Smoked Sausage Corn Chowder
Creamy, hearty smoked sausage corn chowder will warm you up on a chilly day. Smoked sausage, whole kernel corn, vegetables and wild rice are simmered with broth and whole milk for a velvety smooth texture.
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There is nothing better on a brisk fall or winter day than a hot bowl of thick and creamy corn chowder. However, there are a million corn chowder recipes out there. I decided to change things up a bit by adding some hearty smoked sausage, tender vegetables and tender rice.
Ingredients and tools you will need
Get your shopping list ready to gather everything you need. To make smoked sausage corn chowder, you’ll need:
- 1/2 cup uncooked wild rice or one (4.3 ounce) box of long grain and wild rice – I’ve had to amend my original recipe because lately I’ve had a hard time finding just wild rice in the grocery stores. I was able to located a small bag of wild rice on Amazon for less than $10. I also want to point out that black rice and wild rice are not the same thing.
- 1 tablespoons oil
- 1 pound (16 ounces) smoked sausage, cut into ¼ inch slices
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn – about three cups
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups whole milk
- Large soup or stock pot
How to make smoked sausage corn chowder
This chowder recipe is easy enough to prepare on a busy weeknight but flavorful enough that it will seem like a weekday treat.
Prepare the rice
Wild rice isn’t rice at all. It’s actually a type of grass that grows underwater. It is similar in size and shape to rice, but with a dark brown color. You are probably more familiar with it as part of those packaged seasoned long grain and wild rice side dishes. If your store carries it, you will be able to find wild rice on the same aisle as all the other types of rice.
Wild rice has quite a bit more chew to it that regular long grain white rice. Therefore, it takes longer to cook. Place the uncooked wild rice in a medium saucepan. Cover it with 2 ½ cups of water, bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Drain off any excess water and set the rice aside.
If you’re like me and you can’t find wild rice anymore, you can use the long grain and wild rice combination. Cook the rice according to the package directions, but don’t use the seasoning packet that comes with the rice. You can either throw it away or save it for another use.
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Brown the smoked sausage
Heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Once the oil is heated, add the sausage and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the sausage starts to turn brown and crisp around the edges. You may need to do this in batches. You want to make sure each slice of sausage is able to come in contact with the hot surface of the pan. Adding too many pieces of sausage at one time may prevent this from happening. Remove the sausage from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside. Drain all but about one tablespoon of the grease from the pot.
Cook the vegetables
Add the carrots and chopped onions to the hot oil remaining in the pot. Sauté the vegetables until the onions are soft and translucent and the carrots are tender, about 6-10 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and the bag of frozen corn kernels. No need to thaw the corn before adding it to the pot. Sauté the garlic and corn until you can start to smell the garlic. This should take about 30 seconds.
Add the flour and broth
Gradually add ¾ cup of all-purpose flour to the vegetable mixture. Stir well so that the vegetables are all coated with the flour and there are no large clumps. Then slowly add five cups of chicken broth. Be sure to whisk constantly while you are adding the broth to ensure the flour doesn’t clump together.
Bring the chowder to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium and cook until the broth begins to thicken, about 12 minutes. Stir frequently to keep the chowder lump-free.
Add the milk
Finally stir in two cups of whole milk, plus the cooked smoked sausage and rice. Bring the corn chowder back to a simmer, then continue to simmer until the soup thickens back up. Five to 10 minutes should do it, depending on how thick you like your chowder. Season with salt and pepper to your preference.
Instant Pot instructions
Smoked sausage and corn chowder can be made in the Instant Pot with a few modifications. Start by heating the oil using the SAUTE function. Working in batches, brown the sausage on both sides, then remove the sausage from the heat and carefully drain any remaining grease from the pot. Turn the SAUTE function off.
Add the sausage back to the pot along with the carrots, onion, garlic, frozen corn and chicken broth. Notice that we are skipping the step where we coat the vegetables with the flour. We are going to add the flour at the end to prevent it from scorching the bottom of the pot. We are also going to add the rice at the end as well. Seal the Instant Pot, set the function to MANUAL and set the time for four minutes.
Let the pressure release naturally. In the meantime, gradually whisk together the flour and the milk. Remove the lid and bring the chowder to a boil again using the SAUTE function. Pour the milk and flour mixture into the chowder and boil for a few minutes until it starts the thicken. Turn the SAUTE function off and add the rice, stirring to heat through. Season with salt and pepper.
Slow cooker instructions
Brown the sausage as instructed in a separate skillet. Strain the sausage from the grease and transfer to a slow cooker. Discard the grease. Add the carrots, onion, garlic, corn and chicken broth to the slow cooker. Do not add the flour or rice yet. Cook on low for four hours or on high for two hours. Thirty minutes before the cook time is up, whisk together the flour and milk. Add the flour and milk slurry to the slow cooker and allow the chowder to thicken for the duration of the cook time. Add the rice before serving and stir to heat through.
Storage, freezing and reheating instructions
Storage. Leftover smoked sausage and corn chowder should be cooled to room temperature before being transferred to a container with a lid. Store in the refrigerator and consume within five days.
Freezing. I don’t recommend freezing this chowder because it contains both dairy and rice. The milk will separate, giving the chowder a watery texture. The rice will also absorb a lot of the liquid and freezing gives it a mushy texture.
Reheating. Reheat smoked sausage corn chowder over medium low heat, stirring frequently, until heated through. The rice in the chowder will absorb some of the liquid, so if the chowder seems thick just thin it out with a bit of chicken broth while reheating.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a different type of sausage?
Yes. A spicy andouille or chorizo would be fantastic! You could also use ground or link Italian sausage.
Can I skip browning the sausage?
You can but I don’t recommend it. Browning gives the sausage more flavor and better texture. It also allows you to render off some of the grease that would otherwise end up in your chowder.
Can I use fresh corn?
Yes, you could substitute fresh corn for frozen without making any adjustments to the cooking time.
Can I use heavy cream? What about skim milk?
Heavy cream or half and half can be used instead of whole milk for a richer flavor. Using skim milk will result in a thinner chowder but can be used as a substitute if you are trying to cut calories.
Can I use turkey sausage?
Yes, turkey sausage links can be used interchangeably with the pork smoked sausage I used in the recipe.
Serve smoked sausage corn chowder with
- Southern Skillet Cornbread
- Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Wedge Salad
- Southern Buttermilk Biscuits
- Twice Baked Potatoes
- Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
More Chowder Recipes:
Smoked Sausage Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup uncooked wild rice -or- one (4.3 ounce) box long grain and wild rice medley
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 pound (16 ounces) smoked sausage, cut into ¼ inch slices
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (10-ounce) package (about three cups) frozen corn
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups whole milk
Instructions
- If using wild rice, place the wild rice in a medium saucepan. Add 2 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer the rice for 30-45 minutes. Drain off any excess water and set the rice aside.
- If using a long grain and wild rice mix, discard or find another use for the accompanying seasoning packet and cook the rice according to package directions.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Working in batches, add the smoked sausage and sauté until the sausage starts to turn brown and crisp around the edges, about 10 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon as set aside on paper towels to drain. Drain all but one tablespoon of the grease from the pot.
- Add the carrots and onions to the pot. Sauté until the onions become soft and translucent, about 5-6 minutes.
- Add the garlic and frozen corn kernels. Sauté for 30 seconds.
- Gradually add the flour, stirring until the vegetables are coated and there are no large clumps. Cook for three minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the flour from burning.
- Add the chicken broth. Bring the chowder to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the mixture begins to thicken, about 12 minutes.
- Stir in the whole milk, rice and cooked sausage. Cook until the mixture thickens again, about 5-10 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
