Mexican Street Corn Soup

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Mexican street corn soup has all the incredible flavors of street corn in a warm, comforting, delicious soup. This soup has fresh corn, lots of cotija cheese, spices, cilantro, lime juice, and sour cream to make it smooth and creamy.

Overhead shot of a bowl of Mexican street corn soup topped with lime wedges, cilantro and cotija cheese.

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Convenience: It’s the perfect way to savor these delicious elote flavors during the fall and winter months.
  • Flavor: If you have never had Mexican street corn, then you’re in for a real treat! The flavors of corn, cheese, lime, and chili are to die for!
  • Easy to Make: This soup takes 10 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking time! Dinner will be easy and delicious. Have some chips and  guacamole on the side and churros for dessert.

Ingredients for Mexican Street Corn Soup

The list of ingredients needed shouldn’t be hard to come by. You can also make adjustments to use what you have on hand. For exact measurements, scroll to the bottom of the post.

  • Vegetable Oil: Used to cook the onions and corn.
  • Yellow Onion: Gives the soup a nice savory flavor and a slight texture.
  • Fresh Corn Kernels: You can use canned or frozen, but fresh from the cob is just unbeatable. Elote is the Spanish word for ‘corn on the cob!’
  • Salt and Pepper: Enhances all the flavors in the soup.
  • Ancho Chili Powder: Regular chili powder is okay to use if you don’t have it on hand.
  • Chipotle Seasoning: Gives the soup a slight smokey flavor and a kick of heat. Use store bout or can make homemade chipotle seasoning.
  • Minced Garlic: Gives the soup the best savory flavor that brings everything together!
  • Vegetable Broth: You can use chicken broth if you don’t have vegetable broth on hand.
  • Cotija Cheese: Provides a nice salty, cheesy flavor that is unique to Mexican street corn.
  • Sour Cream: Gives the soup a nice creamy texture.
  • Cilantro: Adds a bright, fresh herbal note that is also unique to Mexican flavors.
  • Lime Juice: Gives a good citrus burst of flavor. A must for Mexican street corn!
Overhead shot of labeled ingredients.

How to Make Mexican Street Corn Soup

Making this soup is easy. Simply sautee your vegetables, combine ingredients, blend the soup, and serve! You will love how flavorful and delicious this soup is. I’m sure your family will love it!

  1. Sautée: Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, then add onion, corn, salt, pepper, chili powder, and chipotle seasoning. Cook until the corn is a little charred, about 5-8 minutes.
  2. Simmer: Add the garlic to the pot and cook for another minute. Pour in the broth, cotija cheese, and sour cream. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally.
  3. Blend: Remove 2 cups of the corn from the soup and set it aside. Then, blend the soup to a smooth consistency using an immersion or regular blender. Remember to be careful when pouring hot liquids into a blender.
  4. Stir and Serve: If using a blender, pour the soup back into the pot, then add the reserved corn kernels back to the soup. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice and serve.

Tips and Variations for Street Corn Soup

This Mexican street corn soup recipe is simple and delicious. You can change things up to suit your taste preferences. Here are some tips to get you started.

  • Corn: Canned corn works for this recipe but I recommend using fresh corn.
  • Substitutions: You can use regular chili powder in place of ancho chili powder; similarly, chicken broth can be used instead of vegetable broth.
  • Spice: You can add more or less chili powder depending on how spicy you want this soup.
  • Topping: I like to garnish my soup with extra cojita cheese, lime wedges and fresh cilantro. You could also top with bacon, Mexican crema, and tajin.

Overhead shot of Mexican street corn in a pot with a ladle.

Storing and Reheating Leftover Instructions

  • Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for five days.
  • Freezer: Store in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
  • Reheat: To warm frozen leftovers, start by taking the soup out of the freezer and placing it in the fridge so it can thaw safely without spoiling. Note that this may take a couple of days. Once the soup is thawed, you can microwave it or heat it on the stove.

Close up shot of Mexican street corn in a bowl with a spoon.

More Elote-Inspired Recipes

I seriously can’t get enough of these delicious flavors! Sweet corn with acidic lime, spicy chili powder, and mayo is the best! Here are some more recipes to satisfy your elote cravings!

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  • Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, corn, salt, pepper, chili powder, and chipotle seasoning. Cook until the corn is a little charred, about 5-8 minutes.

  • Add the garlic to the pot and cook for another minute. Pour in the broth, cotija cheese, and sour cream. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally.

  • Remove 2 cups of the corn from the soup and set aside. Blend the soup to a smooth consistency using an immersion or regular blender. Be careful pouring hot liquids into a blender.

  • If using a blender, pour the soup back into the pot. Add the reserved corn kernels back to the soup. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice and serve.

Calories: 217kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 6gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 912mgPotassium: 311mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 743IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Published by Staff Reporter