This Mexican Street Corn Soup recipe has all the flavors of Mexican street corn in soup form. This creamy corn soup is flavored with chile powder, poblano peppers and cotija cheese.
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The first time I tried Mexican Street Corn, or elotes, I was instantly hooked!
It’s grilled corn that’s slathered in a tangy cream sauce and sprinkled with chili powder, cotija cheese and fresh cilantro. Really, it’s hard for me to eat corn on the cob any other way now.
I even make my carrots street corn style now.
I also make these yummy Mexican Street Corn Chicken Tacos and Mexican Street Corn Salad.
I just can’t get enough of those yummy street corn flavors!
So, in an effort to get even more Mexican Street Corn into my life I created this Mexican Corn Soup. It’s a bit like a corn chowder, but it’s spiced up with chile powder, poblano peppers and given some tang with a bit of lime juice.
Ingredients needed
- Onion + Garlic
- Celery
- Poblano Pepper
- Butter
- Chile Powder + Oregano
- Chicken Stock – Or swap in vegetable stock or homemade bone broth
- Potatoes – I prefer to use Yukon gold potatoes
- Frozen Corn – Or you can use fresh corn kernels
- Heavy Cream + Cotija Cheese
- Salt, Pepper, Sugar
- Cilantro
- Mexican Crema or Sour Cream
- Lime
How to make it
- Cook the Aromatics: In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery, poblano, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic, chile powder, and oregano, and saute for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Simmer the Potatoes: Add the chicken stock, and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Add the Corn: Stir in the corn, cream and sugar. Cook for five minutes, until warmed through.
- Puree the Soup: Transfer 1½ cups of the soup to a blender and purée until smooth. Stir the puréed soup back into the pot of remaining soup. Note: This is optional, but I love the creamy, chowder-like texture that it gives the soup.
- Final Seasonings: Add cotija cheese, cilantro, and lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Garnish: Top with additional cilantro, cotija, chile powder and crema. Serve with lime wedges.
Garnishes
- Tortilla strips
- Mexican crema or sour cream (or try this cilantro lime crema)
- Lime wedges
- Cotija
- Cilantro
- Minced jalapeno
FAQs
As the recipe is written, this corn soup recipe isn’t very spicy. If you would like a spicier soup, you can add in a jalapeno pepper along with the poblano pepper.
This soup recipe is vegetarian as long as you swap out the chicken stock for vegetable broth.
Yes, you can use fresh corn in this recipe and it will be delicious! You’ll need about 6 cups fresh shucked corn from about 10 ears of corn.
How to make ahead & store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. This soup also freezes well, for up to three months.
Wine pairings
- Try a creamy, fruit forward Viognier or unoaked or moderately oaked Chardonnay. Fruit-forward, with a bit of body to them, they stand up nicely to the spices in this creamy soup.
More street corn inspired recipes
- Mexican Street Corn Chicken Tacos
- Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Elote Style Oven Roasted Carrots
- More → 30+ Corn Recipes
More soup recipes
- Smoky Chipotle Potato Cheese Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Ham and Bean Soup
- Cheeseburger Soup Recipe
- MORE → 35+ EASY soup recipes
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Wondering what to serve with it? Try one of these 25+ Side Dishes for Corn Chowder. Be sure to check out these 25+ Mexican Desserts too!
Mexican Street Corn Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion (finely chopped (1½ cups))
- 1 rib celery (finely chopped (½ cup))
- 1 medium poblano pepper (seeded, stemmed, and finely chopped (½ cup))
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 Tablespoon chile powder (plus more for topping)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 3 medium yukon gold potatoes (about 1lb., peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces)
- 2 12-ounce bags frozen corn (or about 6 cups fresh shucked corn)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ cups crumbled cotija cheese
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- Kosher salt and pepper (to taste)
- ¼ cups cilantro (minced, plus more to garnish)
- ½ cups Mexican crema or sour cream
- Lime wedges (for serving)
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery, poblano, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 7-8 minutes.
- Add the garlic, chile powder, and oregano, and saute for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the chicken stock, and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in the corn, cream and sugar. Cook for five minutes, until warmed through.
- Transfer 1½ cups of the soup to a blender and purée until smooth. Stir the puréed soup back into the pot of remaining soup.
- Add cotija cheese, cilantro, and lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve garnished with additional cilantro, cotija, chile powder and crema. Serve with lime wedges.
Equipment
Nutrition
This Mexican street corn chowder post was originally published in 2021. It was updated in 2023 to add new information. The recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
Delicious! My husband and I really like all of your recipes! Can I give the soup 10 stars?
Thanks Carol! So sweet 🙂
So good!
Thanks Jen!
So delicious!! Can I freeze this?
Hi Lauren – Yes, it does freeze well for up to 3 months.
I made this for the first time tonight and it was amazing! This will definitely be going in my frequent rotation.
Thanks Stephanie!
Delish! My whole family loved! We love soup and this is the perfect soup to serve in the summer!
I’m so glad it was a hit Amie!
Absolutely a favorite! Delicious, easy. And WAR EAGLE!
Iron Bowlday, 2022
Thank you Melissa!
Could I replace the heavy cream?
Made it tonight and we really liked it. We will be making this again. I used chipotle chili powder which gave it a little kick and love that flavor addition. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for trying it Barbara!
This is excellent. A nice take on a corn chowder. Spicy and sweet.
Thank you so much!
LOVE this! Made it last night and it was a huge hit! This will be pinned to our favorite recipes 🙂
Thank you so much Heidi!
My family loved this recipe however I added more chili powder and a decent amount of creole seasoning for extra flavor and kick
THIS IS THE SOUP OF MY HOUSE NOW.
I substituted heavy cream with dairy free heavy cream and added shredded chicken thighs 😋 👌🏼
A splash of tajin as garnished.
Thanks Amalia!
Such a crowd pleaser! Def add red pepper flakes for a bit of spice
frozen street corn
Wonderful! Made for the first time. Only addition I had was adding chorizo into this! Perfection! Will certainly make again!!
Thanks Cierra. It sounds delicious with the chorizo!
This was so good! Made it today! I added chicken. I used non dairy heavy cream, and I didnt use sugar. I didn’t puree it. I enjoyed the chunky, heartyness of it! Thank you!
Thanks Dora!