This Mexican street corn soup is inspired by the delicious flavors of Elote and recreated into soup form!
We used frozen corn, potatoes, cream cheese, poblano peppers, cotija, lime, spices, and more to turn one of our favorite appetizers into a zesty, comforting soup that satisfies all your creamy, cheesy cravings.
Creamy Corn Soup
We are huge fans of Mexican-inspired food here on the Cheese Knees. This soup embodies all the flavors of Mexican street corn but combines it with our love of (you guessed it) CHEESE. We found a way to incorporate cream cheese into this soup to make it ultra-creamy, cheesy, and packed with flavor.
Whether you are currently braving the colder months or in the heat of summer, this soup is delicious any time of year. The corn, fresh lime, and cilantro provide excellent summer flavors, while the potatoes, cream cheese, broth, and veggies make it a dream to cuddle up and enjoy in the winter.
why you’ll love it!
- Creamy, cheesy, and hearty — a perfect comfort food.
- It can be made in under an hour!
- Tastes even better the next day.
- Has the BEST flavor!
What is Mexican Street Corn Soup?
This recipe is inspired by the delicious Mexican street corn (a.k.a Elote) that, of course, includes CHEESE. To be clear, this is NOT an authentic Mexican recipe, but rather our humble version of it transformed into soup!
What is traditional Mexican street corn?
Mexican street corn’s true name is “Elote,” which means “corn cob” in Spanish. Elote is corn on the cob that has been grilled until perfectly charred and juicy. Then, it’s slathered with a creamy sauce made of chili, cilantro, and lime juice and dusted with delicious cotija cheese.Â
It’s one of the most popular Mexican street foods, and for good reason! It’s ADDICTIVE.
Elote Soup Recipe Ingredients
- Avocado oil: a heart-healthy oil for sautéing veggies!
- Onion: onion is an essential flavor added to the base of this soup. We used white onion, but yellow works too.
- Garlic: we always recommend fresh minced garlic for optimal flavor.
- Spices: chili powder and cayenne pepper are commonly used Mexican spices that give this soup some flare.
- Salt & pepper: necessary for enhancing all the yummy flavors.
- Vegetable broth: we used vegetable broth for this recipe, but vegetable stock or chicken broth works just as great.
- Yukon potatoes: we love the heartiness that potatoes add to this Elote soup. Feel free to swap for russet, Idaho, or red potatoes. Just make sure to cut them into smaller chunks.
- Corn: we used frozen corn for this recipe, but feel free to use fresh corn kernels.
- Cream cheese: The secret to a super creamy, cheesy Mexican street corn soup!
- Poblano pepper: poblanos added the perfect hint of spice that kicks this dish up a notch.
- Cotija cheese: you can’t have an elite soup without cotija! It’s a main ingredient, for sure. Can’t find any? Queso fresco is great too.
- Lime: a little acidity goes a long way! Don’t skip it!
- Cilantro: we’re garnishing this soup with chopped fresh cilantro. Omit if you don’t like it!
How to Make Mexican Street Corn Soup
SAUTE ONION + GARLIC
Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a large Dutch oven. Then add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the garlic, chili powder, cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon of salt, and pepper, and cook for another minute.
ADD POTATOES + BROTH
Next, add the potatoes and broth. Bring the broth to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes.
Pro Tip: We recommend peeling the potatoes if using an immersion blender for this recipe.
PREP TOPPINGS
While the soup is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of avocado oil in a large skillet.
Add 10 oz. of the frozen corn and diced poblano pepper, cooking for 4-5 minutes. The corn and peppers should develop a char on the outside. Season with remaining half tablespoon of salt, and set aside.
ADD MORE CORN
After the soup has been simmering for 15 minutes, add the remaining 10 oz. of corn and cook for another 5 minutes.
BLEND SOUP
Using an immersion blender, blend the soup for 10-second intervals until most of the potatoes have been broken up into tiny pieces.
Note: A blender can be used if you do not have an immersion blender.
Add in the cream cheese and stir to melt.
SERVE + ENJOY
To serve, top each bowl with ¼ of the corn and poblano mixture, ¼ cup of Cotija cheese, 1 tablespoon of cilantro, and the juice of ¼ lime. Enjoy your delicious Mexican soup!
What to Serve with Mexican Street Corn Soup
This delicious Mexican-inspired soup makes for a delicious and easy dinner on its own.
However, if you’d like to take this flavorful dish up a few notches, our sister site, Fit Foodie Finds, has some fantastic pairings!
Dunk some cornbread into your soup with this tasty Jalapeño Corn Pudding. This recipe also tastes amazing with tacos like our Smoked Pulled Pork Tacos, The BEST Tofu Tacos, Shredded Chicken Tacos, and Best Ever Carnitas Tacos. And don’t forget our Six Ingredient Bean Burritos! Mmm.
FAQs
Can you make Mexican street corn soup with fresh corn?
Absolutely! You’ll need about 2 1/2 cups of freshly shucked corn (between 3 and 4 ears of corn) to make this soup. Just keep in mind that the cooking time may vary.
Is Mexican street corn soup spicy?
Our version of this soup isn’t that spicy. It has poblano pepper, but this pepper is mild on the heat scale. If you’d like a spicier soup, feel free to add some jalapeño pepper to the recipe!
Storage
One of the best things about this Mexican street corn soup is that it tastes better the longer it sits. So if you find yourself with leftovers, you’re in for a real treat, as all the flavors and textures will amplify to a whole new level!
To store your Mexican street corn soup, allow it to cool completely before placing in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
To freeze, store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
To reheat, allow your soup to thaw in the fridge before heating it on the stove until warmed through. You can also heat it up in the microwave in 1-minute intervals, whatever you prefer!
Pro Tip: If you find that your soup has gotten too thick, add a little water or broth to thin it out a bit.
Mexican Street Corn Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil divided
- ½ large white onion minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1.5 tablespoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 lb. Yukon potatoes peeled and diced
- 20 oz. frozen corn divided
- 4 oz. cream cheese
- 1 poblano pepper diced
- 5 oz. cotija cheese ~1 cup
- 1 lime quartered
- ¼ cup minced cilantro
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon of salt, and pepper, and cook for another minute.
- Next, add the potatoes and broth. Bring the broth to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes.
- While the soup is cooking, prepare the toppings. Heat 1 tablespoon of avocado oil in a large skillet. Add 10 oz. of the frozen corn and the diced poblano pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes. The corn and peppers should develop a char on the outside. Season with remaining half tablespoon of salt. Set aside.
- After the soup has been simmering for 15 minutes, add the remaining 10 oz. of corn and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the soup for 10-second intervals until most of the potatoes have been broken up into tiny pieces.
- Add in the cream cheese and stir to melt.
- To serve, top each bowl with ¼ of the corn and poblano mixture, ¼ cup of cotija cheese, 1 tablespoon of cilantro, and the juice of ¼ lime.
Tips & Notes
- A blender can be used if you do not have an immersion blender.
- Any potato could be used in this recipe. If you are using an immersion blender, it is important to peel the potatoes.
