Creamy Sweet Corn Soup Recipe (with Roasted Poblanos)
This creamy sweet corn soup recipe highlights tender corn kernels, potatoes, veggies, aromatics, seasonings, and green peppers for a touch of spice and flavor. It’s topped with roasted poblanos and cotija cheese. Enjoy this smooth and refreshing soup warm or chilled—it's a new summer favorite that celebrates corn season.
Servings: 4 -6
Ingredients
- 6 ears sweet corn
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 2 small cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 medium Yukon gold potato, finely diced
- 5 ½ - 6 cups water
- Juice of ½ lime, plus wedges for serving
- 2 poblano peppers
- ½ cup crumbled Cotija cheese
- Hot sauce (preferably Cholula)
- Diced or sliced avocado (optional, for chilled version only)
Instructions
- Cut the kernels off the corn cobs. This is the most cumbersome part about the whole recipe, so just go ahead and knock it out first (it will be worth it!). Measure out 5 cups of kernels (save any extra kernels for another use) and reserve the cobs.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion, and season with salt and pepper. Cook stirring occasionally, until light golden and softened, about 5 minutes. Add the jalapeño, garlic, cumin and oregano and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes longer (adjust the heat as needed, trusting your instincts). Stir in the diced potato, coating the pieces in the butter.
- Pour in the water—if you’re serving the soup warm add 5 ½ cups of water, and if you’re serving it cold add 6 cups of water, as it will thicken in the fridge. Nestle in the corn cobs (it’s okay if they’re not fully submerged). Season with salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, roast the poblano peppers either directly over a gas flame (place the peppers directly on the stove grates) or on a pan under the broiler, turning them occasionally, until they’re evenly blacked and charred. Transfer them to a bowl and cover tightly.
- Remove and discard the corn cobs from the soup. Add the corn kernels, and season well with salt and pepper. Bring the soup back to a simmer; cook at a simmer until the corn kernels are bright yellow, about 1-2 minutes longer.
- Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender. Stir in the lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper—it’s really important that you season the soup well with salt (remember, we only used water!). Also, if the corn you used wasn’t very sweet, feel free to add a pinch of sugar. If you’re serving the soup warm, reheat it over low heat (feel free to add more water to thin, if desired). If serving it cold, refrigerate the soup until chilled (it will thicken as it chills).
- Peel the roasted poblano peppers, discarding the black skin. Give them a quick rinse, then remove the seeds and veins. Finely chop the peppers.
- Pour the soup into serving bowls and garnish with the roasted poblano peppers, Cotija cheese and a drizzle of hot sauce. If you’re serving the soup cold, you can also add diced or sliced avocado. Serve with lime wedges alongside.
Notes
Recipe Tips
- The soup base is made with just water, which allows the pure, sweet flavor of the corn to shine through (I don’t recommend using stock or broth). The corn cobs themselves are a critical ingredient, as they infuse the soup with even more of that sweet corn taste.
- Since the soup is made with just water, it’s important to salt generously. Also, if the corn you used wasn’t very sweet, you may want to add a pinch of sugar. Trust your palate.
- I recommend sourcing fresh corn from your local farmer’s market or grocery store. Peak corn season is typically mid-late summer, but this varies regionally so check out your local markets.
- There’s no easy way to cut corn kernels off the cobs without them bouncing around. You can cut them in a bowl (stand the cob upright in a bowl and slice down), but I usually cut them flat on my cutting board, slicing vertically along the cob, surrendering to the fact that some kernels will fly onto the floor.
- If you don’t have a high-powered blender, you can use an immersion blender and blend the soup in the same large pot you cooked the soup in.
- The flavor of Cholula hot sauce works wonderfully in this soup, balancing the sweetness without overpowering the other flavors. However, if there is another hot sauce you love, go for it.
- Cotija is an aged Mexican cheese with a delicious salty finish. While it’s quite widely available these days, if you can’t find it you can go for a dry-style feta instead. Use leftover Cotija cheese in Corn & Arugula Salad with Creamy Ancho Dressing, Easy Chilaquiles, Slow Cooker Carnitas, Grilled Chipotle Tacos, and Warm Elote Dip.
- To turn the soup into a full meal, top it with shredded rotisserie chicken (in addition to the other toppings).
Serving Tips
Serve this sweet corn soup warm or cold topped with hot sauce, poblano peppers, cotija cheese, and diced avocado, as desired. For a complete meal with added protein, top the soup with shredded rotisserie chicken. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Alternatively, you can serve chilled right out of the refrigerator.Storage Tips
The soup can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Store in an airtight container or freezer-safe container and store accordingly. The roasted and diced poblano peppers can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Loved this recipe? Check out @nickisizemore for more!