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Mexican Street Corn Soup

Mexican street corn soup with a smooth, blended corn base and charred-kernel topping. Inspired by elote flavors—lime, chili powder, cumin, cilantro, and cotija—for a creamy bowl of street-corn comfort.
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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 base
  • 5 cup corn kernels Divided; use 2 cups for charring and 3 cups for the soup base.
  • 1 onion Diced.
  • 4 garlic Minced.
  • 1 jalapeño Minced.
  • 4 cup chicken or vegetable broth Choose one.
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tsp chili powder You’ll also use some for serving.
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 lime Juice of 1 lime.
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese Plus extra for serving.
  • 1 fresh cilantro Extra for serving.
  • 1 lime wedges For serving.
  • 1 salt and pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 immersion blender
  • 1 skillet

Method
 

Char corn and sauté aromatics
  1. Char 2 cups of corn in a dry hot skillet for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until blistered and lightly charred, then set aside.
  2. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat, then sauté onion and jalapeño for 4 minutes until softened.
  3. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly.
Simmer, blend, and finish
  1. Add the remaining 3 cups corn, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika, then cook for 2 minutes to toast the spices.
  2. Pour in broth, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 15 minutes to fully flavor the corn.
  3. Blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender, working carefully to avoid splashes.
  4. Stir in heavy cream and sour cream, then add the charred corn and lime juice and warm through.
  5. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve topped with cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, chili powder, and lime wedges.

Notes

For the smoothest texture, blend the soup while it’s hot (but not boiling hard) and then warm gently after adding cream so it doesn’t curdle. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days; reheat on the stove over low heat. Freezing is not recommended because cream and sour cream can separate. For a lighter option, swap the heavy cream for half-and-half and use plain low-fat sour cream (texture will be slightly less rich).