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Enjoy fresh summer corn at its peak with this easy-to-make recipe for Sweet Corn Bisque. This lighter-than-usual bisque combines the sweetness of fresh corn with sautéed shallots, half-and-half, a sprinkle of chopped chives, and a drizzle of sriracha for a little contrasting kick.
Because pureed fresh corn is so rich and creamy on its own, we were able to reduce the fat and calories in this recipe without sacrificing texture and flavor by making our bisque with a combination of chicken broth and half-and-half instead of heavy cream. This soup is such an easy way to take advantage of the great flavor of fresh corn in summer, and all you need is a salad to make it into a delicious dinner.
Featured Ingredients & Shopping Tips
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
FRESH CORN: Fresh corn on the cob is the optimal choice for making this soup. When shopping, peel back the husk slightly to check that the kernels are brightly colored and free from wrinkles or blemishes. Once you bring the corn home, it can be stored in the husks for up to two days. Place the ears in plastic bags and store the bags in the refrigerator (preferably in the vegetable crisper).
BUTTER: We always use unsalted butter in our kitchen because we like its sweet flavor, and the fact that it allows us complete control over the seasoning. If you prefer salted, that’s fine, too.
CHICKEN BROTH: When making quick soups with store-bought broth, we generally opt for low-sodium chicken broth because it tends not to overwhelm other flavors. Of course, if you have homemade chicken broth on hand, that would be even better.
HALF-AND-HALF: As mentioned above, we chose to lighten up this bisque by using half-and-half instead of heavy cream. We feel that once puréed, the rich, creamy texture of the corn is adequate without adding all the extra fat and calories.
CHIVES: Garnishing the soup with fresh chives not only adds visual appeal, it’s also a delicate way to bring in some extra onion flavor. If you don’t have any, fresh parsley will add color, but the flavor won’t be quite the same.
SRIRACHA: A drizzle of sriracha as garnish adds a bit of heat that contrasts nicely with the sweetness of the corn. It’s easy to adjust to taste, or you can simply omit it if you don’t like spice.
How to Make Corn Bisque
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
First, shuck the corn, slice off the kernels (save a few for garnish), and scrape the cobs for extra corn milk. Melt butter, sauté shallots, then stir in flour and cook until golden.
Pour in chicken broth and simmer. Add the corn and cook until tender. Then, stir in half-and-half, season it, and cook a bit more. Blend it all until it’s smooth!
Pour into bowls, drizzle with sriracha, and garnish with corn and chives.
More Ways to Cook Fresh Summer Corn
The peak season for sweet corn is late June to early September, and it’s nice to have a few good recipes in your repertoire so you can make the most of its fresh flavor.
If you want to go a step beyond enjoying fresh corn on the cob, you might want to try our Mexican Street Corn Flatbread. It’s a 30-minute recipe that captures all the delicious elements of Mexican street corn (elote) and reimagines them all on a crispy naan flatbread base.
Or, if you’re looking for an easy side dish for grilled steak, chicken, or burgers, an easy salad that combines fresh corn and sweet grape tomatoes is a terrific choice.
For a heartier soup option, try our Corn Chowder with Bacon and Tomatoes, made with sweet corn, crispy bacon, and fresh cherry tomatoes.
Light and Creamy Corn Bisque
Ingredients
- 6 ears fresh sweet corn, about 3 cups kernels
- 2 tablespoons butter, preferably unsalted
- 1 medium shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup half-and-half
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Sriracha, optional
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Shuck the corn, slice the kernels from the cob and transfer them to a bowl, setting aside about 1/4 cup for garnish if desired.
- Use a spoon to scrape the cobs and release the juices (corn milk) and the portion of the kernels that remain after slicing. Add that mixture to the bowl as well.
- Melt the butter in a soup pot, add the minced shallot and sauté until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour, combine well and continue cooking, stirring often, until the mixture is golden, 2 to 3 minutes longer.
- Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until well blended. Bring the mixture to a simmer and stir in the corn. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes until the corn is tender, stirring often.
- Add the half-and-half, season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer the soup for another minute, then transfer it to a blender and purée until smooth (see notes).
- To serve, pour the bisque into individual bowls, drizzle with sriracha (if desired) and garnish with corn kernels and chopped chives.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can you use frozen sweet corn instead of fresh corn? It’s not in season where I live, but would love to make this soup. Please advise.
Hi Lori,
You can certainly make the soup with frozen corn. My advice would be to add an extra 2 tablespoons of corn kernels to boost flavor since you won’t have the “corn milk” from the cobs, and to add a pinch of sugar (start with 1/2 teaspoon) to enhance the sweetness a bit. Hope this helps.
Hi Lynn, Would you know how many cups of corn are needed to make this soup? I’ve shucked some local sweet corn and some of the ears are a bit spars.
Thank you
Hi Mary,
An average ear of corn yields about 1/2 cup of kernels, so you’ll need about 3 cups to make this soup.
Delicious! And so easy to make.
Hi Kristin,
Glad you enjoyed the soup. Thanks for taking the time to let us know.