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.
Table of Contents
About This 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).
How to Make Sweet Corn Soup
Steaming 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.
Blending 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.
Making 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.
Thickening 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.
Expert Tips for Corn Soup
- Corn: To make this soup you can use the American sweet corn or regular corn. I have made this soup using both the types of corn and they taste just as delicious. Most importantly the sweet corn should be tender, ripe and juicy to give the soup a sweet and delicious flavor.
- Milk: You have a few options when it comes adding liquid to this soup. It all depends on your preference and what you have on hand. For a richer vegetarian soup add equal amounts of both milk and water. Alternatively, you can add water instead or you can add readymade vegetable stock if you have some.
- Scallions: Adding scallions to this dish gives it a delicious savory onion flavor. Add red onions, shallots or white onions if you do not have spring onions (scallions).
- Pepper: Freshly crushed pepper is an important addition to this soup. It adds a lot of depth and balances out the sweetness from the corn kernels.
- Cornflour: Sweet corn soup can be a bit runny or thin. So cornflour is used to thicken the soup. Make sure you stir the soup well once you have added the cornflour and cook out the cornflour properly.
- Soup Consistency: You can change the consistency of the soup and make it slightly thin or thicker by adding less or more water or vegetable stock.
FAQs
The main ingredient in corn soup is sweet corn. There are many different ways to prepare corn soup. Some recipes include fresh corn while others use tinned corn. This recipe includes fresh sweet corn kernels, water, pepper, cornflour, scallions, celery, oil and salt.
It takes about 6 to 8 minutes to boil corn on the cob in water in a pan covered with lid. To steam, it takes 8 to 10 minutes. I have listed the steaming method above, but for boiling, bring some water to a boil in a pot. Then add the corn on the cob. Cover and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes on medium heat.
You can tell when corn is cooked perfectly by the color, taste and smell. As corn cooks, it will become more yellow in color and the kernels will become firmer yet tender. You can also taste the corn to check if it’s done. Use a knife to scrape a few corn kernels off the cob. The corn should taste sweet and juicy.
Yes, you can. Once the corn is cooked reserve the water and add it to the corn soup instead of plain water.
Celery is a herb used in Asian and European cuisines. Vegetable stock is prepared by slow cooking or simmering vegetables in water for about 30 to 45 minutes. The flavorful water that is used to cook the veggies is strained and used as a stock. I have earlier shared my Vegetable Stock recipe.
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Corn Soup (Vegan Sweet Corn Soup)
Ingredients
For Steaming Corn
- 1 sweet corn cob – large sized
- 1.5 cups water
Other Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons water – for blending corn
- 1.5 tablespoon oil (sunflower oil or olive oil) or butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped spring onion whites (scallions) or shallots or onions
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped celery – optional
- ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper or add as per taste
- salt as required
- 1.5 cups water OR 1.5 cups Veg Stock OR ¾ cup warm milk + ¾ cup water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (corn flour)
- 2 tablespoons water
For Garnish – Choose Any
- 2 to 3 pinches crushed black pepper – optional
- 2 tablespoons chopped spring onion greens (scallion greens) – optional
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley or coriander (cilantro) – optional
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives – optional
Instructions
Steaming Corn
- I always make this soup with fresh corn cobs. But you can use fresh or frozen corn kernels. If you plan to use canned corn kernels, then move to the step where the corn is blended to a paste.
- You have the option of cooking the corn cobs in a pan, Instant Pot or a stove top pressure cooker. I list here the method of steaming corn in a pot.
- Heat 1.5 cups water in a saucepan or pot and let it come to a boil on medium heat.
- Place a steamer pan or rack inside.
- Halve or quarter the corn cob and place them on the steamer pan.
- Cover the saucepan with a lid and steam the sweet corn cobs for 8 to 10 minutes on medium heat.
- When done remove the corn cobs with the help of pasta tongs and transfer them in a bowl or plate. Let them become warm or cool at right temperature.
- With a knife carefully remove the corn kernels from the corn cobs. Take out 2 tablespoons of corn kernels and set them aside.
Making sweet corn paste
- In a blender add the remaining steamed corn kernels.
- Add water and blend to a smooth paste. Set aside.
Making corn soup
- Heat oil in a pan. On low heat sauté the spring onions whites and celery for 2 minutes.
- Add the ground and blended sweet corn paste and mix well.
- Next add water or vegetable stock. Mix again and allow the soup to come to a boil on medium-low to medium heat.
- Now add 2 tablespoons of corn kernels that was set aside earlier. Also season with crushed black pepper and salt. Stir and simmer further for 2 to 3 minutes on low heat.
- Meanwhile in a small bowl make a smooth paste or slurry of the cornstarch and water.
- Keeping the heat to a low, add this cornstarch paste to the simmering soup.
- 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.
- Continue to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes on low heat until the soup thickens and the cornstarch gets cooked.
- Check the seasonings and adjust if needed.
- Pour the sweet corn soup in bowls. Garnish with some chopped spring onions greens or parsley or chives. Add a touch of crushed black pepper.
- Enjoy the soup as or with a garlic bread or crusty bread.
Video
Notes
- Liquids: For the liquids, you can choose water or vegetable stock. If using canned veggie stock, then choose low sodium stock. To make a vegetarian soup, add ¾ cup of whole milk and ¾ cup of water.
- Onions: Scallions or spring onions add a nice fresh flavor to the soup. But you can add shallots, red onions or white onions instead.
- Thickeners: For thickening the soup, I have used cornstarch. Swap cornstarch with arrowroot flour, tapioca starch or potato starch.
- Sweet Corn: Instead of corn on the cob, you can use fresh or frozen sweet corn kernels. If using canned corn kernels, take about 1 cup and then rinse them well in water. Drain the water and then blend the corn kernels add 3 to 4 tablespoons of water or as needed to make a smooth paste.
- Vegetables: To make the soup more colorful and flavorful, add vegetables like grated carrot, finely chopped french beans, grated cabbage, chopped broccoli, frozen green peas.
- Consistency: Adjust the consistency by adding less or more water or veggie stock.
Nutrition Info (Approximate values)
This Corn Soup post from the blog archives first published in January 2013 has been republished and updated on 26 August 2021.
Thanks for the recipe! Is 1 cup equal to 250 ml? Your previous website used to contain this information and was helpful for measurements.
Yes. You can even use 240 ml. I will be updating all the recipes to American and metric measurements gradually, so it will be easier.
Came out very well… so tasty…yet so simple!
wonderful recipe ma’am!
only thing, the soup was not very spicy.
Is there anything i can do to improve this?
PS:Can u post recipe for french onion soup
thanks radhika. corn soup is generally not spicy. for a spicy taste, you can add chopped green chilies or red chilli paste. even some red chili sauce or green chili sauce can be added. i will try to add recipe of french onion soup. have taken a note of the recipe request.
Can we use the water in which the corn cobs were boiled instead of veg stock?
you can.