Mexican Street Corn Soup Recipe
If you’ve fallen in love with the zesty, creamy flavors of elote but wish it could show up on your dinner table as cozy comfort food, you’re going to adore this Mexican Street Corn Soup. This vibrant bowl captures everything we love about classic street-style corn — smoky, creamy, tangy, with just the right hit of spice — and transforms it into a spoonable, soul-satisfying meal. Get ready to dip your spoon into something that’s as fun and festive as your favorite summer street fair, but ready in just thirty minutes, no grill required!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Making Mexican Street Corn Soup is brilliantly simple, but the magic is in the details — every ingredient from the sweet corn to the creamy cheese and spicy jalapeño creates a symphony of taste and texture that hits all the right notes. Here’s what you’ll need and why each matters.
- Olive Oil: Adds a rounded richness and ensures the onion and garlic soften beautifully without burning.
- Yellow Onion (diced): The aromatic backbone for the soup, it brings gentle sweetness without overpowering the corn.
- Garlic (minced): Just two cloves lift the flavor with an irresistible savory note.
- Corn Kernels (fresh or frozen): The undeniable star of this recipe — go fresh if you can, frozen if you must, but always plenty for a sweet, starchy base.
- Chicken or Vegetable Broth: Keeps the soup light but flavorful, while letting the main ingredients truly shine.
- Heavy Cream: Gives a luxurious, silky texture and amplifies the natural sweetness of the corn.
- Sour Cream: Adds tang, body, and a hint of brightness that makes the soup sing.
- Smoked Paprika: Invokes that unmistakable grilled flavor — totally essential for street corn vibes!
- Ground Cumin: Lends earthy depth and warmth to round out the spices.
- Chili Powder: For a gentle heat and gorgeous color that winks from your bowl.
- Black Pepper: Freshly ground is best for just the right bite.
- Salt: Accentuates all the sunshine-bright flavors.
- Cotija Cheese (plus extra for garnish): This crumbly, salty delight melts in and doubles as a creamy, traditional topping.
- Cilantro (plus extra for garnish): A handful of fresh herbs at the end lifts everything with brightness and color.
- Lime Juice: A squeeze of citrus right at the finish keeps things vibrant and punchy.
- Jalapeño (optional): Add for a kick — how spicy you go is totally up to you!
How to Make Mexican Street Corn Soup
Step 1: Build the Flavor Base
Start by heating olive oil in a spacious pot over medium heat — you want enough room for the corn to dance a little! Sauté the diced onion for about 4 to 5 minutes until soft and translucent, stirring so it doesn’t color too deeply. Sprinkle in the garlic, letting it cook just until fragrant; this gentle step starts your Mexican Street Corn Soup off with warmth and savor, setting up deep, restaurant-quality flavor from the ground up.
Step 2: Sauté the Corn
Toss in your corn kernels, fresh or frozen, and give them a few minutes to get a little golden and release their aroma. This quick sauté (about 3 to 4 minutes) helps coax even more sweetness from the corn and hints at that charred, classic street-corn goodness.
Step 3: Simmer with Broth
Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Once bubbling, reduce the heat and let it all simmer for 10 minutes. At this point, the flavors meld and your house will start to smell irresistibly inviting — you might have visitors peeking into the kitchen!
Step 4: Blend Until Velvety
Next, take an immersion blender right to the pot and blend until your soup is silky and mostly smooth, or leave it just a little chunky for texture. If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the soup in batches to a standard blender until you reach your desired consistency. Then, return everything to the pot.
Step 5: Stir in the Creamy Goodness
Now it’s time to turn this from good to “oh wow” — stir in the heavy cream and sour cream, followed by the smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, black pepper, and salt. Simmer for another five minutes to meld the spices and get the soup piping hot and creamy throughout. This is when the iconic Mexican Street Corn Soup aroma truly comes alive.
Step 6: Add the Finishing Touches
With the heat off, fold in the crumbled cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, and diced jalapeño (if you like a little fire). Taste and adjust for salt, and maybe sneak another sip — at this point, it’s nearly impossible not to!
How to Serve Mexican Street Corn Soup
Garnishes
For that authentic street corn flair, shower each bowl with extra cotija cheese, even more fresh cilantro, and a wedge of lime on the side for squeezing. A sprinkle of chili powder or a dusting of smoked paprika adds color and a whisper of heat. If you’re feeling playful, add a few thin slices of jalapeño or scatter crunchy tortilla strips for extra fun.
Side Dishes
This soup is a showstopper all on its own, but it loves company! Serve your Mexican Street Corn Soup with warm, pillowy flour tortillas, crisp tortilla chips for dunking, or a simple green salad tossed in a lime vinaigrette. For a heartier spread, try a side of black beans, grilled shrimp, or a scoop of Mexican rice.
Creative Ways to Present
Take your presentation up a notch by serving individual ramekins topped with a dramatic heap of toppings, or pour your soup into mini cups for a festive appetizer at parties. If you’re hosting a taco night, offer the soup as a starter, or set up a soup bar with bowls of all the garnishes for a custom street corn soup experience.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Leftover Mexican Street Corn Soup can be a lifesaver for busy days. Simply cool the soup to room temperature and store it in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavors will continue to meld and deepen, giving you a delicious encore!
Freezing
If you want to stash some soup for future cravings, Mexican Street Corn Soup freezes beautifully. Pour cooled soup into freezer-safe containers or zip-top bags, leaving a little room for expansion. It’ll keep well for up to 2 months — just remember to label and date your stash.
Reheating
To reheat, thaw frozen soup overnight in the fridge if needed. Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to avoid scorching the creamy base. Add a splash of broth or cream if it thickens too much. Garnish just before serving to keep everything fresh and vibrant.
FAQs
Can I make Mexican Street Corn Soup vegetarian or vegan?
Absolutely! For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth and skip the chicken broth. For a vegan or dairy-free twist, swap the heavy cream and sour cream for coconut milk or a rich, plain plant-based yogurt, and top with your favorite vegan cheese instead of cotija.
How can I make my soup thicker or chunkier?
To thicken, simply add another half cup of corn before blending, or blend only part of the soup and leave some kernels whole for extra crunch. You can also stir in diced potatoes or even a little cooked rice in the final simmer if you want even more body.
Is this soup spicy? How do I control the heat level?
Mexican Street Corn Soup has a gentle baseline heat, mostly from chili powder. To keep it mild, omit the jalapeño and use a mild chili powder. If you love it spicy, leave in jalapeño seeds or amp things up with a few dashes of hot sauce, or add spicy tortilla chips as a garnish.
Can I use canned corn instead of fresh or frozen?
Yes, you can use drained canned corn in a pinch! The texture will be a bit softer and flavor slightly sweeter, but the soup will still be utterly delicious and satisfyingly creamy.
What’s the best way to blend the soup if I don’t have an immersion blender?
A regular blender works perfectly; just let the soup cool slightly before blending in batches to avoid steam build-up. Always blend with the lid slightly cracked and a towel over the top for safety, then pour the soup back into the pot to finish.
Final Thoughts
There’s something special about sharing a dish that invites people to gather and scoop up every last drop — and this Mexican Street Corn Soup always does just that. Whether you’re looking for weeknight comfort food or something festive for your next dinner with friends, give this recipe a try and let the zesty, creamy flavors turn any night into a celebration.
Print
Mexican Street Corn Soup Recipe
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Non-Vegetarian
Description
Indulge in the rich and comforting flavors of Mexican Street Corn Soup, a creamy and satisfying dish that brings the essence of elote to your bowl. This velvety soup is a perfect blend of sweet corn, smoky spices, and tangy cotija cheese, all simmered together to create a delightful Mexican-inspired meal.
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 4 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup crumbled cotija cheese (plus extra for garnish)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (plus extra for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 jalapeño (seeded and finely chopped, optional)
Instructions
- Heat the Olive Oil: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened.
- Sauté Aromatics: Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the corn and sauté.
- Add Broth and Simmer: Pour in the broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer.
- Blend and Season: Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Stir in cream, sour cream, and spices. Simmer to heat through.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in cotija cheese, cilantro, lime juice, and jalapeño. Adjust seasoning and serve hot, garnished with extra cheese and cilantro.
Notes
- For a thicker soup, add an extra ½ cup of corn before blending.
- To make it spicier, include the jalapeño seeds or add hot sauce.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute with coconut milk and dairy-free cheese.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
