Description
Creamy Mexican street corn soup blends traditional elote flavors into a comforting bowl of goodness. Roasted corn, smoky spices, and tangy cotija cheese create a rich culinary experience you’ll savor with each spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups (960 ml / 32 oz) corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
- 4 cups (960 ml / 32 oz) chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup (240 ml / 8 oz) heavy cream or half-and-half
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
- ¼ cup (60 ml / 2 fl oz) lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 2 tbsps butter
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ cup (125 g / 4.4 oz) sour cream
- ½ cup (75 g / 2.6 oz) crumbled cotija or feta cheese
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Chili powder or Tajin seasoning
- Sliced green onions (optional)
Instructions
- Kernel Preparation: Heat butter in a large pot over medium flame. Add corn kernels and toast until achieving a golden caramel tone, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes to develop rich, nutty flavors.
- Aromatic Foundation: Introduce diced onion, minced garlic, and chopped jalapeño into the toasted corn. Incorporate cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, allowing ingredients to meld and release intense fragrant notes for 4-5 minutes.
- Liquid Transformation: Pour chicken or vegetable broth into the pot, bringing mixture to a gentle simmer. Allow ingredients to unite and develop complex flavor profiles for 10-12 minutes, creating a robust base.
- Texture Refinement: Utilize an immersion blender to transform soup into a velvety consistency, maintaining delicate corn kernel fragments. Fold in heavy cream, sour cream, and fresh lime juice, carefully balancing and adjusting seasoning to create a harmonious flavor profile.
- Garnish and Serve: Ladle soup into individual bowls, crowning with crumbled cotija cheese, vibrant cilantro, a sprinkle of chili powder or Tajin, and thinly sliced green onions. Accompany with lime wedges to allow personalized zest and brightness.
Notes
- Optimize Corn Sweetness: Select fresh, peak-season corn for maximum natural sweetness and vibrant flavor, ensuring a more authentic Mexican street corn profile.
- Control Spice Intensity: Adjust jalapeño quantity based on personal heat tolerance; remove seeds for milder version or include for extra kick.
- Achieve Perfect Texture: Blend soup partially to maintain some corn kernel chunks, creating a rustic and interesting mouthfeel instead of completely smooth puree.
- Dietary Adaptations: Substitute heavy cream with coconut milk for dairy-free version, use vegetable broth for vegetarian option, and replace cotija with nutritional yeast for vegan alternative.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Appetizer
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg