since the class. We have friends over for the session and have great restaurant quality mealsThe Culinary Studio is an wonderful online chef duo!
You will learn delicious recipes taught in real time from start to end by two good friends who want nothing more than to teach you how to cook and and have fun doing it. Class presentation is practical and encouraging with one chef starting and one playing 'catch up' so you do not miss anything and no question will go unanswered!
The recipe with food pack is perfectly packaged and always arrives on time to make it easy so you do not have to shop!
Several recipes from the Culinary Studio are in our regular rotation!
Excited to keep cooking with you Kirstie and Jody!Online classes have allowed me the convenience to open my computer and learn in the comfort of my home and to do the class on my own schedule rather than missing out due to life's interruptions. Classes are paced well and the chef's are ready to answer your cooking questions even if they are unrelated to the class. I have used the recipes frequently in my day to day life and recently at an event where I overhead participants raving about the soup and cookies I had prepared, which were from Culinary Studio class recipes.
I was at the Studio for the very first class they held and I have continued to take classes for the past 13 years. While some things have changed over the years, the quality, knowledge and skills Jody and Kirstie bring to each class has not.The skills I learned through the their instruction have been used daily.To Chefs Kirstie & Jody! My family and I have thoroughly enjoyed the recipes and techniques we have acquired by following your live sessions and on-demand courses available on your website. You have a casual and an informative style that is very appealing. Most importantly both of you thrive on good food and beverage as much as we do! Bravo - we hope your future includes many more years of teaching and developing new dishes. Thank you. 🙂3. Blend the Soup
Once the potatoes are fully cooked and tender, remove the bay leaves and blend the soup until smooth using a hand blender or regular blender. Set aside.
4. Make the Sausage-Pretzel Crumble (Einlagen)
In a frying pan over medium-high heat, fry the sausage meat until crispy and browned. Add the finely diced shallot (if using), and sauté for another minute. Stir in the pretzel pieces, coating them in the sausage fat, and cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes until the pretzels are crisp.
5. Combine and Serve
Fold the cheese sauce into the blended potato soup, stirring until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Rewarm the soup over medium-low heat if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and generously top with the sausage-pretzel crumble.
Notes
Cooking Tips for Potato Soup
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- Choosing the Right Beer: A light lager works best in this soup, adding just enough flavour without overwhelming the dish. For more on how beer enhances soups, check out our Cooking with Beer Guide.
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- Make it Vegetarian: For a meat-free version, skip the sausage and use more pretzels or roasted nuts for a crunchy topping.
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- Texture Perfection: If you prefer a chunkier soup, blend only half the potatoes and leave the rest for a bit of texture.
