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Mexican Street Corn Soup

Mexican street corn soup with charred corn, smoky chili, and a creamy blended texture. Simmered with chicken broth and half-and-half, then finished with lime, cotija, and cilantro for an elote-style bowl.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 265
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

butter
  • 2 tbsp butter
yellow onion
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
garlic cloves
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
corn kernels
  • 4 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
chili powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
chicken broth
  • 3 cup chicken broth
half-and-half
  • 1 cup half-and-half
lime juice
  • 1 Juice of 1 lime
cotija cheese
  • 0.5 cup crumbled cotija cheese
cilantro
  • 0.25 cup chopped cilantro
salt and pepper
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Char the corn
  1. Melt the butter in a large pot and char the corn over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until browned in spots, then set aside ½ cup for topping.
Build the soup base
  1. Sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat for 4 minutes until soft and fragrant.
  2. Stir in the chili powder, smoked paprika, and ground cumin for 30 seconds until aromatic.
  3. Add the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Cream and finish
  1. Simmer for 10 minutes until the flavors meld, then blend half the soup until creamy while the other half stays chunky.
  2. Stir in the half-and-half and lime juice and heat until just warmed through, about 2 minutes, with a gentle simmer.
  3. Ladle into bowls and top with cotija, the reserved charred corn, and chopped cilantro.
  4. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve while hot.

Notes

For extra char, broil the corn for 2–3 minutes before adding it to the pot (especially if using frozen kernels). Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop. Freezing is not recommended because the half-and-half can separate. For a lighter option, use evaporated milk instead of half-and-half for a similar creamy finish.