If you didn't already know, I am kind of obsessed with Mexican food. With Cinco de Mayo around the corner, I like to use this as an opportunity to make all kinds of delicious food -- everything from fish tacos to quesadillas to burrito bowls. This year, it's all about comfort foods, so I'm heating things up with a delicious creamy Mexican corn soup. It's dense, bright, and full of flavour.
Okay so let's talk about this creamy and dreamy soup. This is a super easy recipe to make. It's a one pot recipe, and it comes together in under 45 minutes, from prep to table. It's hearty, filling and a little chunky, like a chowder. I like to keep it slightly chunky, so I puree about ¾ of it and leave the rest chunky. But, you can puree all of it, if you prefer a smoother soup.
Ingredients in Creamy Corn Soup
This soup is made of everyday refrigerator and pantry staples. So there's a pretty good change that you already have all the stuff that you need at home. Here is what you will need:
- olive oil - I used extra virgin olive oil
- corn - I used corn thawed from frozen. You can also used canned corn or fresh corn. To use fresh corn kernels in the soup, cut the kernels off the stalk with a knife. Increase the simmer cook time by 15 minutes.
- onions - for flavour
- garlic - for flavour
- potato - add creaminess and thickness
- broth - I use vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian, but you can easily substitute this for chicken broth.
- seasonings - salt, black pepper, cayenne powder (optional)
- sour cream - adds creaminess
- cheese - I use sharp white cheddar cheese, but you can substitute this with any other grated cheese that you have on hand.
- lime juice - for flavour
I also top up the soup with a scoop of extra sour cream, fresh cilantro and toasted corn kernels.
How to Make Creamy Mexican Corn Soup
This soup is a small batch soup that will feed 2-3 people. To feed a crowd, I highly recommend doubling or tripling the recipe. To make this soup, there are just a few simple steps to follow.
- Cook the bulk of the soup. Sauté onion, garlic and corn and sauté until soft and tender. Add in vegetable broth, potato, salt and pepper, and cayenne (if using). Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add in sour cream and cheese. Remove the soup from heat and add sour cream. Using an immersion blender to pulse the soup until desired consistency is reached. Then, stir in grated cheese.
- Serve. Transfer soup to serving bowls, decorate with a swirl of sour cream, toasted corn kernels and fresh cilantro. You can also top it off with some crispy bacon bits if you are not vegetarian. Serve with some freshly baked bread on the side.
How to Make Toasted Corn Kernels
To make this super comforting and creamy soup even more satisfying, I topped it up with fresh cilantro, extra sour cream and toasted corn kernels. Toasted corn kernels are super easy to make. Just toss ¼ cup corn kernels with ½ teaspoon olive oil and a pinch of cayenne powder. Transfer to the air fryer and cook for 6-8 minutes at 350 F. You can also roast them in the oven at 350 F for about 15 minutes, but keep an eye on them so that they don't burn.
More Soup Recipes
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Creamless Cream of Asparagus Soup
- Creamy Cauliflower and Garlic Soup
- Roasted Carrot and Ginger Soup
- Creamy Pumpkin and Corn Chowder
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Recipe
Creamy Mexican Corn Soup
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 2-3 servings
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This vegetarian, hearty and filling, creamy Mexican corn soup is dense, bright, and full of flavour! It is the perfect Cinco de Mayo recipe.
Ingredients
Corn Soup:
- 1 + ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ⅓ cup onions, chopped (approximately ¼ onion)
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 + ½ cups corn kernels, thawed from frozen
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup potato, chopped into small cubes (approximately 1 small potato)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- pinch of cayenne powder (optional)
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
- ½ teaspoon lime juice
Soup Toppings:
- sour cream
- ¼ cup corn kernels, toasted
- fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium sized pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and corn and sauté until soft and tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add in vegetable broth, potato, salt and pepper, and cayenne (if using). Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Remove the soup from heat and add sour cream. Using an immersion blender to pulse the soup until desired consistency is reached. I like to keep this soup a little chunky, so I will puree about ¾ of the soup. Then, stir in grated cheese until melted and combined.
- Transfer soup to serving bowls, decorate with a swirl of sour cream, toasted corn kernels and fresh cilantro. Serve with some freshly baked bread on the side.
Notes
To thin out the soup. For a thinner soup, add in ½ cup to 1 cup extra broth.
Double up. This soup is a small batch soup that will feed 2-3 people. To feed a crowd, I highly recommend doubling or tripling the recipe.
To use fresh corn kernels in the soup: Remove the outer leaves off the corn on the cobs and cut the kernels off the stalk with a knife. Increase the simmer cook time by 15 minutes.
To toast corn kernels for topping: Toss ¼ cup corn kernels (thawed from frozen) with ½ teaspoon olive oil and a pinch of cayenne powder. Transfer to the air fryer and cook for 6-8 minutes at 350 F.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
This post was originally published in April 2018. It has been completely updated with new photos and content.
Terri says
We really loved this! So good and so easy, gonna put it on repeat for sure. You don't say what to do with the lime juice though, so I just squeezed it in after the cheese was melty.
Jessica says
So delicious! I husband and I recently had a soup at a Mexican restaurant and were desperate to recreate it. This hit the spot! Love the addition of potato as a thickening agent. None of the other recipes had this. I used frozen corn nibbles, added red pepper flake, added cilantro at the end. As I followed the recipe, I didnt see when to add the lime. Ended up omitting the lime. Ended up making a double batch from the start and so happy I'll have leftovers!
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Wow thank you so much, Jessica! You totally made my day!
Kit says
So easy to follow and I could easily substitute for things I didn’t have!! Turned out sooo yummy!! I used chicken stock and that really added nicely to the flavors as well as some truffle cheddar. Thank you so much for sharing! I’m definitely going to make it again.
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you so much Kit! So happy you liked the recipe!