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Creamy Mexican Street Corn Soup (Elote Inspired)

Close-up of a bowl of bright yellow creamy corn soup topped with crumbled white cheese and whole corn kernels.
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Make a rich and flavorful soup inspired by Mexican street corn. This recipe is quick to prepare and delivers a comforting, savory taste.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
  • 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled, plus more for topping
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • For Garnish: lime wedges, cilantro, extra chili powder

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the minced garlic, chili powder, and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Stir in the corn kernels and the broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
  4. Remove the pot from the heat. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until mostly smooth, leaving some texture if desired. Alternatively, carefully transfer batches to a standard blender and return the pureed soup to the pot.
  5. Stir in the heavy cream and the crumbled cotija cheese. Heat gently over low heat until warmed through; do not boil after adding the cream.
  6. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
  7. Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with extra cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice.

Notes

  • For a smoky flavor boost, roast half of the corn kernels in a dry skillet before adding them to the soup base.
  • If you prefer a thinner soup, use milk instead of heavy cream, or add more broth.
  • To make this vegetarian, substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://delishdiarist.com/creamy-corn-soup-mexican-street-elote-recipe/