Prepare your veggies by peeling and dicing.

Prepare the sausage by slicing in half lengthwise, then cutting it into ½ inch pieces.

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or large stock pot.

Once hot, add the sausage, stir to coat in the oil and brown it. You may need a little extra drizzle of olive oil if the sausage sticks to the pan a lot.

Once brown, remove the sausage and set aside. Leave the oil and drippings in the pan.

Add the carrots, celery and onion powder to the pot and sauté until soft. Approximately 3-4 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook until aromatic, approximately 30 seconds to one minute.

Add the flour to the pan and stir to coat the vegetables. Continue to cook for one minute.

Slowly add the chicken broth while continuously whisking. Make sure to scrape all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan as they have a ton of flavor!

Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cover the pot with a lid but leave it slightly vented. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Remove the soup from heat and stir in the shredded cheese and continue to stir until melted and combined.

Serve with a sprinkle of minced parsley, a little extra shredded cheese and fresh ground pepper.