This sweet corn soup is perfect for chilly nights, or for warm nights with the AC cranked up :). Chances are it will be the second one in our neck of the woods. Never thought I would miss those snowstorms and blizzards and the frosty air that hits you through those cracks beneath the doors and window panes.

Although this is a pureed soup, this is quite hearty. You may serve it with any kind of bread, but I prefer crumbled tortilla chips and paprika as a topping. The color of this soup was deep and rich, more so because of the ‘Delhi carrots’ which are in season and which impart a rich red color rather than an orange one.

This sweet corn soup starts with the standard mirepoix’ base which I think is essential. I love that sharp flavor of celery in the background, and its what defines a soup for me. I used a stick blender to puree it about 80% but did not worry about it being very fine. If you want a smoother velvety texture, you can run it through a sieve. But that’s just a waste of good fiber and vegetables, in my opinion. It could be an option if you are entertaining and want to impress.

Corn is naturally sweet and I am keeping the flavors simple here, just seasoning with salt and pepper. You can add different spices or herbs every time to shake it up, like fresh ginger or garlic or even white pepper.

The recipe for this easy sweet corn soup is given below.

Ingredients

1 medium onion

1 carrot

1-2 stems celery

2 corn cobs or 1.5-2 cups yellow sweet corn

1 Tbsp butter/margarine (optional)

1 Tbsp oil

salt and pepper

paprika to garnish

Method

1. Chop the onion, carrot and celery in similar sized pieces. Shuck the corn and keep aside. You can also use frozen corn kernels.

2. Heat oil and butter in a thick stock pot. Add the onion, carrot and celery and saute until slightly softened. Add a little salt now to sweat the vegetables. We do not want them to stick to the pan, burn or caramelize.

3. Add the corn and season with salt and pepper.

4. Add 3-4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer until the vegetables are cooked.

5. Use a stick or immersion blender to puree the soup. Add liquid to get desired thickness. You can add some cream or milk or half and half at this point, but the soup is naturally very creamy and you don’t need to in my opinion.

6. Simmer and serve while hot. Add a dash of paprika as garnish and add some tortilla chips for crunch.

This sweet corn soup is really easy and is great as a snack or light meal any time of the day. Try it and let me know what you think.

*the butter here is optional and is just for flavor. Omit it to get a vegan recipe or add some margarine instead if you like.