Food and Recipes Recipes Sweet-and-Spicy Corn Soup Soup in 30 minutes? Yes, please! By Marianne Williams Marianne Williams Marianne Williams is a recipe tester and developer who has been working in the Dotdash Meredith test kitchens since 2016. Her recipes are featured in Food & Wine, Southern Living, Real Simple, Rachael Ray, Health, Cooking Light, and in various other publications and digital platforms. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on May 17, 2021 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 30 mins Servings: 4 Soup doesn't have to stew all day to develop some serious flavor. Example A: This Sweet-and-Spicy Corn Soup. Unlike a traditional corn chowder, which can be loaded with heavy cream and all sorts of dairy, this version stays lean with the help of whole-milk Greek yogurt. The yogurt adds body and tang to this flavorful corn soup, which comes together in just 30 minutes. A spoonful of summer, the taste of this fresh corn soup is as rich as its golden shade. Whether you're looking for a flavorful and lightened lunch, or a delicious starter to a family dinner, this Sweet-and-Spicy Corn Soup is sure to satisfy everyone. To make it meatless, skip the bacon, and use olive oil in place of the drippings. Ingredients 8 ears fresh yellow corn, husked 2 bacon slices, chopped 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 ½ cups chopped sweet onion (from 1 medium onion) 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 (8-oz.) russet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 ½ cups) 4 cups lower-sodium vegetable broth ½ cup whole milk 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon Louisiana-style hot sauce (such as Crystal), plus more for serving ¼ cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives ½ teaspoon black pepper Directions Cut corn kernels off cobs onto a rimmed baking sheet. Using the back of a knife, scrape the corn milk and remaining pulp from cobs onto baking sheet. (You should have about 5 cups.) Reserve 3 cobs; discard remaining 5. Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Reserve 1 tablespoon drippings in Dutch oven, discarding remaining drippings. Add oil to drippings; heat over medium. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and potato. Cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are just starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Add vegetable broth, 4 cups corn kernels, and the reserved corn cobs to Dutch oven. Increase heat to medium-high; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat; discard cobs. Pour soup into a blender. Secure lid on blender, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over opening. Process until smooth, 30 to 45 seconds. Return mixture to Dutch oven, and stir in milk, cider vinegar, hot sauce, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Divide soup among 4 bowls; top each with Greek yogurt, basil, chives, bacon, remaining 1 cup corn kernels, and pepper. Serve with additional hot sauce, if desired. How to Milk a Cob 1. Hold a shucked ear of corn upright on a rimmed baking sheet. Using a chef's knife, shave the kernels from the cob. 2. Using the back of the knife or a metal spoon, scrape all sides of the cob from top to bottom to remove the remaining bits of kernels and extract the milk. 3. Continue until the cob is scraped clean and looks like an empty honeycomb. Repeat with remaining ears of corn. Print