Mexican Street Corn Soup
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Get ready to turn classic elote into a cozy, creamy bowl of comfort with this Mexican Street Corn Soup recipe! This cheesy, flavorful chowder is packed with sweet corn, smoky spices, and all the bold flavors you love from street corn, but in soup form. It’s easy to make in 35 minutes, perfect for weeknight dinners, and guaranteed to become your new favorite cozy meal!
Why you’ll love this soup
Allow me to introduce you to your new favorite soup recipe. After testing this recipe extensively, getting feedback from my Instagram followers, and perfecting the flavors, I know that you’re going to love this Mexican street corn soup recipe! And here’s why.
- The texture is on point. This recipe lies somewhere between a soup and a chowder. It’s thick and creamy, but also chunky and hearty.
- The taste is amazing! And let’s be honest, that’s the most important part. It has all of the delicious flavors of elote from Mexico, but in soup form. It’s a little spicy, very creamy, and full of sweet, rich corn flavor.
- It’s easy to make. It only takes 15 minutes of hands-on time to make this simple soup recipe using a sheet pan, the oven, and a blender.
My family has already requested that this soup recipe be added to our regular menu. It’s a hit in my house and I know it will be in yours too!
Ingredients
Here I explain the best ingredients for this Mexican street corn soup recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For the exact ingredient measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Corn – I like to make this recipe in the fall and winter months, which means that fresh corn on the cob is not in season. This is why I use canned corn to make this soup recipe. You can also use eight cups of frozen corn. Or if you’re making this recipe during sweet summer corn season, use a sharp knife to remove the corn kernels from fresh ears of corn.
- Onion
- Jalapeno – you’ll want one large jalapeno for this recipe. If you don’t like spice, you can use half of a green bell pepper instead.
- Garlic – you’ll want fresh cloves of garlic for this recipe, as we’ll roast them whole, then blend them into the soup.
- Olive oil
- Chili powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper – to season the soup and add some spice. If you prefer less spice, omit the cayenne pepper.
- Vegetable broth (or chicken broth) – if using vegetable broth, this recipe is vegetarian. If you don’t need the recipe to be vegetarian, using chicken broth will add a little more flavor to the soup.
- Sour cream – you can also use Mexican crema. It will have a sweeter, less tangy flavor than the sour cream. It’s also thinner, which means the soup won’t be quite as thick and creamy.
- Cotija cheese – this crumbly, salty Mexican cheese is delicious in this soup. However, if you can’t find it in your grocery store, you can use queso fresco or feta cheese instead. Both will give you the same crumbly texture, but with a more mellow flavor.
- Fresh lime – we’ll zest the outside of the lime and squeeze fresh lime juice in the soup. You can also reserve a few lime wedges for serving on the side of the soup, so you can juice a little more on at the end.
- Cilantro – this herb adds a fresh flavor to the soup, and a nice garnish at the end. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, you can omit it.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Season and roast the vegetables. Drain four cans of corn, then transfer the corn kernels to a large baking sheet. Add diced onions and jalapenos, and whole cloves of garlic to the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, then season with chili powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Toss to coat all of the veggies in the seasoning. Roast in a preheated 425°F oven for 20 minutes.
- Blend half of the corn mixture. Once the vegetables come out of the oven, scoop half of them into a blender, making sure that all of the whole garlic cloves are added to the blender. Add vegetable broth, sour cream, cotija cheese, lime juice, lime zest and cilantro to the blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, about 60-90 seconds.
- Add the remaining corn. Transfer the pureed soup mixture from the blender to a large glass bowl, add the remaining half of the roasted vegetables and stir to combine. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle fresh cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese on top. You can set aside a half cup of the roasted corn mixture if you want to use it to top the soup. It looks pretty, but isn’t necessary unless you like to take pretty pictures of your food!
If you want to make the soup ahead of time, you can pour the pureed soup from the blender to a Crock Pot, then stir in the remaining roasted vegetables. Set the slow cooker to warm for up to 6 hours. I’ve done this several times and it works great for prepping dinner ahead of time!
What to serve with it
Okay go with me here, Mexican street corn soup and cheese quesadillas for dipping. It’s like a Mexican version of tomato soup and grilled cheese, and I’m here for it!
To make a copycat version of Panera’s Mexican Street Corn Chowder, top the soup with tortilla strips and serve it with a warm, toasty baguette on the side.
You can also serve this soup with Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread, or these popular Jalapeno Popper Crescent Rolls. They’re both great for dipping right into the warm, creamy soup.
If you want to make a whole Mexican street corn meal, pair the soup with this Mexican Street Corn Salad, or these Mexican Street Corn Taquitos.
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Mexican Street Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 60 ounces canned corn, four 15 ounce cans (drained)
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 jalapeno, minced
- 4 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup cotija cheese, crumbled + more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped + more for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Toss the corn kernels, onions, jalapeno, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, pepper, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet. Place in the oven to roast for 20 minutes.
- Remove the vegetables from the oven, set half of the corn mixture aside, then transfer the rest to a blender or food processor, making sure all of the garlic cloves go in the blender.
- Add the vegetable broth, sour cream, cotija cheese, lime juice, lime zest, and 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro to the blender. Blend for 60-90 seconds, or until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the pureed soup from the blender into a large bowl. Add the remaining half of the roasted vegetables and stir to combine. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with crumbled cotija cheese and fresh chopped cilantro.
Notes
- If you want to add chicken to the soup, I recommend stirring in 1-2 cups of warm, shredded rotisserie chicken at the end with the reserved roasted vegetables.
- Store any leftovers of the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. If reheating one portion, I recommend reheating the soup in a bowl in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Stir halfway through the time. If reheating more than one bowl, I recommend reheating it in a pot on the stove over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- This recipe makes just over 12 cups of soup. I recommend at least 2 cups per person, while I usually eat 3 cups for a meal. So depending on your family, this recipe will serve 4-6 people.
- You can easily double this recipe by clicking on the 2X button above. The ingredients will automatically update. You’ll just need to use two large sheet pans to roast the vegetables, and you’ll probably have to blend the soup in two batches.
Nutrition Facts
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