Keto Sausage Corn Chowder

Keto Sausage Corn Chowder is so creamy and delicious! I know what you’re thinking, BUT corn isn’t keto! Hear me out. The key ingredient is baby corn. I’ll explain more below for you. Bonus, it’s very easy to make. It’s the ultimate comfort food!

Keto Sausage Corn Chowder is featured in my 3rd cookbook, Let’s Celebrate! It contains over 115 recipes recipes for year-round entertaining. Let’s Celebrate is available for preorder and will release on January 10th, 2023!

I’ve dreamed about recreating a low-carb version of this soup for years! Over 20 years ago, I picked up a free recipe card at a Bob Evans restaurant in Kentucky. I was still learning to cook and always looking for new recipes. Back then, most of my recipes came from my beloved Southern Living magazines, and church fundraiser cookbooks passed down to me by my mom. From the first time I made Sausage Corn Chowder, we were hooked. It became a regular in the rotation.

Sadly, I stopped making Sausage Corn Chowder when we started following a low-carb lifestyle. One day the creative juices were flowing, and I came up with a way to make it lower in carbs. I wasn’t sure it would work, but it did. My husband was impressed! He’d always loved the soup as much as I did. I hope your family enjoys it as much as we do!

I’ve included the complete instructions and a printable recipe card below.

Ingredients needed:

Pork breakfast sausage – If you like spicier foods, you can use hot sausage.

Red bell pepper

Green onions

Baby corn – Baby corn is low carb, whereas corn is higher in starch and carbs. The flavor is less rich than corn, and that’s where the corn extract in this recipe comes in.

Heavy cream

Vegetable Broth – Using a high-quality vegetable broth or stock adds flavor. Vegetable stock is generally more concentrated and flavorful.

Black pepper

Xanthan gum – Xanthan gum is used to thicken the soup since the recipe doesn’t use a flour roux. It takes very little xanthan gum to thicken chowders and soups. Don’t be tempted to use more than the recipe calls for. This recipe only uses 1/2 teaspoon.

Corn Extract – You can make this recipe without corn extract, but the flavor is better with it. It intensifies the corn flavor. This recipe uses 1/4 teaspoon but can be bumped up to 1/2 teaspoon for more corn flavor. I also use corn extract in my cornbread recipe found in my first book, Southern Keto.

Instructions:

Step 1: Cook the sausage, bell peppers, and green onions in a stockpot over medium heat, crumbling the meat as it cooks until it is browned, about 10 minutes. Drain if necessary.

Step 2: Add the corn, cream, and broth. Stir in the black pepper and xanthan gum. Continue cooking, frequently stirring, until the chowder thickens, about 10 minutes.

Step 3: Stir in the corn extract and reduce the heat. Let simmer for ten more minutes, then season with salt to taste. Serve garnished with sliced green onions, if desired. 

Storage instructions:

I love leftover soups and chowders. They always taste better the next day. This Sausage Corn Chowder should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-5 days. After that, it can be stored in the freezer for 4-6 months.

Can I make Sausage Corn Chowder Dairy Free?

To make this chowder dairy free, you can use an equal amount of canned full-fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream. It may slightly alter the flavor, but those who often use coconut milk as a dairy-free replacement usually don’t mind.

If you’re a massive fan of soups like I am, you should also try my Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana!