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When the weather turns cold, this creamy sausage and vegetable chowder is the kind of comfort food that hits the spot. It’s loaded with hearty ingredients like potatoes, corn, carrots, and spinach, all simmered together in a rich and creamy broth.
Smoked sausage gives it a savory depth, but the recipe is flexible—swap in your favorite protein or go meatless for a vegetarian version. This chowder comes together easily in one pot and is perfect for cozy dinners, meal prep, or reheating throughout the week.
Why You’ll Love It
Hearty and filling. This chowder is packed with sausage, potatoes, and vegetables for a satisfying meal.
Flexible ingredients. Use fresh, frozen, or canned veggies—or even leftovers—to make it your own.
One-pot comfort. Everything comes together in one pot for an easy and low-fuss dinner.
Great for make-ahead meals. It reheats well and tastes even better the next day.
Ingredient Notes
- Sausage: Andouille adds a bit of spice, but any smoked sausage or kielbasa works well.
- Vegetables: Use a mix of chopped onion, celery, carrots, corn, potatoes, and spinach—fresh or frozen.
- Cream: Light or heavy cream makes the chowder rich and smooth; half-and-half works, too.
- Flour and butter: This roux helps thicken the chowder.
- Broth: Vegetable broth keeps it vegetarian-friendly if you skip the sausage.
How to Make It
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Sauté the diced sausage along with the onion, celery, and carrots until the vegetables are soft and the sausage is lightly browned.
- Stir in the butter until melted, then add the flour and cook for a couple of minutes to form a roux. Gradually add the vegetable broth while stirring to create a smooth base.
- Add the diced potatoes, corn, and chopped spinach. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
- Pour in the cream and heat gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir in fresh parsley, and ladle into bowls.
Recipe Variations
- Replace the smoked sausage with browned fresh sausage, chorizo, ground beef, or turkey, or add shredded rotisserie chicken to the soup.
- Add frozen thawed peas about 5 minutes before the chowder is done.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with garlic crescent rolls or warm focaccia for dipping.
- Pair with a fresh green salad or roasted Brussels sprouts.
- Add naan or crusty bread to soak up the creamy broth.
How to Store and Reheat
Refrigerate: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container within 2 hours and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze? Not ideal, as the cream may separate, but it can be frozen if necessary. Reheat gently after thawing.
To Reheat: Warm over medium heat on the stovetop or reheat individual portions in the microwave until hot.
Creamy Vegetable and Sausage Chowder
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 12 ounces diced smoked sausage, such as andouille, kielbasa, or Spanish-style chorizo
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup diced celery
- ½ cup diced carrot
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 2 medium red or gold potatoes, peeled and diced small
- 3 cups whole kernel corn, fresh, frozen, or canned (drained)
- 2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1 cup chopped spinach
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Chopped chives or more parsley (optional), for garnish
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced sausage to the hot oil along with the diced onion, celery, and carrot. Cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent. If there is more than about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan after cooking the sausage and vegetables, spoon off the excess before adding the butter.2 tbsp vegetable oil | 12 ounces diced smoked sausage (such as andouille, kielbasa, or Spanish-style chorizo) | 1/2 cup chopped onion | 1/2 cup diced celery | 1/2 cup diced carrot | 2 tbsp butter | 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Add the butter to the pot and stir until melted. Stir in flour until well blended. Continue cooking, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Gradually add the vegetable broth, stirring constantly. Add the diced potatoes and corn. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender, or about 20 to 30 minutes.2 1/2 cups vegetable broth | 2 medium red or gold potatoes (peeled and diced small) | 3 cups whole kernel corn (fresh, frozen, or canned (drained))
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream or half-and-half and spinach. Cook gently, without boiling, until the spinach is wilted and the chowder is hot. Stir in the parsley and add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chives or more parsley, if desired.2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half | 1 cup chopped spinach | Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste) | 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley | Chopped chives or more parsley (optional) (for garnish)
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
