Sausage Corn Chowder
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Sausage Corn Chowder is made in one pot with Italian sausage, fresh or frozen corn, onions, potatoes, and cream cheese. This creamy chowder is thick, filling, and has a surprise kick with the addition of Italian sausage instead of bacon.
Serve this hearty chowder with my cheesy garlic bread. So good!
Original Recipe: January 2020 | Update: June 2023
Whenever I spot corn chowder on a restaurant menu, I can’t resist—I order it every single time. But here in the Midwest, it’s not always easy to find. That’s why I decided to create my own version: a creamy, comforting chowder with a hearty twist—savory sausage instead of the usual sprinkle of bacon. This recipe will impress your friends and family, so don’t wait to try it! And when you do, be sure to leave a comment below the recipe card. You’re going to love it!
For more one-pot recipes, try this creamy chicken chili, creamy chicken soup, and hamburger green bean casserole.
Why you will love this recipe
- The layers of flavor: Sausage chowder uses some of my favorite ingredients, including cream cheese which adds a creamy and tangy element to the soup.
- Easy soup: With just a few ingredients and spices, you can whip up a delicious pot of chowder in no time.
- Hearty and filling: Sausage corn chowder is a hearty soup that can be quite filling. The sausage adds protein and richness to the chowder, making it a substantial and satisfying meal.
- Perfect for entertaining: This is one of those great recipes you’ll love to serve when entertaining family and friends.
Chowder Ingredients
- Italian Sausage – I use hot sausage because I enjoy the extra kick it gives the chowder. Ground beef can be used if you are not a fan of Italian sausage.
- Vegetables – Including red bell pepper and white onion.
- Minced Garlic
- Spices – Parsley, thyme, paprika, cayenne, salt, and black pepper.
- Chicken Broth
- Cream Cheese – It’s best to get the cheese to room temperature before adding it to the soup.
- Whole Kernel Corn – Use frozen corn or 4 cups of fresh corn cut from the cob.
- Potatoes – I prefer Yukon gold potatoes, but russet potatoes or red potatoes can be substituted.
- Garnish – I garnish with green onions and parsley, and sometimes I give the soup a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Corn and sausage chowder variations
- Create Cajun corn chowder by adding 1 – 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning.
- Make the soup more like Panera Summer Corn Chowder by leaving out the Italian sausage, substituting heavy cream for the cream cheese, and adding tomatoes.
- Make a Mexican corn chowder by substituting chorizo for Italian sausage.
- You could make a more traditional corn chowder by eliminating the sausage and adding bacon.
- Make Chicken corn chowder by substituting chicken for the Italian Sausage.
How to make corn sausage chowder
Step 1: In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the ground sausage over medium-high heat. Drain off most of the sausage drippings.
Step 2: Add diced red bell pepper, onion, garlic, parsley, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper. Saute until the vegetables soften on medium heat for about 3 – 4 minutes.
Step 3: Add chicken stock and cubed cream cheese (the cream cheese will incorporate faster when it is cut into cubes). Bring to a boil.
Step 4: Add diced potatoes and frozen corn or 4 cups of fresh sweet corn cut from the cob. Reduce heat and simmer for 25-35 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Step 5: Transfer three cups of the soup to a blender or food processor. Pulse the blender a few times to break up the potatoes and sausage.
Corn chowder with sausage tip
The consistency should be similar to cream-style corn. Once you add the mixture back to the pot, you will notice a thicker consistency.
Step 6: Garnish each serving with green onions and parsley.
Yes, you can freezer corn chowder. Cool the soup completely and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
This sausage corn chowder recipe has 404 calories per serving.
Sausage corn chowder can be stored in the fridge for 4 days.
What do you serve with sausage potato corn chowder
We mostly eat corn chowder with saltine crackers or oyster crackers, although I love this easy garlic bread or drop biscuits with the soup, too. Honestly, any crusty bread would be great!
A wedge salad with homemade blue cheese dressing is another great option.
How to cook summer corn chowder in the slow cooker
Want to make slow cooker sausage corn chowder? Here’s how:
- In a large saucepan, brown 1 lb of Italian sausage. Drain excess grease.
- Add 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper, 1 small diced onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon parsley, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Saute until the vegetables soften on medium heat for about 3 – 4 minutes.
- Transfer the Italian sausage mixture to the bowl of the crock pot.
- Add 3 cups chicken broth, 8 ounces of cubed cream cheese, 1 lb diced potatoes and 16 oz bag of frozen corn or 4 cups of fresh corn, cut off the cob.
- Cover and slow cook until potatoes are tender, high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 7 to 8 hours.
- Transfer 3 cups of the soup to a blender. Blend until the mixture is the consistency of creamed corn. To create a thicker soup blend, 4 – 5 cups of soup.
- Return the blended soup to the pot.
- Garnish each serving with green onions.
How to store leftover corn sausage chowder
Fridge: This corn and potato chowder is delicious the next day. Cool the soup completely and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Cool the soup completely and store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Rewarm: Add the soup back to a sauce pan and warm over medium-low heat until heated through. You may want to add some chicken stock to thin out the soup.
More of my favorite soups
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Sausage Corn Chowder
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian Sausage (I like to use hot)
- 1/2 cup Red Bell Pepper Diced
- 1 small Onion Diced
- 2 cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 teaspoon Parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon Thyme
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper Optional
- 3 cup Chicken Broth
- 8 ounce Cream Cheese Room Temperature
- 16 ounce Frozen Corn or 4 cups corn cut from the cob
- 1 pound Potatoes Diced approx 1/4"
- Green Onions For Garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the ground sausage over medium-high heat. Drain off most of the sausage drippings.1 pound Italian Sausage
- Add diced red bell pepper, onion, garlic, parsley, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper. Saute until the vegetables soften on medium heat for about 3 – 4 minutes.1/2 cup Red Bell Pepper Diced, 1 small Onion Diced, 2 cloves Garlic Minced, 1 teaspoon Parsley, 1/2 teaspoon Thyme, 1 teaspoon Salt, 1/2 teaspoon Pepper, 1/4 teaspoon Paprika, 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- Add chicken stock and cubed cream cheese (the cream cheese will incorporate faster when cut into cubes). Bring to a boil.3 cup Chicken Broth, 8 ounce Cream Cheese
- Add diced potatoes and frozen corn or 4 cups of fresh sweet corn cut from the cob. Reduce heat and simmer for 25-35 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.1 pound Potatoes Diced approx 1/4", 16 ounce Frozen Corn or 4 cups corn cut from the cob
- Transfer three cups of the soup to a blender or food processor. Pulse the blender a few times to break up the potatoes and sausage. Return the blended soup to the pot.The consistency should be similar to cream-style corn. Once you add the mixture back to the pot, you will notice a thicker consistency.
- Garnish each serving with green onions and parsley.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Notes
- In a large saucepan, brown 1 lb of Italian sausage. Drain excess grease.
- Add 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper, 1 small diced onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon parsley, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Saute until the vegetables soften on medium heat for about 3 – 4 minutes.
- Transfer the Italian sausage mixture to the bowl of the slow cooker.
- Add 3 cups chicken broth, 8 ounces of cubed cream cheese, 1 lb diced potatoes and 16 oz bag of frozen corn or 4 cups of fresh corn, cut off the cob.
- Cover and slow cook until potatoes are tender, high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 7 to 8 hours.
- Transfer 3 cups of the soup to a blender. Blend until the mixture is the consistency of creamed corn. To create a thicker soup blend,
- Return the blended soup to the pot.
- Garnish each serving with green onions.
So good, loved the flavor!!
LOVE this soup. I generally make a double batch so I have enough to freeze for later. And sometimes I thaw it as soon as the 1st batch is gone. It’s just that good!
This was so good and had very good flavor !! It’s a winner and will make it again !! Thanks
This was so good ! Very good flavor – I will make this again for sure !! Thanks
This is so good, all my boys love it!
What about yogurt in place of cream cheese?
we rarely eat cream cheese.
That is an interesting idea. They both offer a tangy flavor. It might just be a great substitute!
Yummie!! I used one can coconut milk in place of the cream cheese and sweet potatoes. As well 32 0z [4 cups] chicken bone broth. Seconds please!
Thank you for a great recipe
Those sound like excellent ideas. So glad you enjoyed the soup!
Delicious!
We loved this soup! Very filling and yummy. I needed to add a bit more salt and pepper than the recipe called for, but kept everything else the same.
I’m so glad you enjoyed! Thank you for the nice comment.
Great soup. I won a soup cook off with this recipe. The only change I made is I used sweet sausage
Wow! That is amazing. Congratulations and thanks for letting me know!
This recipe is unique and excellent. I substituted half (4 OZ) of full fat Greek yogurt for half of the cream cheese, and added a bit of cheddar cheese.as well, but otherwise followed the recipe. The chowder was easy to make and very good.
you could easily replace all of the cream cheese with Greek yogurt if desired, and the bit of cheddar played well with the spice level of the chowder. next time I make this recipe I will leave it as “soup” and avoid blending any portion of the soup. Before blending the broth had a wonderful flavor and great spice level that was somewhat muted by the processing part of the soup. Prior to blending I give this soup a high 9+ out of 10 rating, after partial blending I give it a solid 7.5. Really great recipe.and balance of ingredients.
Thank you Bill! I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup.
I like the idea of switching up traditional recipes and throwing them into a new culture. Still cooking the Mexican corn chowder version but smells like a winner.The early tasting said I was right to let the chorizo be the seasoning and skip some of the other spices. I roasted the corn on the grill to add some color along with a little extra red bell pepper for the visuals. That and I substituted cotija cheese for the cream cheese. All in all, it’s becoming a feast for the senses.