Sweet Corn Soup gets its deep flavor from grilling the corn first, not just boiling it. Roasted corn cobs simmer right in the broth before getting blended into a thick, velvety soup with a gentle kick of jalapeno. It’s dairy-free and freezer-friendly, so you can tuck away a batch for any time the craving hits.
Soups are a great way to meal prep and feed a crowd. Two favorites are my Creamy Chicken Mushroom Soup and my Cajun Chicken Rice Soup.
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Why this Sweet Corn Soup Recipe is a Keeper
This corn soup recipe checks every box for a flavorful, make-ahead meal. It is a great way to take advantage of all that fresh local sweet corn.
ONLY USE 2-4 OF THE MOST APPLICABLE FEATURES.
- Deep Roasted Flavor: Grilling the corn first adds a smoky depth plain boiled corn can’t match.
- Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free: A great option to serve when you’re not sure about a guest’s dietary needs.
- Freezer Friendly: Make a big batch and tuck portions away for up to six months.
- Adaptable: Easy to make low-carb or fully meat-free with simple swaps.
- Other Soups I Love to Make: Tomato Basil Bisque, Italian Minestrone Soup and my Easy Turkey Rice Soup.
Can I Substitute Different Vegetables to Make Sweet Corn Soup?
Yes, this soup is easy to bulk up with other vegetables. Russet or Yukon gold potatoes both work well, as do cauliflower or broccoli. Just cook any added vegetable until it’s fork-tender before blending. The corn flavor still comes through as the star of the soup.
Pro Tip Dairy Free Style Corn Soup
Don’t skip blackening the ears of corn on the grill before anything else. That char is what gives this soup its deep, roasted flavor instead of tasting like a plain boiled corn soup.
Ingredient Notes to Make Corn Soup
A few ingredients in this sweet corn soup recipe are worth a closer look.
This is an overview of key ingredients. Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Fresh Corn on the Cob: Use whatever variety you can find at the farmers market or grocery store, grill the fresh corn cobs in the husk.
- Jalapenos: These add a gentle warmth. Leave them out entirely if you’d rather keep this soup mild and sweet.
- Fresh Thyme and Sage: Fresh herbs make a real difference here over dried, so use fresh if you can.
- All Purpose Seasoning Blend: My house seasoning blend rounds out the flavor without needing a long ingredient list.
Variations and Substitutions – Use Frozen Corn for Creamy Corn Soup
This comforting corn soup is easy to adjust based on what you have on hand to enhance the flavor to the soup. You can use fresh or frozen corn to make this soup.
➡️ Use Canned Corn or Use Frozen Corn: Try frozen sweet corn kernels in place of fresh sweet corn kernels if corn isn’t in season. If using canned corn, drain and rinse it well to eliminate the extra sodium or use a low sodium or sodium free version.
➡️ Add Roasted Garlic: Stir in roasted garlic for an extra layer of flavor to the fresh summer corn soup.
➡️ Swap in Broth: Use vegetable broth instead of water for a richer-tasting delicious sweet corn soup.
➡️ Make It Creamy: Stir in heavy cream and a little flour for a richer, creamier texture to the blended soup. Making a corn chowder.
➡️Chinese Corn Soup: To make Chinese restaurant style sweet corn soup, dissolve about 1 tsp corn starch in 2 few tbsps of water and pour it to the soup once the corn kernels are tender.
Kitchen Tools To Make The Best Corn Soup
A few specific tools make this hot soup much easier to pull together.
- Grill or Broiler: Used to blacken the corn for that deep, roasted flavor before it goes into the soup.
- Large Stock Pot: You’ll need plenty of room for all the vegetables, cobs, and water for this staple recipe. Shop Large Stock Pot
- Immersion Blender: Lets you puree the soup right in the pot instead of transferring it to a separate blender and helps soup thicken.
How to Make the Cream of Corn Soup Recipe
Here’s a quick overview before you jump into the full recipe card below.
These are just highlights. Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Grill the Corn: Blacken the corn on all sides, then cool and remove the husks and the sweet corn kernels.
- Saute the Vegetables: Cook the onion, celery, carrot, and pepper until tender.
- Simmer with the Cobs: Add the reserved cobs and water, then simmer until flavorful.
- Blend the Soup: Remove the cobs and puree the soup with an immersion blender. This will thicken the soup.
- Finish and Garnish: Stir in the remaining corn kernels and top with the reserved corn rounds.
Prep Ahead and Short Cut Tips to Make the Soup
This soup is genuinely great to make ahead while corn is in season.
➡️ Grill the Corn Early: Grill a big batch of sweet and juicy corn when it’s fresh and freeze the kernels for later. Fresh or frozen sweet corn taste makes a great soup.
➡️ Dice Vegetables Ahead: Prep your onion, celery, carrot, and pepper a day in advance and store them chilled for this delicious soup recipe.
➡️ Make a Double Batch: Freeze half the finished sweet summer corn soup so it’s ready to reheat on a busy night.
Alternate Cooking Methods for the Creamy Sweet Corn Soup Recipe
This soup also works well in the slow cooker or Instant Pot, if you’d rather not simmer it on the stovetop. Cook the sauteed vegetables and broth on high pressure or low slow-cooker heat until the flavors meld, then blend as directed. Soup made this way is awesome.
What Spices Can I Use Instead of Jalapeno for this Delicious Soup?
Yes, you can easily swap the heat level here. Try cayenne pepper for a similar kick, or smoked paprika for warmth without much spice. You can also leave the heat out entirely if you’d rather keep this a purely sweet corn soup. Adjust to whatever your family enjoys.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftover Creamy Soup
- Storing: Store this soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium-high heat on the stovetop.
- Using Leftovers: This soup freezes beautifully for up to six months, so leftovers rarely go to waste. Serve with my Vintage Tomato Soup Cake.
Expert Tips for Making This Fresh Corn Soup Recipe
➡️ Reserve Some Kernels: I always hold back some of the corn kernels to stir in after blending, for texture in every bite.
➡️ Don’t Skip the Char: I let my corn get genuinely blackened on the grill, since that’s where most of the flavor comes from.
➡️ Serve Sweet Corn Soup: I love finishing each bowl of soup with fresh parsley, Greek yogurt, or a little shredded cheddar.
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Creamy Corn Soup
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Ingredients
- 18 Sweet Corn Ears, with husks, divided
- ¾ cup Peanut oil
- 2½ cups Onion, finely diced
- 1 cup Celery, finely diced
- ½ cup Carrot, finely diced
- 1 cup Red bell pepper, finely diced
- ¼ cup Jalapenos, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon Fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoon Fresh sage leaves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon All Purpose Seasoning Blend
Instructions
- Preheat the grill or broiler. Grill or broil the corn until blackened on all sides.
- Cool the corn, then remove the husks and silks. Cut 4 of the ears into 24 (1-inch) rounds and reserve them for garnish.
- Remove the kernels from the remaining 14 ears, about 3½ pounds total. Break the corn cobs in half and reserve them.
- Heat the peanut oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion, celery, carrot, and red bell pepper, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the jalapenos, thyme, sage, and All Purpose Seasoning Blend, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the reserved cobs and 2 quarts of water. Raise the heat to high, cover, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer until the flavors are well blended, about 45 minutes.
- Remove and discard the cobs. Add 3 pounds of the corn kernels and simmer for 10 minutes longer. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Puree the soup with an immersion blender.
- Stir in the remaining corn kernels and adjust the seasoning to taste. Garnish with the reserved corn rounds.
Christina’s Notes
- Char the Corn Well: A real blackened char on the corn is what gives this soup its signature roasted flavor.
- Simmer the Cobs Fully: The full 45 minutes lets the corn cobs release as much flavor as possible into the broth.
- Reserve Kernels for Texture: Stirring in extra corn kernels after blending keeps some texture instead of a fully smooth puree.
- Discard the Cobs Before Blending: Leftover cob pieces can damage an immersion blender, so remove every piece first.
- Storage Tip: This soup freezes well for up to six months.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.