Sweet Corn Soup

By
Molly Watson
Molly Watson
An award-winning food writer and cookbook author, Molly Watson has created more than 1,000 recipes focused on local, seasonal ingredients.
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Updated on 08/5/20
Chilled or Hot Corn Soup
Molly Watson
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
339 Calories
4g Fat
75g Carbs
13g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 339
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 890mg 39%
Total Carbohydrate 75g 27%
Dietary Fiber 8g 29%
Protein 13g
Calcium 31mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This corn soup is simple, full of corn flavor, and delicious whether you decide to eat it hot or cold (although since the height of corn season is the height of summer, you might choose to serve it chilled more often than not). 

By grating the corn off the cob, you avoid having to strain this corn-centric soup to remove excess husky or fibrous kernels. The bit of onion adds sweetness; the potato adds body. Serve this soup hot or, better yet, chilled. If you're feeling fancy, garnish with minced roasted chile, chopped cilantro, or diced avocado or tomato.

Ingredients

  • 10 ears sweet corn
  • 2 medium onions
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or olive oil or butter)
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (plus more to taste)
  • 1 medium potato
  • 4 cups water (or chicken broth or vegetable broth)
  • Optional garnishes: diced roasted green chile, chopped cilantro, diced avocado, diced tomato, crumbled cotija cheese

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Shuck the corn, removing the tough husks as well as the silky threads.

  3. Using a large hole grater nestled in a very large bowl, grate off the corn kernels from the cobs. Use the blunt side of a knife blade to scrape remaining liquid and corny bits into the bowl after you grate each cob. Set aside.

  4. Peel and dice the onions as well as the potato.

  5. In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil or butter. Add the chopped onions and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions wilt, about 3 minutes.

  6. Add the potato and water (or broth) to the pot. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the onions and potatoes are very soft, about 10 minutes. Add the corn purée. Cook until everything is heated through, about 2 minutes.

  7. Add the corn purée and cook just until everything is heated through, about 2 minutes, then puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender or food processor.

  8. Add salt to taste. (Do this at the temperature at which you plan to serve the soup; chilled soup will need more salt than hot soup because cold dulls the flavor.) Note that you will need to add a fair amount of salt if you used water as your base liquid. Keep adding salt, about 1/4 teaspoon at a time, and tasting until you notice a jump in the corn flavor.

  9. Serve immediately or chill. Garnish with roasted chile, avocado, tomato, cilantro, or cheese, if you like.

Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients

Steam expands quickly in a blender, and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only one-third of the way up, vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending.