Everyone keeps asking for this mexican street corn soup recipe, so here goes nothing. I’ve made it probably six times in the last two months, and honestly, I’m still not tired of it. My husband says I’m obsessed. He’s probably right.
The first time I tried making this, I didn’t roast the poblano pepper first. Just threw it in raw. The soup was… fine. But it was missing that smoky, charred flavor that makes elote so addictive. Now I know better. Actually, you know what? Sometimes I still skip the roasting when I’m lazy, and it’s still delicious, just different.
Table of Contents
What Makes This Elote Soup So Good
Here’s the thing about mexican street corn soup—it’s basically taking all those amazing flavors from street corn (you know, the kind you get from food trucks with mayo and lime and all that cotija cheese) and turning it into something you can eat with a spoon. Genius, right?
The combination of sweet corn, smoky peppers, tangy lime, and that salty cotija cheese is just chef’s kiss. Plus, it’s creamy without being heavy, which is a miracle because there’s definitely cream cheese involved. I think the lime juice cuts through the richness and keeps it from feeling like you’re eating straight-up cheese soup.
My neighbor Maria (who’s actually from Mexico City) tried this and said it’s “not authentic, but really tasty.” I’ll take it. She also told me I should char the corn first, which I’ve done exactly once because it’s extra work and I’m trying to get dinner on the table before 8 PM.
Ingredients for the Best Mexican Corn Soup
Shopping for this is mostly easy except for one thing—finding cotija cheese. My regular grocery store doesn’t always have it, and when they do, it’s randomly in different spots. Sometimes it’s with the specialty cheeses, sometimes with the Mexican foods, once I found it near the deli counter. If you can’t find cotija, feta works in a pinch. It’s not the same, but it’ll do.
What You’ll Need:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 poblano pepper, roasted and chopped (or just chopped if you’re lazy like me sometimes)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (I use like 6 because garlic obsession)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 6 cups fresh or frozen corn (about 4-5 ears if using fresh)
- 6 cups chicken broth (vegetable broth works too)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 large lime)
- 1 tablespoon sugar (trust me on this)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- Mexican crema or sour cream for serving
- Extra lime wedges
- Tortilla chips for dipping (essential)
A note about the corn: frozen corn works GREAT for this. I know everyone says fresh is better, but I’ve done side-by-side comparisons, and honestly? The difference is minimal. Save yourself the hassle of cutting corn off the cob unless it’s peak summer and you’re feeling ambitious.
And please, please, please don’t buy the cream cheese in that weird spreadable tub. Get the brick. The spreadable kind has a different consistency and won’t melt into the soup the same way. Learned that the hard way when my soup turned into a grainy mess.
How to Make This Creamy Mexican Street Corn Soup
Step 1: Get Your Veggies Going
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, poblano pepper, and red bell pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything softens up.
The kitchen will start smelling amazing right about now. This is when my dog appears from wherever she was napping because apparently vegetables cooking = potential food for her.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Don’t walk away during this step—I burned the garlic last Tuesday because my kid needed help finding his other shoe, and we all know how that ended. Burnt garlic ruins everything.
Step 2: Toast Those Spices
Sprinkle in the chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Stir everything around for about a minute until the spices smell toasty and fragrant. This step is called “blooming” the spices, which sounds fancy but really just means “don’t skip this or your soup will taste flat.”
Step 3: Add the Corn and Broth
Dump in all that corn. If you’re using fresh corn, let it cook for about 2-3 minutes before adding the broth. Frozen corn can go straight in with the liquid.
Pour in the chicken broth and bring everything to a boil. Once it’s bubbling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Set a timer. I always think I’ll remember, and I never do.
Step 4: The Cream Cheese Magic
This is where it gets good. Cut the cream cheese into chunks (it melts faster this way) and drop them into the soup. Stir until everything’s melted and the soup looks all creamy and dreamy. It’ll look kinda weird at first with chunks of white floating around, but keep stirring—it all comes together.
Add the heavy cream and stir it in. The soup should be thick and luxurious now. If it seems too thick, add a bit more broth. Too thin? Let it simmer a few more minutes.
Step 5: Finish Strong
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lime juice, sugar, and chopped cilantro. Taste it and season with salt and pepper. I usually need about a teaspoon of salt, but it depends on how salty your broth was.
The sugar might seem weird, but it balances out the acidity from the lime and brings out the natural sweetness of the corn. Don’t skip it.
Step 6: Blend or Don’t (Your Choice)
Some people like to blend half the soup with an immersion blender for a smoother texture. I’ve done it both ways. Blended is creamier and more elegant. Chunky is heartier and more rustic. Both are delicious. Do whatever feels right in the moment.
Mexican Street Corn Soup Tips I’ve Figured Out
Roasting the poblano makes a difference. If you have time, char that poblano directly over a gas burner or under the broiler until it’s blackened all over. Put it in a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap for 10 minutes, then peel off the skin and remove the seeds. The smoky flavor is so good.
This soup tastes better the next day. Make it ahead if you can. All those flavors meld together and it gets even more delicious. Just reheat gently and add a splash of broth if it’s too thick.
Go crazy with toppings. We pile ours high with crumbled cotija, a drizzle of Mexican crema, extra cilantro, diced avocado, and crushed tortilla chips. Sometimes I’ll add a squeeze of sriracha because I like things spicy. My kids eat theirs plain because they’re weird.
Make it vegetarian easily. Just swap chicken broth for vegetable broth. Done. The soup is already vegetarian otherwise.
Freeze it (sort of). You can freeze this soup, but I’d recommend doing it before adding the cream cheese and heavy cream. Dairy can separate when frozen and thawed. Freeze the corn and broth base, then add the creamy stuff when you reheat it.
What to Serve with This Quick Mexican Soup
Tortilla chips are non-negotiable. You need something crunchy to go with all that creaminess. We buy those thick, restaurant-style tortilla chips and use them for dipping and crushing on top.
A simple green salad works if you want to pretend you’re eating vegetables (even though there are vegetables IN the soup). Sometimes I’ll make a quick cabbage slaw with lime dressing on the side.
Or just eat the soup by itself. It’s filling enough to be a complete meal. Add some warm tortillas if you want to make it more substantial.
Why This One Pot Mexican Corn Soup is My Go-To
I’ve tried a lot of soup recipes, and this one just hits different. It’s got that perfect balance of comfort food creaminess with bright, fresh flavors from the lime and cilantro. It’s easy enough for a weeknight but impressive enough that I’ve served it to guests and gotten recipe requests every single time.
Plus, it comes together in about 30 minutes if you skip roasting the poblano (which, let’s be honest, I usually do). One pot, minimal chopping, maximum flavor. That’s my kind of recipe.
The cotija cheese on top is really what makes it taste like mexican street corn. That salty, crumbly cheese mixed with the creamy soup and the lime? It’s the exact flavor combo from elote but in a form you can eat while sitting on your couch under a blanket. Perfect.
My mom tried this last week and immediately asked for the recipe, which never happens because she usually just critiques my cooking. So I guess I did something right here.
Anyway, make this mexican street corn soup and tell me what you think! Do you roast your poblano or are you team lazy like me? Let me know in the comments because I’m genuinely curious how many people actually do all the proper steps versus just throwing everything in a pot and calling it good.
Happy cooking! 🌽🌶️
