Description
This Mexican Street Corn Soup is a creamy, flavorful dish inspired by the classic street food elote. Featuring tender corn kernels sautéed with aromatic onions, garlic, and jalapeño, simmered with spices and broth, then blended to a perfect creamy texture and enriched with cotija cheese and cream. Finished with fresh lime juice, cilantro, and a touch of chili powder, it offers a comforting and vibrant taste of Mexican cuisine that’s perfect for any season.
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
For Garnish
- Chili powder, for garnish
- Tortilla strips or chips, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, and jalapeño pepper. Sauté until the onion is translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to develop.
- Add Corn and Spices: Stir in the corn kernels along with ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook together for another 5 minutes to let the spices infuse the corn.
- Simmer with Broth: Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer gently for 15 minutes, blending the flavors.
- Blend the Soup: Partially blend the soup using an immersion blender to create a creamy texture while still retaining some corn pieces for bite. Alternatively, you can blend half the soup in a blender and then return it to the pot.
- Incorporate Cream and Cheese: Stir in the heavy cream and crumbled cotija cheese. Simmer the soup for a few minutes until the cheese melts and the soup is heated through, enriching its flavor and creaminess.
- Final Touches: Add fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro to the soup and stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve and Enjoy: Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with a sprinkle of chili powder, and serve with tortilla strips or chips on the side if desired for added crunch.
Notes
- You can substitute half-and-half for heavy cream to reduce the richness slightly.
- For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Adjust the amount of jalapeño to control the heat level.
- To make this soup gluten free, ensure that broth and tortilla strips are gluten free.
- Leftover soup stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
