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mexican street corn chowder recipe

Mexican Street Corn Chowder Recipe

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 People
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican, Vegetarian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups  corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
  • 1 large  yellow onion diced
  • 1 red  bell pepper diced
  • 3 cloves  garlic minced
  • 2 large  Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 1 can (4 ounces) diced green chilies
  • 4 cups  vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon  smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon  ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon  chili powder
  • 1 cup  heavy cream or half-and-half
  • 1/2 cup  Cotija cheese crumbled
  • 1/4 cup  fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 lime cut into wedges
  • 2 tablespoons  olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion and bell pepper, cooking for about 6 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for one more minute.
  2. Add the smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, and green chilies. Stir for 30 seconds to allow the heat to pull the flavor out of the dried spices.
  3. Pour in the broth, potatoes, and corn. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
  4. Mash a few potatoes against the side of the pot with a spoon. This thickens the broth without using flour.
  5. Stir in the heavy cream. Let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes to thicken slightly and get the cream up to temperature.
  6. Turn off the heat. Stir in the lime juice, half of the cilantro, and half of the Cotija cheese. Serve hot with extra cheese and lime on top.

Notes

To take this chowder to the next level, you can char your corn before adding it to the pot. If you are using fresh corn, grill the cobs until they have some black spots, then cut the kernels off. If you are using frozen or canned corn, you can toss them in a dry skillet over high heat for a few minutes until they begin to brown.
This adds an authentic smoky flavor that perfectly mimics real street corn sold from a cart. You can also add a bit of crumbled bacon on top for an extra salty crunch.