Go Back

Mexican Street Corn Soup

Mexican street corn soup with charred-kernel elote flavors blended into a creamy, smooth broth. This golden soup uses a quick simmer, immersion-blending, and cotija + lime for an easy main-dish bowl.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Corn
  • 5 cup corn kernels Divided into 2 cups for charring and 3 cups for simmering.
Aromatics
  • 1 onion Diced.
  • 4 garlic Minced.
  • 1 jalapeño Minced.
Broth
  • 4 cup chicken or vegetable broth Use as directed.
Creamy base
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 2 tbsp butter
Spices
  • 2 tsp chili powder Use 2 tsp in the soup and additional for topping.
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
Acid
  • 1 lime Juice of 1 lime.
Cheese & toppings
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese Plus extra for serving if desired.
  • fresh cilantro Extra for serving.
  • lime wedges For serving.
  • salt To taste.
  • pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 Immersion blender

Method
 

Char the corn
  1. Heat a dry skillet over high until hot, then char 2 cups corn kernels, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes until blistered and golden. Set aside the charred corn.
Sauté aromatics
  1. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté the onion and jalapeño for 4 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Simmer the soup
  1. Add the remaining 3 cups corn kernels, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika, then cook for 2 minutes to toast the spices. Add the broth and simmer for 15 minutes.
Blend until smooth
  1. Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir in the heavy cream and sour cream, then add the charred corn and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve topped with cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, chili powder, and lime wedges.

Notes

Pro tip: Blend while the soup is warm for the smoothest texture, then add cream and sour cream off the burner so they stay silky. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove until steaming. Freezing is not recommended because dairy may separate. For a dairy-light swap, use half-and-half or evaporated milk and substitute a dairy-style cotija alternative if desired.