A quick corn and sausage chowder that’s done in about 40 minutes, using frozen corn and any type of sausage you have on hand is perfect for a wintery evening. Check out more Quick Healthy Recipes.
I absolutely love chowders, the creaminess and slightly buttery flavor are always so warm and comforting, especially in the depths of winter. Whether it’s a vegetable, seafood, or plain potato chowder, I love them all.
Which is why I was surprised to look at my recipe index and see only one chowder – a different kind of seafood chowder made with green chilies -written way back in 2009 in the blog’s second month. Time to get my chowder on, apparently.
And what better way than with a corn and sausage chowder that’s made in about 40 minutes start-to-finish, uses frozen corn (hopefully the organic corn you grew and froze just for times such as this!), and any type of sausage you have on hand.
The combination is at once classic and fresh – and utterly tummy-warming. This particular corn and sausage chowder has one unusual ingredient – basil – that I think helps that fresh taste. I actually prefer this with a crumbled spicy bulk sausage, but I had gotten some uncured smoked sausage at a local grocery outlet and since I’m a champion of using what you have, it worked for me.
Corn and Sausage Chowder
I’m selling you on this recipe by titling it ‘quick,’ of course, since no chowder really takes that much time – it’s always a matter of sautéing vegetables in any meat (or butter if meatless), cooking the potatoes in broth, and then adding the milk and extras to heat through.
Chowder is a simple soup to make at home with real ingredients and tailored to your family’s taste. Some are so thick it’s more like a gravy, but that’s not my favorite way to eat a chowder, so I like to meet somewhere in the middle – creamy enough to be a chowder, but soupy enough to be a, well…soup. Feel free to adjust the amount of thickener to your tastes.
I always serve chowder with a green salad and flaky homemade biscuits (which only take 20 minutes to make!) or a chunk of easy artisan bread if I have some already made. Which is pretty much the perfect cold-weather meal in my book!
Quick Corn and Sausage Chowder Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound sausage bulk or smoked, cut or crumbled, depending on type
- 2 tablespoons butter or bacon fat
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced (about 1 teaspoon)
- 3 tablespoons flour (if you need gluten free, see note*)
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ to 2 pounds potatoes about 3 large, peeled and diced
- 1 to 2 teaspoons salt to taste (using unsalted broth will need more)
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 ½ cups corn kernels frozen or fresh
- 2 cups milk
- Chopped fresh parsley or chives for garnish
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large stockpot and brown sausage.
- Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is softened. If using flour to thicken, sprinkle it on the meat and onion now and stir well (see note for alternative).
- Pour broth over ingredients in pot and stir well to incorporate the flour. Then add the potatoes, salt, basil, and pepper, cover and bring to a boil; turn heat to medium and cook about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Stir in corn and milk, bring to a simmer (just under a boil) over medium-high heat to heat and thicken.
- Serve topped with chopped parsley or chives.
Notes
Nutrition
Other Easy Soups You May Like:
Bone Broth Chicken and Vegetable Soup
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Susan Boyd says
I’ve been making this chowder for awhile. It has become one of my family’s favorites! Thanks so much for the recipe.
Jami says
I’m so glad to know that, Susan – thank you!
Shelly says
We love corn chowder at our house. I usually make it with bacon, but sausage sounds delicious too. Salad and bread are our favorite sides to have with chowder.
Jami says
Bacon, sausage – it’s all good, isn’t it Shelly? 😉