Description
This Mexican Street Corn Soup is a creamy, flavorful dish inspired by the beloved Mexican street corn. Combining sweet corn kernels, aromatic spices, and rich cream with tangy lime and salty cotija cheese, this soup offers a vibrant blend of textures and tastes. Perfect for a cozy meal, it’s garnished with chili powder and crunchy tortilla strips for added zest and crunch.
Ingredients
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 crushed tortilla chips
Instructions
- Sauté the Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and minced jalapeño, cooking for an additional 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add Corn & Spices: Stir in the corn kernels, coating them well with the onion, garlic, and jalapeño mixture. Sprinkle ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper over the mixture and stir to combine evenly.
- Simmer the Soup: 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 to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Blend the Soup: Using an immersion blender, partially blend the soup right in the pot to create a creamy texture while still leaving some corn kernels whole for texture. Alternatively, you can transfer half the soup to a blender, puree until smooth, and stir it back into the pot.
- Add Cream & Cheese: Stir in the heavy cream or half-and-half, crumbled cotija cheese, chopped fresh cilantro, and lime juice. Allow the soup to heat through for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to blend the flavors.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of chili powder and top with crunchy tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips for a delightful contrast in texture. Serve immediately and enjoy your comforting bowl of Mexican street corn soup!
Notes
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or a non-dairy cream for a lighter or dairy-free option.
- Adjust the jalapeño quantity to control the heat level of the soup.
- Using fresh corn will add extra sweetness and texture, but frozen corn works well year-round.
- If you prefer a smoother soup, blend it more thoroughly but retain some corn pieces for texture.
- Vegetarian option: use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Garnishes like fresh cilantro, extra cotija cheese, or a squeeze of lime enhance the flavor.
