Hearty Corn Chowder With Sausage and Potatoes

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 35 mins

Total: 55 mins

Servings: 4 to 6 servings

This hearty corn chowder packed with sausage and potatoes is perfect for a cold-weather meal or an everyday lunch. A combination of corn kernels and cream-style corn double up on the sweet corn taste and adds thickness to this comforting soup, while the half-and-half creates a creamy base. A little hot sauce contributes another level of spice, but feel free to leave it out if the sausage provides enough of a kick.

The recipe calls for Italian sausage, but a spicy fresh chorizo or country-style sausage may be used as well. Gold or red-skinned potatoes are best when making soups and chowders due to their medium- to low-starch content, and because of their thin skin, it’s not necessary to peel them, saving you a step when cooking.

Serve this flavorful corn chowder with a green salad and crusty bread or biscuits.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 pound ground Italian sausage, or country-style sausage

• 1 cup chopped onion

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth

• 2 cups diced potatoes, gold or red-skinned

• 2 cups frozen corn kernels

• 1 (8-ounce) can cream-style corn

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 dash hot sauce

• 2 cups half-and-half, light cream, or whole milk

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, brown the sausage with the chopped onion until the sausage is no longer pink and the onion is softened and lightly browned.

3. Stir the flour into the sausage and onion mixture until well blended. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

4. Gradually add the chicken broth and stir until well blended.

5. Add the diced potatoes, corn, cream-style corn, pepper, and hot sauce. Bring to a simmer and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

6. Cover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender.

7. Add the half-and-half, light cream, or milk; stir in the butter. 

8. Taste and add salt, as needed, and heat through.

9. Serve and enjoy.

Tip

For a thicker soup, use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage and potatoes, as well as some corn, and place in a bowl. If you have an immersion blender, puree the chowder in the pot until it reaches your desired consistency. You can also ladle the chowder base into a blender or food processor and pulse until the proper thickness is reached. Just be careful when doing so since the chowder is hot. Return everything to the pot and warm through before serving.