Serve this simple, silky corn soup hot or cold and topped with plenty of chopped bacon, tomatoes, and avocado.
I have been on a crazy toast kick lately. It all started when I fell in love with a multigrain pullman loaf from Bathalzar Bakery that they sell at our local upscale supermarket. I literally cannot stop eating it. I like to buy it whole and slice it myself at home. Then I’m like “I’m being so healthy and having an open-faced sandwich with only one slice of bread.” Umm, except that slice is like an inch thick. It reminds me of an episode of “The Nanny” (yes I’m going there) in which Fran Drescher stacks two slices of pizza together and claims “the body doesn’t know.”
My favorite toast of the moment is slathered with cream cheese, layered with slices of heirloom tomatoes, and sprinkled with tons of salt and pepper. And nothing pairs with it better than this easy, impossibly silky and creamy corn soup.
Oh, and just for good measure, I’m topping it with crumbled bacon and chunks of avocado and tomato. Grab a spoon!
I feel like corn soup often gets overly complicated. There are recipes out there that have you making corn stock out of the cobs (delicious I’m sure, but I just don’t have the time) or straining the soup through cheesecloth to remove all the little bits of corn (I did this once, and ended up with a pitiful amount of soup for all my husking and de-silking efforts). My recipe streamlines the whole process. Instead of making a separate corn stock, I simply simmer two cobs right in the soup. And instead of straining it, I just blend it in a high-powered blender. I recently got a refurbished Blendtec and I’m obsessed. If you don’t have one, blending it for an extra long time with a regular blender will work, too.
To make this soup extra luxurious–without crossing the line into unhealthy–I stirred in a scant 1/2 cup of half-and-half. I hate it when otherwise light soups are laden with cups and cups of heavy cream. Not only is it super fattening, I also think it mutes the other flavors. I’ve found that a little bit of half-and-half is perfect. It gives soup a great silkiness and rich mouthfeel without diluting it or adding a million extra calories.
I mean, we need those calories for bacon and avocado, right?
This summer soup that is equally yummy hot or cold. I was actually planning to serve it chilled, but the night we had it for dinner (with toast, of course) it was actually raining and unseasonably freezing, so at the last minute I heated it up. Delicious!
Easy Corn Soup with Bacon, Tomato and Avocado
2016-06-08 18:38:16
Serves 4
You can make this soup with frozen corn (just leave out the cobs). To really take it over the top bacon-wise, crisp the bacon in the pot first, then sautee the shallots in the bacon fat and proceed with the recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped shallots
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 5 cups corn fresh corn, divided (from about 6 large ears), 2 cobs reserved
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
- 3 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
- 1/2 cup diced cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until tender but not brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 4 cups of corn, the reserved corn cobs, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir to combine. Pour in the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove and discard the corn cobs. Let the soup cool slightly, then puree in a high-powered blender (if using a regular blender or an immersion blender, let it run for an extra long time to work through all the fibrous bits of corn). Return the soup to the pot and stir in the half-and-half. Taste and season as needed with salt and pepper.
- Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining cup of corn and season with salt and pepper. Cook until bright yellow and just beginning to brown in spots, about 3 minutes.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the corn, bacon, avocado, and tomatoes.
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Renee says
This looks so good, I can’t wait to try it! Pinning 🙂
Molly Kumar says
Such a gorgeous looking soup & I love the combination of corn with bacon. Your pictures are so gorgeous!
Lisa says
Holy cow! What’s not to like about that!!! I’m going to have to try it when we get fresh Iowa sweet corn!
Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon says
Yum! Great pictures! I want to have a spoonful right now. I love corn soup and I like how you streamlined it without sacrificing flavor.
Jackie Garvin says
I love your sensible practical approach to making this delicious corn soup. Bravo!
Tina Dawson | Love is in my Tummy says
I absolutely love corn soup…. love how your toppings contrast with the pale yellow of the soup.
Kelsey @ Kelsey in the Kitchen says
I’ve never heard of corn soup before–a tad embarrassing since I have been surrounded by corn fields literally my entire life. This soup looks delicious. Pinning so I remember to try it later! 😀