Mexican Street Corn Soup
With Cotija cheese, cilantro, chili powder, and lime, this Mexican Street Corn-inspired soup is a fun way to cook with sweet summer corn. Note that this is not an authentic Mexican recipe. It is a riff on corn chowder based on the popular and delicious flavors of Elote.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive or vegetable oil
- 6 cups fresh corn kernels , from 8-10 shucked cobs (save 6 of the stripped cobs for simmering the soup)
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- ¼ teaspoon ancho chili powder (use more or less, depending on your heat preferences)*
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large garlic cloves , chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup grated dry/aged Cotija cheese , plus additional for garnish (substitute Parmesan or Romano if Cotija is unavailable)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chopped cilantro , divided
Instructions
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Heat oil in a large, nonstick pot or cast iron Dutch oven until shimmering. Add corn kernels, chopped onion, chili powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until onions are soft and corn is lightly charred in spots, about 8-10 minutes.
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Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Remove 1-½ cups of corn mixture from the pot and set aside. Stir broth and 6 stripped corn cobs into the pot, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
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Use tongs to remove corn cobs from pot and discard.
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Stir sour cream and Cotija into the soup. Transfer soup to a blender or food processor (in batches, depending on the size of your unit for safety) to puree until smooth.
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Return soup to pot and if needed, gently reheat to desired serving temperature. Stir in half (¾ cup) of the reserved corn mixture, lime juice, and 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and chili powder.
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Toss remaining ¾ cup corn with lime zest and 2 teaspoons chopped cilantro. Serve soup, topped with a few spoonfuls of the corn mixture, and an extra sprinkling of Cotija.
