Crema de elote is a creamy Mexican corn soup made with corn kernels, onion, garlic, and crema. It’s flavorful, comforting, and perfect to serve for lunch any day of the week.
Crema translates to “cream”, and elote means “corn” in Spanish. Crema de elote is often garnished with ingredients like roasted poblano peppers, cheese, and a drizzle of cream before serving.
It is a popular dish in Mexican cuisine and is often served at restaurants as a starter or as a main course, accompanied by crusty bolillo bread or tortillas de harina.
If you’re looking for another delicious corn soup, try my sopa de elote recipe, a lighter broth-based version made with whole corn kernels.
Ingredients
- Corn kernels (fresh, canned, or frozen corn all work well).
- Onion
- Chicken stock (or vegetable broth).
- Mexican crema (or substitute with sour cream or crème fraîche).
- Butter and olive oil
- Garlic
- Epazote (If you can’t find it, substitute with Mexican oregano).
- Salt and pepper
- For serving: roasted poblano peppers and queso panela.
How To Make Crema De Elote
Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add butter and allow to melt.
Add onion to the pot and cook stirring constantly for 2 minutes or until onions become soft and translucent.
Add corn and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes then stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant.
TOP TIP: You can remove 1/2 cup of the corn mixture and use it as garnish when serving your soup.
Add caldo de pollo (chicken stock) and bring to a boil, cook for 3 minutes over medium-high heat.
Now, use an immersion blender to blend the corn or transfer to a stand blender and blend until nicely smooth.
Allow the sweet corn mixture to simmer in the pot for 5 minutes.
Add the cream and turn the heat to medium-high. Once the soup starts to boil, turn down the heat again to allow a gentle simmer.
Mix in the dried epazote or oregano and keep cooking until the soup lightly thickens. Adjust seasonings to taste and turn off the heat.
Serve the crema de elote in bowls and garnish with roasted chile poblano, corn, panela cheese, and a swirl of crema.
Kitchen Notes
- Roast the corn kernels to add a smoky depth of flavor to the soup. You can do this by grilling the corn on the cob or roasting the kernels in the oven until they are slightly charred.
- To achieve a smooth and creamy texture, blend the corn thoroughly using a powerful blender or immersion blender. For a completely smooth consistency, you can strain the blended soup through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any remaining corn fibers.
- Sautéing onions and garlic in a little bit of oil or butter will help to release their flavors and enhances the overall taste of this creamy corn soup.
- You can play with other spices to add more flavor, think of ground cumin, paprika, or a hint of chili powder. Adjust the seasonings according to your taste preferences.
- When serving, consider topping your crema de elote with various garnishes. Chopped fresh cilantro, crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese, a drizzle of lime juice, or a dash of salsa roja can all add a burst of flavor and visual appeal.
Serving Ideas
Usually, in Mexico we serve this creamy corn soup as an entrada, meaning it is enjoyed before the main meal, but it is also common to make it for a quick and light lunch on busy days.
If you ever have it at a restaurant, you’ll often see it served with a small basket of totopos on the side or with a piece of bolillo or teleras rolls for dipping.
At home, you can also enjoy it as a main meal by pairing it with quesadillas. It goes especially well with steak quesadilla.
Storage
Crema de Elote can be stored for up to 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Remember to allow the soup to reach room temperature before storing it.
You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. To freeze you can put it in zip lock bags and lay it flat in the freezer, this saves a lot of space. If you have a lot you can stack them up one on top of the other
To reheat you can put your crema de elote in the microwave or in a soup pot over medium-high heat, you may add a little bit of stock or water to loosen it up.
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Video
Crema de Elote
Ingredients
- 3 cups corn kernels (canned or frozen)
- ½ cup onion (diced)
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup Mexican crema (or sour cream)
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 clove garlic (sliced)
- 1 teaspoon dried epazote or oregano
- salt & pepper (to taste)
For garnish (optional):
- 1 medium poblano pepper (roasted and cut into strips)
- queso panela ( or queso fresco, cotija cheese, etc.)
- Mexican crema (or sour cream)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add butter and allow to melt.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until it becomes soft and translucent.
- Add the corn and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant (see notes).
- Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes over medium-high heat.
- Use an immersion blender to blend the corn mixture until smooth, or transfer it to a stand blender and blend until creamy (see notes).
- Cook the corn mixture in the pot for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the crema and cook for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the dried epazote and continue cooking until the soup slightly thickens. Adjust seasonings to taste and turn off the heat.
- Serve the crema de elote in bowls and garnish with roasted poblano peppers, reserved corn kernels, panela cheese, and a swirl of crema.
Notes
- You can reserve ½ cup of the corn mixture and use it as a garnish when serving the soup.
- For an extra smooth consistency, strain the blended corn mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any remaining corn fibers.
- You can also add other spices to flavor this soup, such as ground cumin, paprika, or a hint of chili powder. Adjust the seasonings according to your taste preferences.
I am blown away by this crema de elote recipe! The velvety smoothness of the corn soup is incredibly satisfying. The combination of sweet corn, aromatic spices, and creamy texture is pure perfection. Garnished with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime, it’s a burst of flavors in every spoonful. This recipe is a must-try for anyone who loves the comforting flavors of Mexican cuisine. Absolutely delicious!