If you like elote as a side dish you're going to love the way the sweet savory flavors update a comfort food classic! Mexican Street Corn Soup (sopa de elote) has all of that spicy, tangy, creamy goodness stirred into the best corn chowder you ever tasted! This is probably one of my two favorite soup recipes - it's right up there with Stuffed Pepper Soup!
Ingredients for Street Corn Soup
Some of the ingredients may not be familiar to you especially if you live up north (ie: anywhere outside of Texas). I've tried to give good substitutions when possible - it's definitely worth it to try to find the ingredients.
- Corn kernels can be freshly cut from the cob, canned, or frozen - it doesn't matter. I usually use frozen.
- Onions go in everything. I'd try to pick up a spicy white onion for this.
- Garlic adds a nice warm flavor and definite "mmmmmm" factor.
- Lime is a nice balance to the velvety richness of the soup. You get the soft creaminess then all of a sudden the sharp tanginess of the lime cuts through. Just about that time you get hit with the heat...
- Chicken stock is the base that you are going to use. You could use vegetable stock if you wanted to.
- Heavy cream is in this to contribute richness.
- Crema is a thickened, slightly tangy cream that's somewhere between sour cream and creme fraiche. You can substitute sour cream if you want to.
- Mayonnaise sounds weird in a soup but I promise you it's necessary in this.
- Cilantro is the herb that you either love or hate. I love the fresh, earthy flavor. If you don't use cilantro then use a little parsley.
- Chili powder is a combination of ground chiles and other herbs and spices. I like to make my own - it's linked in the recipe.
- Chipotle in adobo is canned chipotle in sauce. It's available on Amazon if you can't find it anywhere else. Beware - it gathers heat as it sits.
- Sugar helps to balance the sour-salty aspects of this Elote soup.
- Salt and pepper to taste. I use Kosher salt so be aware that if you use table salt you need to use less.
- Cumin has a mellow, earthy flavor that tastes like summer to me. If you don't like it I don't know what to tell you. This soup cries out for it.
- Tajin seasoning is used as a garnish. It's a combination of lime, chiles, and a little sugar and salt. We use it on everything here - including fruit. It's available on Amazon or you can blend lime zest with ground red pepper and a pinch of sugar.
- Cojita cheese is a tangy, crumbly cheese that's a little like a mild feta. You could substitute feta if you needed to.
- Liquid smoke just adds a rustic touch that I like. You can omit it if you want.
How I Learned that Frozen Patio Dinners were NOT Real Mexican Food
Although Dallas is mostly a mish-mash of cultures in the 21st century that wasn't always the case. Back in the 1970s when I was growing up here there were very definite areas that were hispanic, black, asian, and white.
There weren't many people from the Middle East yet so our concept of Middle Eastern food was primarily based on chunks of steak pushed on a skewer with some onion and pepper slices then grilled. Whoo HOO! Shish-ka-bob!
One area specifically of Oak Cliff (Dallas but not Dallas - hard to explain) was hispanic. Now, for most of us white kids, living in the wealthy suburbs, Mexican food was either a trip to Panchos or picking up an order at the Taco Bell drive through.
I suspected that what I was eating was not real Mexican food for a very long time. Once I got my drivers' license and a car I knew that the first time I lied about going anywhere I was going to lie about going to Oak Cliff.
I had been schooled on the stupidity of going to "those areas" of town but I was determined to taste real Mexican food... so I did.
Nothing horrible happened - there were a few catcalls, a few raised eyebrows, but I got my Mexican food which included a cup of Elote. It was love with the first tangy spoonful.
I was right - I fell in love with all of it AND Mexican Street corn was nothing like Pancho's or Taco Bell. OR the Patio Frozen Mexican Dinners my mom bought.
Thank God.
Mexican Street Corn Soup Tips
This is an incredibly simple recipe to make and your family will love it. Here are some things I learned the hard way!
- If you are making this from fresh corn simmer the corn cobs in the chicken stock for about 20 minutes. This will extract even more corn flavor.
- Soup can be thinned with a little extra chicken stock if needed.
- Technically you can freeze it but the texture will be a little grainy when it's thawed.
- To make it vegan use vegetable stock, almond or coconut milk, and dairy free feta and margarine. If it seems to thin scoop some up and blend it in the blender then add it back in.
- If you want a creamier soup add 1 can of creamed corn in place of 1 cup of the corn kernels.
- When I have leftovers from this recipe I like to mix them in with this Black Eyed Pea soup.
Street Corn Soup FAQs
Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.
Difficulty Level: Easy
What is Elote?
Elote, or Mexican Street Corn, is grilled corn on the cob covered with a mayonnaise, crema, and spicy herb mixture. It's then rolled in Cojita cheese - a Mexican cheese similar to Feta. It's a popular snack that's sold on the street by vendors. If it's prepared off the cob and served in a cup it's properly called esquites.
In this recipe I've taken the ingredients and made them into a hearty, cream soup.
Can I freeze this soup?
Technically you can freeze it but the texture will be a little grainy when it's thawed or it may separate a little. Just stir it up real good.
How long with Mexican Street Corn Soup last in the refrigerator?
If you have leftovers (doubtful) then you can refrigerate them for 3 or 4 days.
What to serve with Street Corn Soup?
It depends on what kind of appetites you are dealing with!
- A bowl of tortilla chips with a side of salsa or guac
- Salad
- Beef or chicken tacos
- Chicken salad sandwich!
- Flour tortillas and butter
- Crusty bread
- Sopapillas
More Tex-Mex Recipes from Restless Chipotle
If you love this recipe for Mexican Street Corn Soup you'll likely love these other Tex-Mex recipes.
You May Need
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Here's the link for the chipotle in adobo. I love adding a tiny bit to soups and other comfort foods to give it a little zing - like in this Mexican Street Corn Soup!
You can get Tajin on Amazon as well!
Mexican Street Corn Soup Recipe
This soup was so good that it disappeared in minutes. Creamy, rich, spicy, tangy - it's got all of the flavor! I like to serve it with a squeeze of lime and the Tajin sprinkled on top.
📖 Recipe
Mexican Street Corn Soup
Print Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 6 cups corn kernels
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo, mashed
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ cup crema, may use sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke, optional
Garnish
- ½ cup Cotija cheese, crumbled
- Lime wedges
- Tajin, as desired
- 1 teaspoon sugar, optional
For Slow Cooker
- 4 cups corn kernels, frozen
- 2 cups creamed corn
- Remaining ingredients are the same as above
Instructions
To Roast the Corn (You can omit this step)
- Dry the corn and spread it out on a heavy baking sheet.
- Broil for 5 minutes or so, stirring around often, to caramelize the kernels.
- Set aside.
To Make the Soup
- In a large stockpot melt the butter.
- Add the onion and sauté until it begins to soften.
- Add the garlic - sauté for about 3 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock, heavy cream, chipotle, chili powder, and cumin to the stock pot.
- Bring to a simmer and add the corn.
- Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Remove 2 cups of the corn to a blender.
- Add 2 ½ cups of the hot broth.
- Blend until smooth.
- Return to the pot.
- Bring back up to a simmer.
- Stir together the crema, mayo, 2 tablespoons cilantro, and lime.
- Add to the stockpot and stir until smooth.
- Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference.
- Ladle into bowls and top with the Cojita cheese and remaining chopped cilantro.
Slow Cooker
- Add everything except the crema, mayonnaise, cilantro, lime, and garnish to the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
- Stir together the crema, mayo, 2 tablespoons cilantro, and lime..
- Stir into the hot soup.
- Cook 10 to 15 more minutes.
- Garnish and serve
Notes
- If you are making this from fresh corn simmer the corn cobs in the chicken stock for about 20 minutes. This will extract even more corn flavor.
- Soup can be thinned with a little extra chicken stock if needed.
- Technically you can freeze it but the texture will be a little grainy when it's thawed.
- To make it vegan use vegetable stock, almond or coconut milk, and dairy free feta and margarine. If it seems to thin scoop some up and blend it in the blender then add it back in.
- If you want a creamier soup add 1 can of creamed corn in place of 1 cup of the corn kernels.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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