Soup in August, you say?
Yes—soup in August. It sounds odd, but when fresh sweet corn is at its peak for just a few weeks, you use it however you can. For me that means corn everything, including soup. I’m not much of a freezer person—my frozen section is a sad sight—so seasonal produce goes straight into dishes now. Frozen ice cream is the one exception I’ll proudly keep stocked.
I welcomed this bowl because I’d been eating a lot of pizza. A lot. We ordered a 30-cut pie the other night—yes, just for the two of us—because my husband refuses to eat leftover pizza. He’ll happily eat questionable chicken or week-old chili, but pizza less than 12 hours old? No way. So when the pizzeria jumps from 12- to 30-slices, the choice is obvious. I don’t like wasting excellent food, so pizza it was. Then we ordered more pizza the next night at another place because, well, sometimes the same craving hits again. I needed a break. Soup sounded perfect.
This soup leans spicy, but not overwhelming. If you like heat on a scale of 1–10, consider this around a 5–6 with the seeds removed from the poblanos. I usually prefer milder heat—around a 3–4—so this hit a comfortable balance for me: bright corn flavor with a smoky, peppery lift. Peppers vary, though, so adjust to taste. If you want to tone it down, skip the seeds or add more dairy: extra half-and-half or lots of grated cheddar and tortilla chips will mellow the spice and make everything feel right.
Spicy Roasted Corn and Poblano Soup
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Ingredients
- 6 ears sweet corn, uncooked
- 2 roasted poblano peppers
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- 2/3 cup half and half
- sliced green onions for garnish
- tortilla chips for serving
Instructions
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To roast the corn, preheat your broiler. Brush the ears with olive oil and a light sprinkle of salt, then arrange them on a baking sheet. Broil 15–20 minutes, turning occasionally, until the corn is golden and charred in spots. Let cool, then cut the kernels off the cob into a bowl. If you need to roast the poblanos, char and skin them first, then cut into chunks.
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In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter over medium. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the roasted peppers and corn, then pour in the chicken or vegetable stock and 1/3 cup of the half-and-half. Bring to a boil, stirring, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
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Carefully transfer the hot soup to a high-powered blender and puree until smooth, or use an immersion blender for a chunkier texture—leave some kernels if you prefer texture. Return the soup to the pot and set over medium-low heat. Stir in the remaining butter and the rest of the half-and-half, and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot, topped with sliced green onions and plenty of tortilla chips.
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And I do mean everything.