Mexican street corn soup puts the flavors of elote in a bowl: sweet corn and tender Yukon gold potatoes simmered with onion, celery, poblano pepper, garlic, chile powder and oregano in chicken stock and cream, partly puréed so it’s creamy but still full of whole kernels, then finished with cotija, cilantro and lime. It serves 6 and takes 55 minutes.
How to make it: Soften the onion, celery and poblano in butter, add the garlic and spices, then simmer the potatoes in the stock for about 15 minutes. Stir in the frozen corn, cream and a little sugar for 5 minutes. Purée 1 1/2 cups of the soup and stir it back in, then add cotija, cilantro and lime juice and top each bowl with crema and chile powder.
Why You’ll Love It
- Street corn flavors: chile powder, cotija, lime and cilantro, the same toppings that make elote.
- Creamy but chunky: only part of the soup is puréed, so every spoonful still has kernels and potato.
- Frozen corn works: two bags from the freezer, no shucking.
- Toppings bar: crema, cotija, cilantro and lime let everyone finish their own bowl.
The Secret to Flavorful Corn Soup
Two things give this soup its street-corn taste:
- Purée only part of it. Blend 1 1/2 cups of the soup until smooth and stir it back into the pot. The purée thickens the soup and makes it creamy, while the rest stays as whole corn kernels and potato pieces. For a smoother soup, purée more of it, in batches if your blender is small.
- Finish at the end. Cotija, cilantro and lime juice go in after the soup is cooked, so they stay bright. Then chile powder, more cotija and a spoonful of crema go on top of each bowl, with lime wedges on the side.
The poblano pepper and chile powder cooked in at the start give the soup a gentle, smoky warmth.
Ingredient Notes
Corn: two 12-ounce bags of frozen corn, or about 6 cups of fresh corn cut off the cob.
Potatoes: 3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, about 1 pound, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
Vegetables: 1 medium yellow onion, 1 stalk of celery and 1 medium poblano pepper (seeded), all finely chopped, plus 4 cloves of garlic.
Spices: 1 tablespoon chile powder, plus more for the top, and 1 teaspoon dried oregano.
Liquids: 4 cups chicken stock and 1 cup heavy cream, with 2 teaspoons of sugar.
To finish: 1/2 cup crumbled cotija, 1/4 cup minced cilantro, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and Mexican crema or sour cream with lime wedges for serving.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped, about 1 1/2 cups
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
- 1 medium poblano pepper, seeded, stemmed and finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chile powder, plus more for topping
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, about 1 pound, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 bags frozen corn, 12 ounces each, or about 6 cups fresh shucked corn
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup cilantro, minced, plus more to garnish
- 1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream, to garnish
- Lime wedges, for serving
How to Make Mexican Street Corn Soup
1. Soften the vegetables. In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt the 4 tablespoons butter. Add the onion, celery and poblano pepper with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 7 to 8 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and spices. Add the garlic, 1 tablespoon chile powder and the oregano and saute for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
3. Simmer the potatoes. Add the 4 cups chicken stock and the potatoes. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to keep a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
4. Add the corn and cream. Stir in the 2 bags frozen corn, the heavy cream and the sugar. Cook for 5 minutes, until warmed through.
5. Purée part of the soup. Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the soup to a blender and purée until smooth. Stir the puréed soup back into the pot.
6. Finish the soup. Add the cotija, cilantro and lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Garnish and serve. Serve garnished with more cilantro, cotija, chile powder and crema, with lime wedges on the side.
Variations
- Chicken: simmer boneless chicken breasts in the soup until they reach 165°F, then shred them and stir them back in.
- Sour cream and cotija base: stir sour cream and grated cotija into the soup before you purée it. Parmesan or Romano can stand in for cotija.
- Spicier: add 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper with the chile powder.
- Fresh corn: cut the kernels off 8 to 10 cobs, and simmer a few of the stripped cobs in the stock for extra corn flavor before discarding them.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, divided into smaller shallow covered containers so the soup cools quickly. It keeps 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: It can be frozen for 3 to 4 months, but cream separates and can look curdled after thawing, so the texture may change.
Reheating: Cover and reheat until it comes to a rolling boil or reaches 165°F. Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Tortilla chips or warm tortillas are all it needs. For a Tex-Mex dinner, pair it with one pot Mexican rice casserole or Mexican tortilla casserole.
More corn recipes and soups: slow cooker corn chowder, ham and potato corn chowder, Korean corn cheese and quick and easy taco soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the ingredients in Mexican street corn soup?
Corn, Yukon gold potatoes, onion, celery, poblano pepper, garlic, chile powder, oregano, chicken stock and cream, finished with cotija, cilantro, lime and crema.
What’s the secret to flavorful corn soup?
Purée just part of the soup so it’s creamy but chunky, and add the cotija, cilantro and lime at the end.
Can I use fresh corn?
Yes. Use about 6 cups of fresh kernels in place of the two bags of frozen corn.
What can I use instead of cotija?
Parmesan or Romano.
Is it spicy?
The poblano and chile powder give it gentle warmth. Add cayenne if you want more heat.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat to a rolling boil or 165°F.
Final Notes
Purée just part of the pot and add the cotija, cilantro and lime at the very end. If you try it with shredded chicken, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Mexican Street Corn Soup
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Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped, about 1 1/2 cups
- 1 stalk celery finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
- 1 medium poblano pepper seeded, stemmed and finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon chile powder plus more for topping
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 3 medium Yukon gold potatoes about 1 pound, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 bags frozen corn 12 ounces each, or about 6 cups fresh shucked corn
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 cup cotija cheese crumbled
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup cilantro minced, plus more to garnish
- 1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream to garnish
- lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt the 4 tablespoons butter. Add the onion, celery and poblano pepper with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic, 1 tablespoon chile powder and the oregano and saute for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the 4 cups chicken stock and the potatoes. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to keep a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in the 2 bags frozen corn, the heavy cream and the sugar. Cook for 5 minutes, until warmed through.
- Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the soup to a blender and purée until smooth. Stir the puréed soup back into the pot.
- Add the cotija, cilantro and lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve garnished with more cilantro, cotija, chile powder and crema, with lime wedges on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
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