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Mexican Street Corn Soup

Mexican street corn soup is a creamy, elote-inspired blend with charred corn kernels and a smooth, spoonable base made with an immersion blender. It’s seasoned with chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika, then finished with cotija, cilantro, and lime.
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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 and aromatics
  • 2 cup corn kernels For charring; reserve separately.
  • 3 cup corn kernels For simmering and blending.
  • 1 onion Diced.
  • 4 garlic Minced.
  • 1 jalapeño Minced.
Soup base
  • 4 cup chicken or vegetable broth Choose chicken for richer flavor or vegetable for vegetarian.
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 2 tbsp butter
Seasonings
  • 2 tsp chili powder Use a portion for soup and additional for serving.
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 lime Juice of 1 lime, plus wedges for serving.
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese For topping.
  • 0.01 fresh cilantro Extra for serving, plus to taste.
  • 0.01 salt To taste.
  • 0.01 pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 immersion blender
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Char the corn
  1. Heat a dry hot skillet over high heat and char 2 cups of corn, stirring occasionally, until blistered in spots, about 4–6 minutes; set aside.
  2. Transfer the charred corn to a bowl and keep it ready for later to maintain the roasted texture.
Build the soup base
  1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a pot over medium heat, then sauté the diced onion and minced jalapeño for 4 minutes until softened.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant.
  3. Stir in the remaining 3 cups corn, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika, then cook for 2 minutes to toast the spices.
  4. Pour in the broth, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 15 minutes so the flavors meld.
Blend and finish
  1. Blend the soup until smooth with an immersion blender, then stir to make sure no lumps remain.
  2. Stir in the heavy cream and sour cream, then add the charred corn and lime juice.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve hot with cotija, extra cilantro, chili powder, and lime wedges on top.

Notes

Pro tip: blend while the soup is hot and then stir in the charred corn at the end so you keep that elote-style texture. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of broth if it thickens. Freezing isn’t recommended due to the dairy, but you can make it lighter by swapping heavy cream for evaporated milk (still add the sour cream) for a creamier texture than low-fat substitutes.