Description
Description
Mexican Street Corn Soup is a creamy, flavorful soup inspired by elote, the popular Mexican street food! It features sweet corn, smoky spices, tangy lime, and crumbled cheese, all blended into a comforting and slightly spicy soup. Perfect as a starter or a main dish, this soup brings all the flavors of street corn into a cozy bowl!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 4 cups (about 6 ears) corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 4 cups (960ml) chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1/2 cup (125g) sour cream
- 1/4 cup (60ml) lime juice (about 2 limes)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For Garnish:
- 1/2 cup (75g) crumbled cotija or feta cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Chili powder or Tajín seasoning
- Sliced green onions (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the Corn:
- If using fresh corn, cut kernels off the cob. If using frozen or canned corn, drain and rinse.
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the corn kernels and sauté for 5-7 minutes until lightly golden.
- Make the Soup Base:
- Add the diced onion, minced garlic, and diced jalapeño to the pot. Cook for 4-5 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, cooking for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add Broth and Simmer:
- Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10-12 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Blend the Soup:
- Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth, leaving some corn chunks for texture. (Alternatively, transfer the soup in batches to a blender and blend, then return to the pot.)
- Stir in the heavy cream (or half-and-half), sour cream, and lime juice. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or additional lime juice.
- Serve:
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with crumbled cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, a sprinkle of chili powder or Tajín, and sliced green onions, if desired. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
Notes
- Make it vegan: Use coconut milk or a dairy-free cream alternative and omit the cheese or use vegan cheese.
- Adjust spice level: For a spicier version, leave the jalapeño seeds in or add diced serrano peppers.
- Make it chunky: Reserve some whole corn kernels and add them back to the soup after blending for added texture.