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Mexican Street Corn Soup — Slow-Cooker Recipe for Cozy Weeknight Dinners Pinterest recipe pin

Slow-Cooker Mexican Street Corn Soup

A creamy, slightly smoky slow-cooker soup inspired by Mexican street corn, finished with cotija, lime, and a partial puree for body.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 –5 ears fresh corn kernels cut off (about 4 cups) or 4 cups thawed frozen corn
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil vegetable or canola
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 small yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 –1/2 teaspoon chili powder to taste
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 cup vegetable broth reserved for reducing
  • 1 medium russet potato peeled and diced (about 8 ounces)
  • 1 jalapeño seeded and chopped (optional)
  • Salt about 1 teaspoon to start, adjust to taste
  • 1/2 cup crema or sour cream
  • 1/2 cup crumbled cotija or queso fresco
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Optional toppings
  • Sliced scallions for garnish optional
  • Extra cotija for serving optional

Equipment

  • 1 4–6 quart slow cooker
  • 1 12-inch skillet
  • 1 Immersion blender or countertop blender
  • 1 Chef's knife

Method
 

Prepare the corn and aromatics
  1. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat; add corn in an even layer and sear without stirring for 2–3 minutes, then stir and cook another 2 minutes until lightly charred. Transfer seared corn to the slow cooker.
  2. In the same skillet reduce heat to medium, add butter, then sauté onion 4–5 minutes until translucent; add garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Pour 1 cup of broth into the skillet, scrape up browned bits, and simmer until reduced by about half, 3–4 minutes; transfer to the slow cooker.
Slow-cook the soup
  1. Add remaining 3 cups vegetable broth, diced potato, jalapeño (if using), and 1 teaspoon salt to the slow cooker; stir, cover, and cook on LOW 4–5 hours or HIGH 2–3 hours until potato is tender.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove about 2 cups of the soup to a blender and puree until smooth, or use an immersion blender to puree roughly one-quarter to one-third of the soup in the pot; stir the puree back in.
  2. Turn the slow cooker off or to warm and stir in crema or sour cream and crumbled cotija off heat; add lime juice and cilantro, taste, and adjust salt. Serve with extra cotija and scallions if desired.

Notes

Sear fresh or thawed corn before slow cooking for better flavor. Add dairy off heat and temper yogurt if using to avoid curdling. If freezing, omit crema and add it when reheating.