Description
A hearty and creamy corn chowder made with Italian sausage, fresh vegetables, and tender potatoes, blended with milk and corn for a rich and comforting soup perfect for winter meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 1 lb sweet or spicy Italian sausage
Vegetables
- 2 stalks celery (diced)
- 1 onion (diced)
- 1 red bell pepper (diced)
- 4 russet or gold potatoes (washed and dried)
- 4 cups sweet corn (canned or frozen)
Herbs and Seasonings
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 3 bay leaves
Liquids
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup whole milk
Optional Garnish
- parsley (optional)
- shredded cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Brown the sausage: In a stockpot over medium heat, cook the Italian sausage, breaking it into small pieces until fully browned, about 6-8 minutes. If more than two tablespoons of liquid remain after browning, discard the excess.
- Sauté the vegetables: Add the diced celery, onion, and red bell pepper to the browned sausage. Stir and cook until the vegetables soften, about 4-6 minutes.
- Prepare the potatoes and start the soup: Peel if desired, then dice three potatoes into ½-inch cubes. Slice the remaining potato into ½-inch wedges. Add all potatoes, 2 cups of sweet corn, salt, black pepper, thyme, bay leaves, and chicken stock to the pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 20-25 minutes.
- Blend part of the soup: Remove the potato wedges from the soup and combine them with the remaining 2 cups of corn and whole milk in a blender. Blend until smooth, then pour the mixture back into the stockpot.
- Finalize and serve: Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 more minutes to warm through. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley and shredded cheese if desired.
Notes
- This chowder can be made with either sweet or spicy Italian sausage depending on your taste preference.
- If you prefer a thicker chowder, blend more of the potatoes and corn before adding back to the pot.
- Use fresh corn during summer for a sweeter flavor, or frozen/canned corn when fresh is not available.
- Omit cheese and use plant-based milk alternatives for a vegetarian or vegan variation (using vegetarian sausage).
- To reduce sodium, use low-sodium chicken stock and adjust salt accordingly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 404 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
