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Close-up of thick golden-yellow Mexican Street Corn Soup with cotija cheese and fresh cilantro garnishes.

Mexican Street Corn Soup: The Creamiest Elote-Inspired Recipe

A thick, golden-yellow Mexican Street Corn Soup inspired by Elote. Featuring a creamy base, plump kernels, salty Cotija cheese, Mexican crema, and smoky charred corn garnishes for an authentic street-food experience at home.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 cups
Course: Appetizer, Lunch, Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soup Ingredients
  • 6 cups Sweet Corn Kernels Fresh or frozen; reserve 1 cup for charring
  • 1 large Yellow Onion Diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic Minced
  • 4 cups (960ml) Chicken or Vegetable Stock Low sodium
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) Mexican Crema Plus extra for swirling
  • 1/2 cup (60g) Cotija Cheese Crumbled
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) Neutral Oil Divided
  • 1 tsp Red Chili Powder For dusting
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro Chopped

Equipment

  • 1 Immersion blender To partially purée the soup base.
  • 1 Cast-Iron Skillet For charring the corn kernels.
  • 1 Dutch Oven For simmering the soup.

Instructions
 

Prepare the Base
  1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pot; sauté onion until translucent, then add garlic for 60 seconds.
  2. Add 5 cups corn and stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes until kernels are plump.
Texture and Garnish
  1. Use immersion blender to partially blend the soup, then stir in the Mexican crema.
  2. In a cast iron skillet with oil, sear the reserved 1 cup of corn on high heat until charred and smoky.
  3. Ladle soup into bowls. Top with a swirl of crema, crumbled Cotija, cilantro, chili powder, and a mound of charred corn.

Notes

For the best visual, use a squeeze bottle for the crema swirl.
If Cotija is unavailable, substitute with Feta cheese for a similar salty punch.
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