If you love corn chowder but want to transform it into a hearty &
budget-friendly dinner, look no further! This easy recipe is packed with
smoked sausage for extra protein, tender potatoes to make it more filling,
frozen sweet corn for that classic flavor you crave, a touch of honey to
bump up the sweetness, and heavy cream to make every bite decadent! Top each
bowl with crumbled bacon, shredded cheese & green onion for a cozy meal
that'll disappear quickly! (gluten-free)
Be sure to try my
spicy Italian sausage potato soup &
creamy white chicken chili next!
If you're new to The Rising Spoon, please know that I LOVE soups and frequently use pork as my main protein since it's packed with flavor and often cheaper than other meats. If you're like me then you're in good company. However, if pork's not your thing, feel free to check out my other main dishes recipes instead.
Most corn chowders I ate growing up felt more like an appetizer soup (i.e. very light), so I created today's version with potatoes & sausage + smoky bacon (can't go wrong with that) to turn it into a hearty meal that's perfect for a cozy night in when you're craving comfort food.
Sidenote: If you're bookish like me, I highly recommend planting yourself in a comfy chair with a big bowl of this chowder and immersing yourself in an addicting book like Throne of Glass or Outlander for extra coziness (both of those series are amazing and I'm currently reading the former).
Even better? Despite the additions, this recipe still uses simple ingredients with quick prep, so it's easy enough for a weeknight dinner. Let's just say it requires way less chopping than my hamburger vegetable soup (I packed so many darn veggies into that one).
I've been recipe testing this dish since summer 2021 (and have made it in both Texas & Kansas), but it's taken me awhile to get it up on the blog!
Why You'll Love This Sausage & Corn Chowder
- It's simpler to make than a traditional chowder since it uses a quick cornstarch slurry to thicken the broth at the end, so no need to fuss with a roux
- It only takes 15 minutes to prep and cooks all in one-pot
- all of the ingredients are budget-friendly (save even more money by buying them when they're on sale & freezing for later)
- it includes a mixture of frozen, fresh & pantry ingredients so it can be made year-round
Ingredients For Sausage Corn Chowder
If you're wondering what to put in the best sausage & corn chowder, here are all the main ingredients (with some brief explanations as to why I use them):
- Bacon: We start with bacon to render out the fat in the bottom of the pan, which creates a base layer of salty, porky goodness for the chowder. I typically use uncured, thick-cut bacon. Reserve a few slices of the cooked bacon to garnish the soup at the end or save it for another recipe like BLTs or breakfast sandwiches.
- Kielbasa Sausage (a.k.a. Smoked Sausage): I prefer a rope of regular kielbasa sausage, so it doesn't overwhelm the corn flavor with strong seasonings. They're typically 12 ounces now (I feel like they used to be 16 ounces - ugh, shrinkflation); however, if you want more sausage + protein you can definitely double this!
- Onion, Celery & Carrots: These three aromatic vegetables create the base layer of flavor for the chowder and add some texture, color & nutrients to make it more filling. I prefer yellow or sweet onion for soups.
- Sweet Bell Pepper: (I goofed and forgot to include this in the ingredients picture.) This gives the soup a pop of color + adds a mild sweetness & a good amount of vitamin C. I almost always use red bell peppers in my recipes. However, yellow & orange taste the same, so use whatever your heart desires. Unless it's green bell peppers...then just say no.
- Frozen Sweet Corn: I prefer frozen corn here since it's easy to find year-round and has a sweeter flavor and firmer texture than canned corn. But if you only have canned on hand, that's perfectly fine. Just know you may have to add more sweetener at the end to give the soup that "sweet" corn flavor.
- Dried Thyme & Dried Basil: These simple pantry herbs add a subtle flavor to the chowder without overwhelming it. I keep small jars of dried thyme on hand for skillet chicken pot pie & creamy chicken noodle soup and dried basil for pasta recipes with tomato sauce.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: This adds mild heat to the broth, which balances out the sweetness. Add more or less depending on your taste. A generous pinch (or more) of cayenne pepper would work, too!
- Garlic: Grab a head of garlic with some big cloves. If an extra clove or two makes it in, all the better. We love garlic here. Don't be shy.
- Potatoes: I use Russet potatoes here since they're starchier than waxy potatoes (such as Yukon Gold & Red) and will soak up more of the broth over time. Use whatever you like!
- Chicken Broth (Low-Sodium): The bacon grease adds saltiness, so I opted for cartons of low-sodium chicken broth in this dish. It'll taste even more flavorful if you use homemade chicken bone broth (I like to keep 2-cup portions in my freezer for recipes like this).
- Heavy Cream: This bumps up the richness in the broth, which helps given that we're not using a traditional roux with butter.
- Honey: Sweet corn is supposed to be...well, sweet; however, I've found that most canned & frozen corn these days (and even corn on the cob) is missing that signature element. For this reason, I like to add extra sweetener (typically honey) to my chowder to bump up the "sweet" corn flavor. You can use granulated sugar if you prefer.
- Cornstarch + Water: Instead of thickening the chowder with a traditional roux comprised of equal parts butter & flour, I used a cornstarch slurry at the end. This allows me to keep the chowder brothier (my preference) and gluten-free for other folks. And honestly? A roux is fussier than a slurry, so I chose the easier technique!
Elaina's Tips & Substitution Ideas
- Already have a jar of bacon grease (a.k.a. bacon drippings) on hand? Skip the bacon & start the soup with 3 1/2 to 4 tablespoons of bacon grease instead. Alternately, you can also cook your bacon ahead of time, strain the grease and store in the fridge for starting this soup and freeze the cooked bacon to use later as a garnish.
- Want a spicy kick? Swap the crushed red pepper flakes for 1-2 finely diced fresh chiles (like jalapeno or poblano) and instead of kielbasa sausage, choose a rope of andouille sausage. Spanish chorizo would also be a fun option with some heat!
- Cream Alternatives: If you don't have heavy whipping cream right now (it's the best), half & half or whole milk will work in a pinch (it just won't be as rich).
- Need a dairy-free version? Substitute the heavy cream with canned full-fat coconut milk.
- Stock Up & Save For Meal Prepping: Smoked sausage ropes have a long shelf-life in the fridge & also freeze well, so if you find your favorite on sale, grab several at once and keep them in your freezer for easy recipes like this chowder, one-pot pasta, or my sheet pan sausage, potatoes & veggies dinner!
- Save Time on Prep: To make this even faster for next time, dice and flash freeze the sweet onion, celery, carrot & sweet bell pepper and store them flat in quart-sized freezer bags. When you're ready to start the soup, you can add all four of these veggies at the same time and cook them a few minutes longer to evaporate off the moisture.
What To Serve with Sausage & Corn Chowder
- I highly recommend my easy cheddar garlic drop biscuits (pictured) since they only take 10 minutes to prep and 15 minutes to bake.
- It would also be yummy paired with a leafy side salad topped with a quick homemade dressing like red wine vinaigrette, maple balsamic vinaigrette, or blue cheese dressing.
- Of course, toasted garlic bread or crusty buttered bread is a classic option!
- If you're making this in the warmer months and want a cool drink to wash it down, try my citrus white wine spritzers (5-minute recipe).
Storage & Reheating Tips
- Store any leftover chowder for up to 5 days in an airtight container in your refrigerator
- When reheating on the stovetop, do it gently (don't bring it to a rolling boil) so the potatoes stay intact & don't turn to mush
- I've never frozen & reheated a soup or chowder that was thickened with cornstarch instead of a roux so I'm not sure how it would turn out (I'd love to know how it's turned out for you if you've tried it). For that reason, I recommend eating it all with the five days or giving some away to friends or family!
QUICK FAVOR: If you make this corn chowder, please leave a star rating and comment below. I love hearing about your creations + adaptations and getting feedback. Reviews, comments & social shares are immensely helpful in reaching more foodies like you! You can also leave a comment on any of my recipe pins on Pinterest, or tag me on Instagram or Twitter @therisingspoon :)
Smoked Sausage and Corn Chowder
If you love corn chowder but want to transform it into a hearty & budget-friendly dinner, look no further! This easy homemade recipe is packed with smoked sausage, tender potatoes, frozen sweet corn, a touch of honey to bump up the sweetness, and heavy cream to make every bite decadent! Even better? It's thickened at the end with a quick cornstarch slurry, so no need to fuss with a roux. Top each bowl with crumbled bacon, shredded cheese & green onion for a cozy meal that'll disappear quickly! (gluten-free)
Ingredients
- 6 slices of bacon (I used uncured & thick cut)
- 1 (12 oz) rope of smoked sausage or kielbasa sausage, sliced & quartered
- 1 medium onion (yellow or sweet), peeled & diced
- 2 stalks of celery, diced
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 1 sweet bell pepper (red, orange, or yellow), diced
- 1 tablespoon of minced garlic (about 2 big cloves)
- 1 teaspoon of dried basil
- 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of sea salt (I like flaky Maldon salt or Celtic gray salt)
- 3 medium Russet potatoes, peeled & diced (about 4 cups)
- 1 (16 oz) bag of frozen sweet corn (about 3 1/2 cups)
- 4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth (or homemade chicken bone broth)
- 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons of honey
- 2 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch (like this)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons of cold water
- shredded cheddar cheese
- sliced green onion
- crumbled cooked bacon
Instructions
- Lay the bacon in an even layer along the bottom of a large, heavy pot (like a Dutch oven) set to medium heat and cook until it's lightly crispy on both sides, flipping once or twice so both sides cook evenly. Remove the bacon with tongs and leave the remaining fat in the pot (there should be about 3 to 4 tablespoons of drippings).
- Add the sliced kielbasa sausage and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl (still keeping all fat in the pot).
- Add the onion, celery, carrot, and sweet bell pepper, along with a sprinkle of salt & pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, or until veggies are slightly softened.
- Measure in the basil, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper, and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the garlic is fragrant (watch that the garlic doesn't burn).
- Dump in the potatoes, browned sausage, frozen corn, and chicken broth, and stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a light boil. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low (keep it at a gentle simmer) and cook for 25 minutes, or until potatoes and all vegetables are tender.
- Pour in the heavy cream, cook for 1-2 minutes, then stir in the honey, and taste for seasonings, adding more honey, salt & pepper, if needed.
- Create the "slurry" by measuring the cornstarch and cold water into a small bowl and stirring well with a fork to combine.
- Pour the slurry into the pot, stir well, bring the chowder to a simmer again, and cook 2-5 minutes, or until the broth starts to look glossy, is slightly thickened, and no longer has any starchy taste.
- Ladle into bowls while hot and add desired toppings (like green onion, cooked bacon, and shredded cheese) to each bowl.
Notes
For a thicker soup, slightly increase the amount of cornstarch added to the slurry (make sure to keep the amount of water equal to the cornstarch). The first time I made this chowder, I only used 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch and ended up increasing that by 1 tablespoon so perhaps you can try 3 or 3 1/2 tablespoons (any more than that and I'm not sure how it would taste).
To save time on prep, I chop all the veggies & slice the sausage while the bacon is cooking, so that "cook time" is technically a part of the prep time. You can further reduce that if you buy a container of diced mirepoix (onion, carrot & celery) from the store and if you are starting with bacon grease you already have in your fridge (instead of cooking the bacon from raw).
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