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Mexican Street Corn Soup

Mexican street corn soup with creamy blended corn base and charred kernels for an elote-inspired texture. Topped with cotija, cilantro, chili powder, and lime for big street-corn flavor in a spoonable bowl.
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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 (fresh, frozen, or canned), divided
  • 5 cup corn kernels divided
onion, diced
  • 1 onion diced
garlic, minced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
jalapeño, minced
  • 1 jalapeño minced
chicken or vegetable 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 plus more for serving
cumin
  • 1 tsp cumin
smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
lime juice
  • 1 lime juice of 1 lime
cotija cheese
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese plus extra for serving
fresh cilantro
  • fresh cilantro for serving; extra
lime wedges
  • lime wedges for serving
salt and pepper to taste
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Char the corn
  1. Heat a dry hot cast iron skillet, then char 2 cups of corn until you see light blistering and browned 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, then sauté the diced onion and minced jalapeño for 4 minutes until softened. Stir as needed to prevent browning.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Do not let it brown.
  3. Add the remaining 3 cups of corn, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika, then cook for 2 minutes. Stir so the spices coat the corn.
  4. Pour in the broth and bring it to a simmer, then simmer for 15 minutes. The corn should be tender.
  5. Blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender, keeping it in the pot. Pause and scrape the sides so no chunks remain.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir in the heavy cream and sour cream until fully combined and creamy. Keep the heat gentle to maintain a silky texture.
  2. Add the charred corn and lime juice, then stir to distribute. Taste briefly to confirm the elote-style brightness.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve immediately. Top each bowl with cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, an extra sprinkle of chili powder, and lime wedges.

Notes

For the smoothest texture, blend the soup thoroughly after simmering and then stir in cream and sour cream off high heat. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently, adding a splash of broth if it thickens. Freezing is not recommended because dairy can separate when thawed. If you want it lighter, swap half-and-half for heavy cream and use light sour cream.