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Mexican Street Corn Soup

Mexican street corn soup with charred corn kernels blended into a smooth, creamy elote-inspired bowl. Made with jalapeño, lime juice, cotija, and warm chili-spice for a rich, tangy soup.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Corn
  • 5 cup corn kernels Fresh, frozen, or canned; divided (use 2 cups for charring and 3 cups in the soup).
  • 2 cup corn kernels Char in a dry hot skillet; set aside.
Soup base
  • 1 onion Diced.
  • 4 clove garlic Minced.
  • 1 jalapeño Minced.
  • 4 cup chicken or vegetable broth Use as the cooking liquid.
  • 2 tbsp butter For sautéing.
Seasonings and dairy
  • 2 tsp chili powder Split between cooking and serving.
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 lime Juice of 1 lime.
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese Plus extra for serving.
  • 1 fresh cilantro Plus extra for serving.
  • 1 salt To taste.
  • 1 black pepper To taste.
  • 1 lime wedges For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 Immersion blender
  • 1 Skillet

Method
 

Char corn for flavor
  1. Heat a dry hot skillet and char 2 cups of corn until browned in spots, then set aside.
Build the soup base
  1. Melt the butter in a pot, then sauté the onion and jalapeño for 4 minutes.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add the remaining 3 cups corn, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika, then cook for 2 minutes.
Simmer and blend
  1. Pour in the broth and simmer for 15 minutes.
  2. Blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender, then stir to combine.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir in the heavy cream and sour cream, then add the reserved charred corn and lime juice.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve topped with cotija, fresh cilantro, a pinch of chili powder, and lime wedges.

Notes

Pro tip: blend the soup right after simmering so it turns fully smooth, then add the charred corn to keep some smoky texture. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days; reheat gently. Freezing isn’t recommended because dairy soups can separate after thawing. For a lighter version, swap heavy cream for half-and-half (texture will be a bit thinner) and use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream.