Easy Corn Soup Recipe
This fresh, vibrant Corn Soup Recipe packs big flavor with minimal ingredients and quick prep. Sweet corn and basil shine in this naturally dairy-free, gluten-free dish!
Servings: 4 servings
Cost: $7.82
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1-1/4 cups thinly sliced shallots
- 1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 6 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock, see note 1
- 6 ears fresh sweet corn see note 2
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil finely chopped
- Red pepper flakes optional, if you’d like some heat
Instructions
- Remove the husks and silk from each cob of corn. Cut the corn kernels off all the cobs except for one corn cob. Keep the bare cobs; we’ll be using them! Thinly slice the shallots.
- Grab a large pot (big enough to hold the bare corn cobs). Place over medium heat and add coconut oil. Once oil is melted, add in shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until they’ve softened and have started to slightly caramelize, about 10 minutes. (Don’t rush this; we’re adding loads of flavor). Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add in corn that you cut off the cobs and salt and pepper to taste (I add 1-1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper). Add the bare corn cobs and the entire corn cob you set aside earlier. Cover the cobs with the chicken stock. Bring soup to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer (uncovered) for 10 minutes. At this point, remove the whole ear of corn and set it aside to cool.
- Cook the soup for 10 more minutes, then remove the bare cobs and discard. Remove soup and let cool for a bit (if it’s too hot, it will explode out of the blender!). Add the soup (in batches—don’t overfill the blender or it will explode) to a powerful blender (see note 3). Blend until very smooth—this takes a few minutes to get it super smooth (and even longer in a less powerful blender). (If you can’t get it smooth to your liking, you can pass the soup through a strainer back into the pot.)
- Meanwhile, cut the corn from the reserved corn cob. Return the soup back to the pot along with the cut corn and fresh basil. Stir through and taste. Adjust by adding more salt/pepper to taste. (If needed, you can add a dash of sugar to emphasize the corn sweetness or a pinch of red pepper flakes if you’d like some kick). If soup is too thick or too thin, see note 4. Serve soup in bowls and garnish with additional basil if desired.
Video
Notes
Note 1: A high-quality, flavorful stock adds loads of flavor and allows us to cut down on spices or other additions. I recommend Swanson’s® chicken stock (or vegetable stock to make this vegetarian).
Note 2: Cook fresh-picked corn as soon as possible—its sugars turn to starch fast! If you can’t, store it in the fridge to keep it sweet longer.
How to pick the best corn at the store: Look for corn husks that are tightly wrapped around the corn and have a bright green color with a slight dampness—these are the freshest ears of corn. Avoid husks that are starting to feel dry or look yellow.
Note 3: I blend this soup in 2–3 batches. Heat expands, so increase the speed slowly and watch carefully to avoid soup exploding. Remove the lid carefully, as it will likely release a burst of steam. If your blender doesn’t have a hot/soup setting, you can replace the blender lid with a folded towel and hold it in place with your hands. This will help reduce steam pressure. (If you don’t have a high-powered blender, you may want to press the soup through a sieve to remove and discard large pieces after blending).
Note 4: Troubleshooting: Soup should have a creamy consistency. If it’s too thick, add a touch more chicken stock. Too thin? Cook over medium heat until thickened up a bit more.
Storage: Store leftover Corn Soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for 3 months. Reheat over medium heat, thinning with stock if needed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 13.7g | Fat: 19.3g | Cholesterol: 10.8mg | Sodium: 536mg | Fiber: 3.5g | Sugar: 15.7g