Corn chowder with sausage is a creamy, spicy and filling soup that’s easy to whip up for your next weeknight dinner. Excellent on cold winter nights, but so good you’ll make it year-round.
You’ll love this corn chowder with andouille sausage recipe because it is flavorful and filling, but easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner. Andouille sausage adds flavor, spice, and heat that balances perfectly with the creamy broth and sweet corn.
The best part about this recipe is that the andouille sausage provides so much flavor that a long list of ingredients isn’t needed. That means it's easy to whip up for a quick weeknight meal!
Here’s a tip: double the recipe and make extra, because corn chowder reheats beautifully the next day! Serve corn chowder on its own or with some jalapeño cheddar cornmeal biscuits for a hearty meal.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Andouille sausage - For a milder, less spicy flavor, Italian sausage or smoked sausage would work as a substitute. Ham and bacon also work well as substitutes.
- Corn - I like using fresh-frozen corn for this recipe because it's easy to find year round and maintains that fresh corn flavor. Frozen corn can also be substituted with fresh corn cut off the cob or canned corn.
- Onion - Adds flavor to the soup. I don't recommend omitting it. Bell pepper can also be added to the onion step for extra flavor.
- Butter & flour - A roux is created with butter and flour to thicken the soup.
- Chicken broth - Can be substituted with vegetable broth.
- Diced potatoes - Fresh potatoes can be substituted with frozen cubed hash browns, like in my recipe for hash brown potato broccoli soup.
- Milk - Makes the soup base creamy. Whole milk is best for flavor and texture, but a lower fat milk will work as a substitute (soup will be thinner).
- Pepper - Adds flavor to the soup. The sausage and broth add enough sodium that extra salt isn't needed, but if you're using a low sodium broth you may want to add a pinch of salt or some mild herbs to account for the lost flavor. I recommend thyme or oregano.
Tips and tricks
Use a whisk - While adding the broth, whisk the entire time until the roux (flour and butter paste) and broth are incorporated. Whisking prevent lumps from forming in your soup.
Use regular broth - For best flavor use a regular broth, not low-sodium or no-sodium broth. If you only have low-sodium broth on hand, I recommend adding a pinch of salt or a pinch of dry herbs, like thyme or oregano, to account for the lost flavor.
Scrape the bottom of the pan - Don't forget to scrape the bottom of the pan while whisking in your broth! This process is called deglazing, which adds all those browned bits and flavor back into your soup.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, corn chowder reheats beautifully on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Potatoes can get grainy and fall apart when frozen and thawed, and dairy-based soups generally don't freeze and thaw well, so I don't recommend freezing this particular recipe.
This recipe is thickened by making a roux, which is a paste made of butter and flour.
Corn chowder makes a great meal on its own. If you'd like to add a little extra, or stretch the servings further, try serving corn chowder with slices of crusty bread, jalapeño cheddar cornmeal biscuits, cornbread muffins, or a side salad.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Corn Chowder with Sausage
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 12 ounces andouille sausage, sliced into bite size pieces
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 24 ounces chicken broth
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed into bite size pieces
- 2 cups corn kernels
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces whole milk
Instructions
- In a stock pot over medium heat, add butter. When melted, add sliced sausage and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned around the edges, then remove from pan and set aside. Add onions and allow to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they begin to turn translucent.
- Add flour and stir to coat onions. Cook for 1 minute, then add chicken broth, whisking to incorporate. While whisking, scrape up the browned bits coating the bottom of the pan.
- Add potatoes, corn, sausage, and pepper, stirring to incorporate. Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 7-8 minutes, or until potatoes can easily be pierced with a fork. Time will depend on the size of your potatoes.
- Remove lid, add milk and stir to incorporate, cooking for another 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and allow to set for 5 minutes before serving. Optionally, top with parsley.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Additional salt has been excluded from this recipe due to the sodium in the chicken broth. Using no sodium broth will alter the taste of this soup.
- Andouille sausage provides most of the flavor in this soup, and I do not recommend omitting it.
- Milk can be substituted with half & half or heavy cream for a richer, thicker soup.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for 2-3 days. This soup reheats well in a saucepan over medium heat, or in the microwave.
This turned out very well! I did make the addition of some chopped bacon which I cooked until crispy and set aside prior to cooking the andouille. I ended up adding Tobasco sauce to my bowl, so I will probably add it to the whole pot next time I make this soup. My husband enjoyed topping his soup with pickled jalapenos for even more spice!
Do you think adding bell pepper(s) would work well in this recipe? Are there any other additions that you can recommend for if we want to change up the recipe?
Bell peppers or jalapenos would make a great addition! I've also made this recipe with chopped ham or bacon, whatever I happen to have on hand.
This looks so good and comforting.