This vibrant Corn Chowder with Sausage is rich and thick with large chunks of potato, crumbled chorizo sausage, and niblets of fresh corn. This sweet and spicy combo is creamy and hearty, using the kernels and cobs, for a flavorful summer soup.
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The sound of shucking corn and slicing off the kernels makes corn season a memorable summer experience. And the taste too, of course. Sweet and milky with the crunchiest texture, aside from street corn, corn soup is probably one of our favorite summer recipes. Our vegan corn chowder is a light soup recipe using coconut milk and basil that inspired us to make this hearty corn chowder with sausage.
This unique recipe is a flavorful and fun dinner idea. Using potatoes, red pepper, sausage, and fresh corn (cobs included), this chowder is a creamy and rich, summer comfort food recipe, resembling a cheesy queso with crunchy corn, bits of spicy sausage, and a hearty finish.
Why You’ll Love This Corn Chowder Recipe
- It's beyond flavorful: Thick and filling, our creamy corn chowder with sausage uses chunks of potato, red pepper, chorizo sausage, and lime juice with a creamy broth that shines with infused corn flavor that’s bold.
- It uses the entire cob of corn: We love it when recipes use the whole ingredient. This corn chowder recipe uses the kernels in the soup but also boils the stripped cobs of corn in the broth before adding it to your soup for additional flavor.
- It can be enjoyed all year round: Use frozen corn instead of fresh to enjoy this corn chowder recipe all year round. Of course, you can always make a big batch of this soup and freeze it whenever the craving strikes.
Serve our Corn Chowder with Sausage alongside other recipes like our House Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette, Homemade Turkey Burgers, or Dairy-Free Ice Cream Sandwiches.
Ingredient List
- Corn: fresh corn is best if still in the husks, but if the corn isn't fresh, then frozen is perfectly fine. Use a sweet corn variety.
- Sausage: chorizo sausage adds heat which perfectly pairs with the sweetness of the corn.
- Onion: use a sweet onion variety if available.
- Garlic: fresh garlic cloves, minced.
- Potatoes: since the soup is blended, we use russet or Yukon gold potatoes, which absorb the liquid and thicken the soup.
- Red pepper: enhances the sweetness and adds color to the soup when blended.
- Chicken stock: an inexpensive way to add flavor to the soup.
- Limes: use fresh limes for brightness and to balance the sweetness and heat.
- Cream: use heavy cream, 35% milk fat minimum.
- Olive oil: extra virgin olive oil or your preferred cooking oil.
- Thyme: fresh thyme leaves to add flavor to the soup.
- Salt and pepper: kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Recipe Variations and Modifications
- Less spicy: substitute the chorizo sausage with mild Italian sausage or mild chorizo sausage, if available.
- Dairy-free: use dairy-free milk in place of the cream. Full-fat coconut milk is our favorite dairy-free alternative for this soup.
Recipe Steps: How to Make Corn Chowder with Sausage
1. Flavor the stock.
Add the chicken stock and corn cobs, with kernels removed, to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-high until boiling, then reduce to simmer.
2. Cook the sausage.
Heat a soup pot over medium-high. Add the sausage and break up into small chunks. Cook the sausage, stirring occasionally and breaking it up, until browned. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3. Sauté the vegetables.
Return the pot to medium heat and pour in the olive oil. Saute the onions for 3 minutes, until softened, then add the potatoes. Season generously with salt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the corn, peppers, garlic, thyme, and lime zest and juice, and cook another 5 minutes, until bright and slightly softened.
4. Simmer the soup.
Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a light boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
5. Blend the soup.
Turn the heat off the soup, remove the thyme stalks, and blend with an immersion blender to your desired consistency or thickness. (If you prefer a chunky soup, you can skip this step)
6. Finish the chowder.
Return the soup to low heat and stir in the cream until combined, then the sausage. Bring to a low simmer, then remove from the heat and serve.
Chef's Tips
How to cut corn off the cob: Stabilize the corn vertically on a cutting board. Slice downward with a sharp knife to remove the kernels, rotating as needed. Cut close to the cob without going too deep. Collect the kernels off the board.
Adjust Consistency: If the chowder is too thick, thin it out with a bit of extra broth or milk, if it's too thin, simmer to thicken.
Finish with Fresh Corn and Peppers: Top the soup with fresh corn kernels and diced red pepper just before serving for little bursts of fresh flavor.
Make Ahead, Storage, and Freezing
Make ahead: we prefer to make soup the day before serving as it tends to have more depth of flavor when reheated. This soup can be made up to 3 days in advance.
Storage: store leftover corn chowder in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove over medium heat until hot.
Freezing: corn chowder can be frozen to be enjoyed throughout the year. Allow leftover soup to cool to room temperature before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Recipe FAQs
Fresh and frozen corn is best for this soup. If using canned corn, ensure that it is well-drained and a sweet variety, such as peaches and cream.
Basil, dill, chives, cilantro, tarragon, thyme, and parsley are great herbs that can be added or used as garnish for the soup. Spices including cumin, curry, white pepper, and red pepper flakes can be used to spice up the soup.
Yes, we often add celery and carrots to the soup for additional vegetables and nutrition, however, jalapeno peppers, fennel, sweet potatoes, and zucchini make nice addtions.
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Recipe Card
Corn Chowder with Sausage
Ingredients
- 6 ears corn kernels cut from the cob, reserve cobs plus some kernels for garnish
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 lb chorizo sausage removed form casings
- 2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 sweet onion diced
- 3 Yukon gold potatoes cubed
- 1 red bell pepper diced, reserve some for garnish
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1 lime zest and juice
- sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Add the chicken stock and corn cobs, with kernels removed, to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-high until boiling, then reduce to simmer.
- Heat a soup pot over medium-high. Add the sausage and break up into small chunks. Cook the sausage, stirring occasionally and breaking it up, until browned. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Return the pot to medium heat and pour in the olive oil. Saute the onions for 3 minutes, until softened, then add the potatoes. Season generously with salt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the corn, peppers, garlic, thyme, lime zest and juice, and cook another 5 minutes, until bright and slightly softened.
- Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a light boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Turn the heat off the soup, remove the thyme stalks, and blend with an immersion blender to your desired consistency or thickness. (If you prefer a chunky soup, you can skip this step)
- Return the soup to low heat and stir in the cream until combined, then the sausage. Bring to a low simmer, then remove from the heat and serve.
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