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Creamy Corn Soup with Queso Fresco

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This creamy corn soup is sweet and savory made with fresh sweet summer corn, thickened with a potato and topped with salty queso fresco or cotija cheese.

Creamy Corn Soup
Creamy Corn Soup with Queso Fresco

I love this soup, and this is the perfect time of year to make it with summer corn at it’s sweetest! The temperatures we were having last week were in the high nineties and soup was the last thing on my mind. But finally we are back in the eighties, and a bowl of soup is always comforting to me.

Corn Soup with Queso Fresco

Inspired from a Colombian soup called Crema De Mazorca from the Andean region of Colombia, this corn soup is sweet and creamy, made with fresh summer corn. I didn’t use any cream, instead it’s simmered in milk and thickened with a potato, once pureed it’s thick and velvety. Then I finished it with some crumbled queso fresco and fresh cilantro which gives it that sweet-savory finish that we love in my home!

If you can’t find queso fresco in your area, try another salty cheese like cotija, ricotta salata or a mild feta.

Sure, you could probably make this from frozen corn, but I don’t think it would taste nearly as good so for best results, make this with fresh corn while it’s in season. This is a great meatless soup, perfect for vegetarians and it also happens to be gluten free!

creamy corn soupcreamy corn soup

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Creamy Corn Soup with Queso Fresco

5 from 31 votes
7
Cals:206
Protein:11.5
Carbs:28.5
Fat:6.5
A creamy corn soup made with fresh sweet summer corn thickened with a potato that's sweet and savory topped with queso fresco or cotija cheese.
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Colombian, Latin
Creamy Corn Soup
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Serving Size: 1 generous cup

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/3 cup chopped scallions, plus more for garnish
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 4 cups fresh corn kernels, cut from the cob (from 5 medium)
  • 1 6 oz russet potato, peeled and diced small
  • 4 cups low fat milk
  • 1 chicken or veggie bouillon cube, or 1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
  • 3 oz crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese, about 6 tbsp, or more to taste

Instructions

  • Heat a medium heavy pot or Dutch oven on medium heat.
  • Add oil and sauté scallions and garlic for 1 minute.
  • Add the corn, potatoes, milk, bouillon, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon of cilantro in a large pot and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for approximately 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.
  • Remove from heat and reserve 6 tablespoons of the corn kernels for topping.
  • Purée in the blender in two batches until really smooth, careful not to burn yourself; return to the pot.
    pureed soup in blender
  • Adjust salt and pepper, to taste and heat over low heat 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Pour into 6 bowls and garnish each bowl with 1 tablespoon each of corn kernels and cheese.
  • Top with fresh cilantro and/or scallions.

Last Step:

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Notes

Makes 7 cups

Nutrition

Serving: 1 generous cup, Calories: 206 kcal, Carbohydrates: 28.5 g, Protein: 11.5 g, Fat: 6.5 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 18 mg, Sodium: 462.5 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 14 g

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111 comments on “Creamy Corn Soup with Queso Fresco”

  1. I love soup, so I decided to make this for dinner tonight. It is delicious and so easy to make! Can’t wait to have it for my lunch tomorrow. Definitely a keep.

  2. Very yummy soup! I am a sucker for corn soup, and this delivered. Even my 3 year old daughter enjoyed it! Great recipe. 

  3. I made this using frozen corn to save work. It was delicious and refreshingly different from mainstream soups. Loved it ! Thanks, Gina!!

  4. Just brought home another dozen ears of amazing sweet corn and saw this recipe. I made it as written except I used a steamed 12 oz bag of frozen cauliflower and no potatoes (I’m always trying to get more veggies in and keep calories low). I also added some fresh jalapeño because we like it spicy. This is so good! I have a bunch of frozen sweet corn so I can make this all winter! Thank you for another fabulous recipe!

  5. This was phenomenal! I added a little cayenne for some heat. The saltiness of the cojita balanced the sweetness of the corn. It was perfect. 

  6. Made this tonight for dinner after seeing the post on instagram about it. It’s summer so it’s tough to make soups but it’s perfect for now while corn is in season and so sweet! It’s a really simple soup with few ingredients. The store didn’t have scallions so I substituted a small shallot. It came out nice and creamy and so pleasantly sweet. I also used my immersion blender and it worked out nicely! Thanks so much for the recipe, I’ll definitely be saving it as a nice side option in summers.

  7. Can’t eat any dairy, but will try this with cashew milk which tastes nearly like skim milk. Will have to omit the cheese on top unless you have any suggestions? 

  8. Didn’t have potato on hand, too lazy to go to the store, but I had lots of lotus root leftover from my trip to the Asian mart. They’re both tubers, so why not? Substituted it for the potato, still tastes fabulous! Who would have guessed? Definitely making this again…

  9. Can this be made in the instapot?  Like a throw and go kind? With two toddlers that’s all the time I get! Would love your suggestion on how to do it. Thanks!

  10. Avatar photo
    jessicathehousewife, #skinnytastediehardfan

    FANTASTIC!!!! Seconds and thirds were served! NO LEFTOVERS!  Question:How about substituting milk for coconut millk for another type of corn chowder?

      1. This had a delicious flavor but mine turned out kind of pulpy. Maybe because I used an immersion blender and not a regular blender?

  11. This really was splendid! I followed recipe to the key and it was very flavorful! Husband who is a total carnivore approved of this meatless meal! Yum! And our vegan 3yr old was in heaven!

  12. Avatar photo
    STACEY WASCOM

    This is so yummy! I think it would also be great with some spicy boiled shrimp added to make corn and shrimp soup.

    1. I tried that, I wouldn’t recommend it. The texture of the corn and potatoes came out perfectly, but the milk developed a brown skin that I had to pick out of the soup.

    2. I’m gonna give it a try.
      It’s just too hot to bring a pot to boil, in my kitchen, today. I will be sauteing the oil, garlic and onion, first in my IP, and then adding the rest of the ingredients, as listed through step 4. Then, I will use the preset soup button, and do a quick release.
      Step 5 has you reserving out 6 tablespoons of corn kernels. I will do that, then proceed with step 6, but I will just use my stick blender, to blend everything.
      After that, I will just follow the rest of the instructions from there.
      Hope that that helps!

  13. Made this soup last night and it was great. Recently became vegetarian and I am excited to find meals that my whole family likes. My 17 year old son went back for seconds! Next time I will add a little extra corn and potatoes so I can reserve more chunks for texture. I also will probably add a jalapeno or poblano for a little kick. Anyone tried adding a pepper?

  14. I was craving a warm soup in the dead of winter and decided to try this one. Frozen corn worked just fine and was delicious. After reading the reviews that it was a bit bland, I added 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (as my fiance and I love spice) and 2 cubes of chicken boullion instead of one and it was fantastic. Can;t wait to try with fresh corn in the summer months!! 

  15. I used cooked corn that I had left over.  BONUS: the skin of the kernels ‘hulled’ themselves during cooking and I was able to skim them off. Family members with digestive and IBD issues were able to enjoy the wonderful taste of fresh corn again! Thank you!!

  16. I used almond milk as dairy substitutes, and it turned out delicious! I also sprinkled some bacon on top! Great recipe

  17. Made this yesterday with some farmer’s market corn…oh yum!  I added 3 slices of thick-cut bacon which was a nice addition.  I drained most of the fat, and just used a little bit to saute the aromatics.   I had a big container of fat free half and half, so I used 4 cups of that and 1 cup of fat-free milk for my liquid.  That gave it a little more creaminess (which compensated for the fact that I was out of sour cream so had to skip that!).   I also put in some extra potatoes so it would have more of a chowder-like texture.  I pureed just about 2 cups and left the rest chunky, and it was great.  I think next time I will add some rotisserie chicken.  This is a great basic low-fat recipe that you can build on to your preference.  And it definitely needs the fresh sweet corn! 

  18. Avatar photo
    Robyn Valenzuela

    Very tasty! Used sea salt & pepper (approx 1 tsp each) and cotija cheese (salty as it is). Was great.

  19. Made this with canned corn since December isn't the best time to find fresh and with whole milk — loved it!

  20. This came out delicious! Sweet and yummy! I used an immersion blender instead of dealing with the mess of pouring it into a blender, and it came out smooth and tasty. I recommend doing it this way– and there's less chance of burning yourself on hot soup.

  21. This looks delish! I think I would add a bit of fresh jalapeno to the mix to give it an extra kick!

  22. I loved this soup!! It had the sweetness of the corn and the saltiness of the Cotija cheese. And it was even better warmed up the following night!

  23. I made this for dinner last night and it was absolutely delish! Thank you so much for the wonderful recipes and amazing website!

  24. Just made this for the first time. I didn't care for it as much just after I'd made it, but I placed leftovers in the fridge. I took some out a little while ago and out of curiosity tried it cold… BAM! That change in temperature just seemed to do it for me.

  25. I was excited to try this because it's the season for Colorado Olathe Sweet Corn (yum!!!). I made it as instructed (except for the reserved corn, please consider putting that in the recipe to add all corn except for reserving 6 tbsp for garnish) and it was really good. It didn't blow me away but it was a good solid recipe that I would make again. Both of us thought that the Queso Fresco really didn't add anything to it so we'll probably leave it off next time. Something crunchy on the top would be good too but I'm not quite sure what. I'm loooking forward to trying it after it has had a chance to sit like mentioned in other posts.

  26. Hey the soup was awesome. I would just reserve a little more corn kernels from the soup to make it more chunky. My grocery store didn't have the cheese you suggested. I put cheddar and it tasted great!

  27. This soup totally rocked!! I made it just as Gina wrote the recipe. My entire family loved it. This will definitely be on the menu again : )

  28. Avatar photo
    Erika Victoria

    I just made this tonight and it was delicious!! I decided to leave about 1/4 of the soup out of the blender because I like some veggie chunks and it worked out well. I also added 2 chopped carrots for some added nutrition. I made a total mess cutting the corn off the cobs but the end result was worth it! Perfect soup to dip some crusty bread in…. I cant wait to eat leftovers all week!

  29. What do you think about freezing this soup for future lunches? Wondering if milk and sour cream would make this a bad idea.

  30. Very delicious! Id love to add some shrimp or crab to get a little more protein in there. Definitely a keeper of a recipe to tinker with!

  31. YUM! I love it now and am looking forward to see how the flavors develop overnight. I had 6 ears of organic corn in my CSA today and could not have found a better place for it than in this soup (ok, except for the one I ate raw standing over the sink). Might add a celery stalk for the simmer next time and take it out before pureeing (another great flavor add from your recipes). Only change – used 2% milk b/c it is what I usually keep in the fridge.

  32. Wow! I just made this tonight, and it was very good. I will try this again before the end of the season! Thanks again Gina!

  33. I made this delicious soup last night. I omitted the cilantro (I didn't have any on hand) and used sharp cheddar in place of queso fresco for the same reason. It is sooooo good. Creamy and so tasty. I added just a bit of salt and pepper and didn't think it was too bland. I think I enjoyed the taste of the fresh corn so much I wasn't thinking about seasoning!! I may saute shredded zucchini next time to bulk it up for very few calories. This is a winner…will make again.

  34. I don't have veg bouillon, but do have veg stock. Can I use as a substitute, and if so do I cut back on the milk or add to it? Or, I saw on the internet a substitute for veg bouillion that sauteed onions and garlic and some spices. What do you think?

  35. Avatar photo
    Molly Campbell

    This was delicious! Although the comment suggesting starting with 1 tablespoon of salt was WAY off to me. I like foods that aren't salted that much, so maybe that's why, but I probably could have done with about 1/4 as much. I ended up adding a bunch more milk and it was still too salty to me. Not inedible or anything, just saltier than I would have liked.

  36. I love all of Gina's recipes, but this was a tad bland. I did two things that helped – as weberash said letting it sit works wonders and it needs generous seasoning. For me plain salt wasn't enough. I happened to have a mix with garlic and onion powders, salt, pepper, and chives. I had to use a full tbsp. Next time I think I will cook a few strips of bacon, pour off most of the fat, sautee the scallions and garlic in the remaining and add the chopped bacon back in. If not going vegetarian it really doesn't add a ton of points over the whole chowder but would add a lot of flavor.

  37. So delicious! My husband thought I had lost my mind and that it was packed with calories! Best corn soup he's ever had! Me too!

  38. Avatar photo
    Jeannie Gordon

    We made this last night for dinner was delicious! Fresh corn is definitely the way to go it was nice and sweet! We didn't need salt, I added a pinch just cause but otherwise didn't add anymore. We used almond milk since that's what we have in the house and it still came out good.
    t

  39. A great way to use all of the fresh corn at the farmer's market! The consistency (after puréeing in the Vitamix) was beautiful. For those of you who may be equally baffled by the omnipresent "salt to taste" instructions, you'll need a tablespoon of sea salt as a decent starting point. Corn needs salt, period, and one tablespoon spread out among six bowls is not bad at all. A second tip: be patient when it comes to serving this soup. I ate it right away because I was starving, and don't get me wrong, it was good, but not mind-blowing. Well, when I went to put away the leftovers over an hour later, I took another taste. Sweet sassy molassy, the stuff was TWICE as good! It just needed another hour to sit and let all the flavors blend. I will be keeping this recipe.

  40. I recently got 5 dozen ears of the sweetest, most delicious non GMO, organic sweet corn. This is sooooo happening! Going to be work lunch the rest of the week. I can honestly say that I am now excited for work tomorrow! =)

    1. Avatar photo
      abf5375a-f403-11e2-9292-000bcdcb8a73

      Same question I was going to ask; I'm not fond of cilantro. Thanks for the chives suggestion!

  41. My husband is allergic to potatoes (worst allergy EVERY!), and I did not know if there was something I could substitute for the potatoes so we could still enjoy this soup. I did not know how well cauliflower might stand up in it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

  42. Avatar photo
    Two Healthy Kitchens

    Mmmmmm! I'm also a huge fan of corn soup, and I can't wait to try your version! The queso fresco is a brilliant addition! As always – fantastic recipe, beautiful photos … another winner, Gina! Thanks!

  43. Made this for dinner tonight! Loved it! We had made fajitas over the weekend so we had all the indgredients. Thanks!

  44. Avatar photo
    Sandy from Scribing Shadows

    Queso fresco sounds like (I had to wiki it) the cheese my mom's family brings for us from Honduras :). They just call it queso (cheese) though but I wonder if I can find 'queso fresco' in our local supermarket and find out if its the same thing or something very similar.

    1. Avatar photo
      reckless_advisor

      There is queso fresco in every supermarket. It's usually by the cheeses in the refrigerator. Like the sliced cheeses and cheese sticks, ect.

    1. a hint for cutting corn off the cob. Place a small bowl upside down inside a larger bowl or pot. Place the corn cob end on the overturned bowl. Cut off the corn and it will fall into the bowl and not get all over your counter. When you are finished all of the cobs, remove the small bowl and you have a bowl full of fresh corn kernels that you can divide for this recipe and others or freeze as needed for recipes this fall or winter when fresh, in season, and cheap corn on the cob isn't available.

      ~Sara