Sweet Corn Soup With Herbs and Buttermilk (Chilled)
Chilled sweet corn soup with fresh herbs is a perfect summer appetizer or starter. Made with fresh produce, it's bursting with sweet, herby flavors and spiked with a little tang. Creamy and refreshing.
Servings (change as needed): 4 small bowls of soup (or 8 mini apps)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 1 green onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 ears of corn on the cob, husks removed
- 1 garlic clove, minced (1 teaspoon)
- 3 cups vegetable stock or broth, Note 1 (or chicken broth/stock)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, Note 2 plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (or lime juice)
Fresh Herbs and Spinach, Note 2
- 1 large handful baby spinach (or kale or arugula or watercress)
- 2 tablespoons chives, chopped
- 1 tablespoons basil leaves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon tarragon, chopped (much reduced from original recipe)
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Instructions
- REMOVE KERNELS FROM COB (video): Place small inverted bowl in another larger owl. Stand up ear of corn on inverted bowl (flat side down). Use sharp knife to slice off kernels on all sides of cob. Repeat with remaining cobs. Break cobs in half and reserve.
- SAUTÉ ONIONS AND CORN: Melt butter on medium heat in medium pot. Add green onions and cook for 2 minutes until golden. Add corn kernels (reserve a few for garnish) and garlic. Sauté 2 more minutes, stirring.
- SIMMER CORN SOUP: Add broth and reserved corn cobs to pot. Bring to boil, cover pan, then lower heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 15 minutes. Discard cobs. Let soup cool to room temperature (20-30 minutes).
- ADD HERBS, SPINACH & BUTTERMILK: Add herbs buttermilk, lemon juice and spinach. Using an immersion blender (or blender), puree soup until until you get a smooth creamy texture, about 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- GARNISH AND SERVE: Pour cold soup into a large bowl or punch bowl. Or divide soup into shot glasses or espresso cups. Garnish with fresh corn kernels, a drizzle of buttermilk and chives (or other options, Note 4).
Notes
- Broth tip: I love the roasted vegetable or roasted chicken base by Better Than Bouillon. When mixing it with water to make broth, I add a bit of extra base to build a richer soup. You can do this with any powder or cube version as well.
- Buttermilk options:
- If you don't have buttermilk, check out how to make buttermilk. The basic substitution is 1 cup buttermilk = 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or vinegar) + enough milk to measure 1 cup. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Substitute the buttermilk with plain or Greek yogurt and extra lemon.
- Or skip the buttermilk and use half-and-half cream and an extra 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice. The soup will be thinner.
- For a lower-calorie version, use 1-2% buttermilk.
- Dairy-free version - Substitute the buttermilk with a dairy-free version. Or make your own with almond milk, coconut milk or oat milk plus lemon or vinegar.
- Herb options: chives, parsley, basil, cilantro, oregano, and thyme. Tarragon is quite potent and has a licorice taste, so use in sparingly or not at all. You can use more of one or two fresh herbs (instead of 4 different types). I suggest using at least some fresh herbs, but you can also use some dried herbs. The rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon fresh = 1 teaspoon dried.
- Other garnish ideas: grilled shrimp on top, a drizzle of chili oil, sliced radishes or water chestnuts for crunch or finely chopped fresh tomatoes. Another great addition is a colorful edible flower.
- Shortcut version: Instead of corn on the cob, use 3 cups/500 grams frozen corn niblets and no cobs. No need to thaw.
- Make ahead: As a cold soup, you need time for the soup to chill and the flavors to bloom - at least 3 hours. So making the soup ahead is important. It will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 374mg | Potassium: 326mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1338IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 1mg