SHE HAS CRAVINGS

CREAMY CORN SOUP

I have a slight obsession with corn in just about every form imaginable. Corn ice cream? Absolutely. Corn pie? Sign me up. Toss it into a salad, grill it, roast it or blend it into a soup – I’m probably going to love it. So it only felt right to finally share one of my favourite ways to enjoy it.

This Cream Corn Soup is creamy, buttery and packed with naturally sweet corn flavour. The secret isn’t adding more cream – it’s giving the corn enough time to caramelise gently with butter before simmering, then finishing it with a squeeze of lemon to brighten its natural sweetness. The result is an incredibly silky soup that’s rich without being heavy, easy enough for a weeknight dinner, yet elegant enough to serve when entertaining.

INGREDIENTS

  • 125g butter
  • 2 medium brown onions (or 1 large), diced
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 3 cans sweet corn, drained
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1½ tbsp chicken stock powder or 1 chicken stock cube
  • 750ml water
  • 200ml cooking cream
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste

Optional toppings:

  • Extra sweet corn
  • Fresh chives/spring onion, finely chopped
  • Toasted bread or croutons, for serving

HOW TO MAKE IT

  1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions and garlic, then sauté until soft, fragrant and translucent.
  2. Stir in the drained sweet corn and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the corn becomes lightly caramelised and releases its natural sweetness.
  3. Add the lemon juice and sugar, stirring well to enhance the corn’s natural flavour.
  4. Pour in the chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil, then let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
  5. Blend the soup until completely smooth using a blender or food processor. Alternatively, use an immersion blender directly in the pot.
  6. For an extra silky texture, pour the blended soup through a fine mesh sieve back into the pot, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.
  7. Return the pot to low heat. Stir in the cooking cream and bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Do not allow it to boil vigorously.
  8. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  9. Serve immediately with extra sweet corn, chopped chives and toasted bread or crunchy croutons.

Watch the video HERE.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Can I use fresh corn instead of canned corn?

Absolutely! Substitute the 3 cans of sweet corn with 6–8 medium corn cobs (about 700–800g kernels once removed from the cob). Fresh corn gives the soup an even sweeter, fresher flavour, especially when it’s in season.

2. Can I use frozen corn?

Yes! Use 700–800g frozen sweet corn and cook it exactly the same way as the canned version. There’s no need to thaw it beforehand.

3. Why do you add lemon juice?

The soup won’t taste lemony at all. A squeeze of lemon brightens the natural sweetness of the corn and balances the richness of the butter and cream, making the overall flavour taste fresher.

4. Do I really need to caramelise the corn?

Yes – and I highly recommend you don’t skip this step. Letting the corn sauté for 10–15 minutes develops its natural sugars and adds a deeper, sweeter flavour that makes a noticeable difference to the finished soup.

5. Do I have to strain the soup?

No, but if you want a silky, restaurant-style soup, it’s worth the extra few minutes. Straining removes the tougher corn skins, leaving you with a beautifully smooth texture.

6. Can I substitute the cooking cream?

Yes! Here are a few options:

  • Full cream milk – lighter but less rich.
  • Evaporated milk – a great substitute that still gives a creamy texture.
  • Half-and-half – works beautifully if you have it.
  • Cooking cream – my preferred choice for the richest, smoothest result.

If using milk, avoid boiling the soup after adding it to prevent it from curdling.

7. Can I make this soup vegetarian?

Yes. Simply replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock, and you’ll have a delicious vegetarian version.

8. Can I make this ahead of time?

Definitely! Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through.

9. Can I freeze it?

Yes. Freeze for up to 3 months. Because the soup contains dairy, it may separate slightly after thawing, but simply reheat it gently while whisking and it should come back together nicely.

10. What can I serve with cream corn soup?

It’s delicious served with:

  • Toasted sourdough
  • Garlic bread
  • Homemade croutons
  • Grilled cheese sandwiches
  • Roast chicken
  • A simple green salad for a lighter meal

11. Why does this recipe use so much butter?

Butter is one of the key flavour builders in this soup. It helps the onions soften, encourages the corn to caramelise beautifully, and gives the finished soup its rich, velvety mouthfeel. If you’d like a lighter version, you can reduce it to 80–100g, though the soup won’t be quite as luxurious.