Potato and Sausage Soup with Fried Onions and Dill

Peel and cube the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Slice the sausage into rounds. Dice the onion, slice the carrots into rounds, and chop the celery. Mince the garlic cloves.

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Add the sliced sausage and cook until nicely browned on both sides, about 4-5 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and chopped celery to the same pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften and the onions turn translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.

Pour in the chicken broth and add the cubed potatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15-18 minutes.

Return the browned sausage rounds to the pot. Season with salt and black pepper. Let everything simmer together for another 5 minutes to meld the flavors.

While the soup simmers, slice the remaining 2 onions into thin rings. In a skillet, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the onion rings and cook, stirring frequently, until they turn deep golden brown and crispy at the edges, about 10-12 minutes. Watch carefully so they do not burn. Set aside on a paper towel.

Ladle the hot soup into deep bowls. Crown each serving with a generous pile of the crispy fried onions. Shower heavily with fresh dill. Place a generous dollop of sour cream on the side of each bowl and let each person swirl it in according to their taste. Serve immediately while steaming hot.