Description
Creamy Corn Chowder is a comforting and hearty soup featuring browned Italian sausage, diced vegetables, tender potatoes, and sweet corn blended into a smooth, creamy base. The combination of fresh herbs, chicken stock, and milk creates a rich flavor perfect for cozy dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage and Vegetables
- 1 lb sweet or spicy Italian sausage
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
Potatoes and Corn
- 4 russet or gold potatoes, washed and dried
- 4 cups sweet corn, canned or frozen
Seasonings and Liquids
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup whole milk
Garnishes (Optional)
- Parsley
- Shredded cheese
Instructions
- Brown the Sausage: In a stockpot over medium heat, brown the Italian sausage, breaking it into small pieces. Cook for 6-8 minutes until fully browned. If there is more than 2 tablespoons of liquid remaining, discard the excess.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Add diced celery, onion, and red bell pepper to the browned sausage. Stir and sauté for 4-6 minutes until the vegetables soften.
- Prepare Potatoes and Add to Pot: Peel or leave skin on potatoes. Dice three potatoes into ½-inch cubes and 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 stockpot. Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
- Blend Potatoes and Corn: Remove the potato wedges and combine them with the remaining 2 cups of corn and whole milk. Blend until smooth.
- Finish Soup: Pour the blended mixture back into the stockpot. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes to warm through.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and shredded cheese if desired.
Notes
- This chowder is a quick, simple, and flavorful soup ideal for cold winter days.
- Celery, onion, and red bell pepper create a well-rounded vegetable base.
- Using a mix of diced and sliced potatoes allows for blending a creamy texture while keeping chunks for heartiness.
- Discard excess sausage liquid to avoid a greasy soup.
- Optional garnishes like parsley and shredded cheese add fresh and rich notes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 404 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
