1-First: crumble the 16 ounces of Italian sausage and cook it in a large pot over medium-high heat until it’s browned, which takes about 10 minutes. Once done, remove the sausage but leave the fat in the pot for extra flavor.

2-Next, add the 1/4 cup of butter and let it melt, then toss in the chopped 1/2 medium onion and 2 celery stalks, sautéing for 4-5 minutes while scraping up those tasty browned bits.

3-Stir in the 2 cloves of minced garlic and 6 tablespoons of flour, cooking for about 2 minutes while stirring to avoid lumps. Gradually whisk in the 4 cups of low sodium chicken broth until everything is smooth and combined. At this point, add the 2 cups of half-and-half, 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes if you want some heat, the diced 1 pound of Russet potatoes, and the cooked sausage back in.

4-Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer with the lid slightly open for about 15 minutes. This lets the potatoes get tender and the soup thicken up nicely.

5-Finally, taste and season with salt and pepper as needed to make it just right. The whole process takes around 55 minutes and serves 4 to 6 people, making it ideal for family dinners.