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Mexican Street Corn Soup

Mexican street corn soup that blends charred corn into a creamy, elote-inspired texture with chili powder, cumin, and lime. The soup stays silky with an immersion-blender finish and gets its signature tang from sour cream and cotija.
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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: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Corn kernels, divided
  • 5 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned) Divide into 2 cups for charring and 3 cups for blending.
Aromatics and heat
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeño, minced
Soup base
  • 4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
Spices and tang
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 juice of 1 lime
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese
  • fresh cilantro, extra cotija, and lime wedges for serving Use for topping just before serving.
  • salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Char the corn
  1. Heat a dry hot skillet until it’s very hot, then add 2 cups of corn and char it. Cook while moving occasionally, until blistered spots form, then set aside.
Build the soup base
  1. Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat, then add the diced onion and minced jalapeño. Cook for 4 minutes until softened.
  2. Add the minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute, stirring to prevent burning. Keep it fragrant but not browned.
  3. Add the remaining 3 cups of corn, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. Cook for 2 minutes to toast the spices.
  4. Pour in the broth and bring it to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes, then blend until smooth with an immersion blender.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir in the heavy cream and sour cream until fully combined. Add the charred corn and lime juice afterward.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then keep warm over low heat. Serve topped with cotija, cilantro, chili powder, and lime wedges.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, blend the soup while it’s hot and then reduce to low before adding cream so it stays smooth. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove to avoid scorching, and note that the soup may thicken slightly as it cools (thin with a splash of broth if needed). Freezing is not recommended due to dairy separation. For a dairy-light option, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream and use full-fat Greek yogurt in place of sour cream, stirring off the boil.