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Mexican Street Corn Soup

Mexican street corn soup made with charred corn kernels, a smooth blended base, and creamy sour cream for an elote-inspired flavor. Finished with cotija, cilantro, chili powder, and a bright lime squeeze.
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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: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

corn kernels
  • 5 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned), divided Char 2 cups and reserve the rest for blending and simmering.
onion
  • 1 onion, diced
garlic
  • 4 garlic, minced
jalapeño
  • 1 jalapeño, minced
broth
  • 4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
heavy cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
sour cream
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
butter
  • 2 tbsp butter
chili powder
  • 2 tsp chili powder Use some in the soup and reserve a little for topping.
cumin
  • 1 tsp cumin
smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
lime juice
  • 1 juice of 1 lime
cotija cheese
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese Reserve extra for serving.
fresh cilantro
  • 0.25 cup Fresh cilantro, extra cotija, and lime wedges for serving
salt and pepper
  • 0.25 tsp Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Char the corn
  1. Heat a dry hot cast iron skillet over high heat, then char 2 cups of corn kernels, stirring occasionally, until browned in spots (about 3-5 minutes). Set the charred corn aside.
Build the soup base
  1. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion and minced jalapeño for 4 minutes, until softened.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
  3. Add the remaining 3 cups corn kernels, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika, then cook for 2 minutes to coat the corn with spices.
Simmer, blend, and finish
  1. Pour in the broth, bring to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes (gentle bubbling).
  2. Blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender, then return it to low heat if needed.
  3. Stir in the heavy cream and sour cream, then add the charred corn and lime juice.
  4. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve hot topped with cotija, cilantro, chili powder, and lime wedges.

Notes

Pro tip: blend the hot soup carefully—start on low speed with the immersion blender submerged to avoid splatter. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; freeze only if you’re okay with slight texture change after thawing (up to 2 months). For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and keep sour cream as-is.