Make this easy and delicious sweet corn soup to satisfy your soup craving. With just a few simple ingredients this comforting corn soup will be ready in about 30 minutes. Use fresh corn or canned corn. Serve hot as brunch or a light lunch or dinner with crusty bread or pasta.
About This Sweet Corn Soup
I have fond memories of this soup as I have been making it since I was a teenager. My family would often request my special sweet corn soup whenever they craved an Indo-Chinese recipe.
This is a unique recipe created by me and I have been using it for years. I have not tweaked it or modified it at all.
I like to use minimal flavorings in this soup so that the taste of the sweet corn comes through and is not overpowered. After all, it is sweet corn soup.
I make my corn soup using sweet corn kernels. For the best flavors select fresh and ripe corn.
You will need to steam the corn on the cob first and then remove the corn from the cob to make the soup. The sweet corn should be ripe, juicy and have a vibrant yellow color once cooked.
I do not use cream-styled sweet corn from tins because I don’t like the taste or texture. It’s always best to use fresh veggies when you cook instead of using tinned vegetables. I also choose not to include Ajinomoto in Indo-Chinese food.
This sweet corn soup is light and refreshing to make the perfect starter or brunch option. Serve this soup hot and don’t forget to garnish it with spring onion greens (scallions).
Step-by-Step Guide
How to Make Sweet Corn Soup
Steam Corn Cobs
I always use fresh corn cobs for this soup. But feel free to use fresh or frozen corn kernels. If using canned corn kernels, then move to the step where the corn is blended – take 1 cup of rinsed and drained corn kernels.
1. Choose to cook the corn cobs by the method that suits you. You can steam or boil them in a pan, Instant Pot or a stovetop pressure cooker. I show the method of steaming corn in a pan.
Take 1.5 cups water in a pan or pot. Let the water come to a boil on medium heat.
2. Place a steamer pan on the pot.
3. Halve or quarter the corn cob and place them on the steamer pan.
4. Cover the pan with a lid and steam corn for 8 to 10 minutes on medium heat.
5. Remove steamed corn cobs with the help of pasta tongs and place them in a bowl or plate. Leave the corn cobs to cool at room temperature.
6. Use a knife to carefully scrape the corn kernels from the cobs.
7. Set aside 2 tablespoons of corn kernels that we will use later.
Blend Steamed Sweet Corn
8. Transfer the remaining steamed corn kernels to a blender.
9. Add 3 tablespoons of water or as needed.
10. Blend the corn kernels and water in a blender until smooth.
Make Sweet Corn Soup
11. Heat 1.5 tablespoons of any neutral flavored oil in a pan. Add 2 tablespoons chopped spring onion whites and 1 teaspoon finely chopped celery.
12. Mix and sauté for two minutes on low heat or until the flavors of both the onions and celery comes through in the oil.
You can use shallots, red onions or white onions in place of spring onions. For a vegetarian option, add butter instead of oil.
13. Keep the heat to a low and add the blended corn paste to the sautéed onions and celery.
14. Stir and mix well.
15. Pour 1.5 cups of water or vegetable stock into the pan.
16. Mix to combine well.
17. Bring the soup to a boil on medium-low to medium heat. Stir occasionally.
18. When the soup comes to a boil, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of steamed corn kernels that we had set aside.
19. Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of fresh crushed black pepper and salt according to taste. Mix well.
20. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes on low heat.
Thicken Corn Soup
21. Meanwhile in a small bowl take 2 teaspoons of cornstarch (also known as cornflour in UK and India) and 2 tablespoons of water.
22. Mix thoroughly to form a smooth paste without lumps.
23. Keeping the heat to a low, add this cornflour paste or slurry to thicken the sweet corn soup.
24. As soon as you add cornstarch paste, mix it quickly so that it does not start to thicken and form lumps. Mix it with the entire soup mixture. You can use a wired whisk here to mix the cornstarch paste with soup.
25. Simmer the soup further for 2 to 3 minutes on low to medium-low heat, to make sure that the cornflour gets cooked and the soup is thickened.
Check the seasonings and adjust if necessary. Pour the corn soup into soup bowls. Serve the soup hot and garnish with chopped celery, scallion/spring onion greens or crushed black pepper.
This recipe serves 2 servings but is easily adaptable to be scaled to make a larger batch.
If there are any leftovers, refrigerate for 1 to 2 days. Reheat in a small saucepan adding some water or vegetable stock to thin the soup a bit – as it will thicken more after refrigeration.
