Description
This Mexican Street Corn Soup is a creamy, flavorful take on the classic elote street food. Made with sweet corn, aromatic spices, and a touch of heat from jalapeño, this comforting soup is finished with tangy lime juice, crumbled cotija cheese, and crispy tortilla strips for texture. Perfect for a cozy meal, it blends the spicy, smoky, and creamy elements of Mexican street corn into an easy-to-make soup that serves four.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Juice of 1 lime
Garnishes
- Chili powder, for garnish
- Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, and jalapeño. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant, ensuring the garlic and jalapeño release their flavors without burning.
- Add the corn and spices: Stir in the corn kernels, ground cumin, and smoked paprika. Cook for 2-3 minutes, allowing the spices to toast slightly and the corn to warm through.
- Simmer the soup: Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes so that the flavors meld together.
- Blend the soup: Using an immersion blender, partially blend the soup directly in the pot to create a creamy texture while still leaving some corn kernels whole for texture. If an immersion blender is unavailable, carefully transfer half of the soup to a blender, puree until smooth, then combine back with the remaining soup.
- Add cream and season: Stir in the heavy cream or half-and-half, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Heat without boiling for another 5 minutes to warm through.
- Finish with fresh ingredients: Remove the pot from heat and stir in the fresh cilantro and lime juice to brighten the flavors of the soup.
- Serve with garnishes: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with crumbled cotija cheese, a sprinkle of chili powder, and tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips for a delightful crunch.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Adjust the jalapeño amount to control the soup’s heat level, removing seeds will reduce spiciness.
- For a lighter soup, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or a plant-based cream alternative.
- Fresh corn kernels provide the best flavor during the summer, but frozen corn works well year-round.
- To make the soup gluten-free, ensure your tortilla chips or strips are certified gluten-free.
