Creamy Corn Soup With Basil
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:6 servings
- 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 2large white or yellow onions, chopped (about 4 cups)
- Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
- 6large garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
- 4cups corn kernels (from about 8 ears)
- 2cups sliced squash blossoms (from about 18 blossoms, optional)
- Handful of fresh basil leaves, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
215 calories; 8 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 36 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 522 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to look wavy, add the onions and season well with salt and pepper.
- Step 2
Let onions cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, about 4 to 5 minutes, then turn heat to medium and continue cooking until onions are quite soft, about 15 minutes more.
- Step 3
Add the garlic and corn kernels, and stir to combine. Add 6 cups water and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Taste the resulting broth and adjust salt to taste. (It should be well seasoned.) Cook for about another 10 to 15 minutes, until the kernels are tender. Stir in squash blossoms, if using, and turn off heat.
- Step 4
Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender. Pass the puréed soup through a fine-mesh strainer and into a large bowl, pushing down to press all the liquid out. Discard the fibrous debris left behind.
- Step 5
Check consistency and seasoning, and adjust as needed. (Add a bit more water if the soup seems too thick.) The soup can be made up to a few hours ahead up to this point, and tastes best the day it’s made. Reheat, if needed, before serving.
- Step 6
To serve, ladle into individual bowls. Drizzle about a teaspoon of olive oil over each serving. Quickly chop the basil, and sprinkle over to finish.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Warren
Be sure to scrape the cobs with the side of a knife to get all the "cream" out of them and save the cream to add at the end for extra fresh flavor. For even more corn taste, boil those scraped cobs in the 6 cups of water before you add to onion and corn.
Caroliina
For some texture and protein, I added hummingbird tongues after the puree step.
Pups224
I’m not sure what the squash blossoms add to the soup. Their flavor is so delicate. Texture? I could imagine them fried or sautéed as a garnish.
Helou
What on Earth are hummingbird tongues? I assume they must be some sort of vegetable, or something, the way "elephant ears" are a pastry. As of right now 81 readers found this addition "helpful." What does everyone know that I don't?
Ricki
Very good. Creamy and rich. Three ears of corn, with other ingredients in proportion by volume, was more than enough for two first-course servings. My not-very-fancy immersion blender was up to the task.
Winnie
Glorious simplicity. Family raved. Creating a well seasoned corn broth is important so added the cobs to simmer with the corn and onions. The squash blossoms may just add a tiny bit of summer sunshine in terms of flavor but possibly create a sunnier yellow soup. Only partially strained the soup giving it a balance of texture and elegance. Served with a peach and heirloom tomato salad, an excellent baguette, and followed with a blueberry crisp to create an accidentally vegan summer feast!
Koacook
Squash blossoms, to ensure you never feel worthy.
Susan
I use my bundt pan to cut corn off the cob. Place the ear of corn in the whole and the pan catches all the kernels!
mj
Omg Caroliina, thank you! I normally go with toad entrails, but I think my family will love the change!
Bonnie
Made this just as written and found it to be watery and insipid. If I were to make it again I would use just 4 cups of water.
LaurieO
So many good and helpful tips, which I will definitely follow when I have fresh corn. Which I did not. Blocking my freezer from closing properly for months (years?) was a Costco bag of frozen corn, seized into one freezer-burned lump. This. This was the foundation of my soup. (I'm from rural Kansas. We don't waste.) Other than increasing the garlic by at least 100% adding 1 T of Better than Bouillon veg stock, and skipping the straining (fiber, anyone?) I followed the recipe. And... deeelicious.
Brad
This soup is unbelievably good! And no cream! A vegan’s delight. Great idea to make the broth with boiled cobs. It makes it that much richer. Be careful straining. Too much and it will be watery. Put the blended soup through the strainer and then scrape to release the soup held by the fiber. The fiber left over will not be much and easy to discard.
Bill
I think the note about adding hummingbird tongues was, well, tongue in cheek.
Sally Brown
Another reason to scrape the cob with the blunt edge of a knife to remove all the pieces left on the cob: Inside those little kernels are the corn germ and the protein and nutrition of the corn kernel. Thisis the corn "milk" that makes ithe soup creamy and more flavorful.
Jan Christensen-Heller
I sautéed some squash blossoms after stuffing them with grated cheese and added them as garnish as well.
jim
Wow - made this after a trip to the farmer’s market in July. Simmered the cobs in water with some milk and salt - the whole kitchen smelled like corn. Hit it hard with the immersion blender. Topped it with some broiled cherry tomatoes, poblano and shishito peppers, and shrimp, then some fresh made basil oil. Wow - crazy delicious!
Harry Whitehouse
Check out the OXO Corn Prep Peeler -- my wife was very happy with it. You can find a YouTube video of how it works
CMM
Do you blend the garlic too?
SG
I grew up in Central Illinois and my father was a corn breeder. Throughout the years we ate a LOT of corn, cooked the day it was picked. I agree with others that scraping the cob with the dull side of a knife will pull out more juice and bits of the kernels you missed with the first cutting, but I draw the line and boiling cobs to increase flavor. Those of you who suggest it -- have you ever eaten part of a corn cob? It tastes terrible! Throw the cobs into the compost, not your soup pot.
Laura
I’m wondering if anyone has tried this cold as a hot summer day meal?
T. Smith
Loved this, even without exotic avian flavor enhancers. But I did apply a little tunage. Yes, scrape the cobs of course. But I also simmered the cobs in the water while doing the other bits. And as another poster suggested, start with 4C water which might well be enough. But when you’re done it is the best essence of corn wonderfulness.
Pat
The bicolor, in-season local corn I used made the soup way too sweet. I used some white wine in the broth to try to balance it, but still very sweet. I’m going to let it sit overnight and try to add seasonings tomorrow and serve it cold.
Rebecca
Incredibly tasty. Couldn’t find squash blossoms, so I left these out. Next time I might do a bit less water so it’s thicker, but possibly with squash blossoms the ratio is right.
Sara
This was so good. We had some leftover homemade pesto and I used that.
Linda
The soup was easy to make. I used my immersion blender and didn’t strain it. The texture made it more interesting. Also, I cooked the cobs in the water as was suggested and the corn flavor was sweet and strong. However as others commented, it was bland. Adding lemon juice livened it up. ,
Kayf
Would this freeze well?
Kathryn
Stunning soup! As a few others mentioned, I put the scraped cobs into the soup. Thankfully, I harvested plenty of squash blossoms meaning zucchini won't have to be given away.....
Ana B.
This is a great summer soup! We reduced the liquid by one cup, 4c water and 1 cup oat milk, pureed tons of fresh basil right into the soup, and added a little cayenne.
Samuelson
After being admonished twice to make sure that this is well-seasoned, (i.e. salted to an unhealthy degree), I decided not to make it. A couple months after I stopped over-salting everything in the preparation stage, I started tasting the subtle flavors in the good ingredients which I seek out so carefully. I remind people at my table that I cook with little salt, and encourage them to reach for the shaker. But they seldom do, even to my own surprise.
Carol
Per other's suggestions, I made sure to scrape the cob and add to the soup and used 8 cobs to make the water for an added corn flavor. Simple and flavorful with a nice hint of garlic.
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