Name: Sopa de Maiz (Mexican Corn Soup)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 6 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen); 2 tbsp butter; 1 medium yellow onion, diced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 can diced green chiles (4 oz); 2 cups vegetable stock; 1 cup half and half; 1 tsp cumin; 1 tsp chile powder; 1 tsp salt; ¼ tsp black pepper; ¾ tsp turmeric (optional, for color); 1 cup sour cream; 2 limes zested and juiced; ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves; thinly sliced jalapeno; grape tomatoes, quartered; panela cheese, cut into ½" cubes; ripe avocado, diced; fresh cilantro

Freezing Fresh Corn on the Cob:

I have a tendency to get a little over-zealous at the farmer's market when it comes to corn. It's only in season for a very short time so I have to buy it every week until it's gone. We eat it many different ways whether it's simple summer corn with butter, salt and pepper, or sweet corn elotes, or made into something like this soup. But since I buy so much of it, I end up freezing quite a bit to use throughout the year.

Freezing it is a pretty simple process:

Shuck the corn and remove the silk.

Rinse and dry the corn.

Hold cob vertically in a bowl and cut kernels off from the top down using a paring knife.

Place kernels in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan.

Freeze until kernels are frozen solid.

Move kernels from parchment paper to a freezer zippered bag and freeze. Your frozen corn still be good by the time the next corn season rolls around!

Cilantro Lime Crema:

Topping dishes with a simple tangy sauce is one of my signature moves for bringing some brightness to a recipe. For this soup I made a cilantro lime crema using sour cream, lime zest and juice, and cilantro. I love using my mini food processor to make small batches like this sauce.

sopa de maiz with jalapenos, tomatoes, and avocadoes

Making the Soup

This recipe is truly very simple. All you need to do is sauté some vegetables and corn kernels, simmer them with some stock and spices, throw it all in a blender and blend it with some half and half and that's about it! Add your favorite toppings and dinner is ready in 30 minutes or less!

Looking for more Mexican-inspired soups? Try this pozole rojo recipe.