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Home » Soup

Creamy, 3 Ingredient Corn Soup (a la Japanese corn potage)

Published: Oct 16, 2019 · Updated: Feb 8, 2025 · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

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corn potage pinterest image
labeled ingredients for 3 ingredient corn soup
Japanese corn potage in a blue grey bowl with corn kernel garnish on the top
Japanese corn potage in a white mug with a red striped napkin in the background
close up shot of cream of corn soup

This recipe is a very simplified twist on a classic Japanese corn potage. You won't miss the flour or milk. You just need 3 simple ingredients (plus salt) and a blender to make this creamy, naturally sweet, and homey soup.

Japanese corn potage in a white mug with a red striped napkin in the background
Inspired by the corn potage served at Japanese restaurants, this creamy soup makes a versatile side dish for any cuisine.

This recipe is ideal during the summer when fresh corn is in season, complete with green husks and silk strings. But since corn is available year round, this soup works with anything really.

Pair it with dungeness crab pasta, honey garlic brussel sprouts, or quick pan-seared sockeye salmon.

Inspired by the corn potage at Curry House, the now defunct restaurant chain in California, this soup would pair well with Japanese inspired fare such as furikake salmon, addictive sweet soy edamame pods, or a fun hot dog fried rice.

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • Equipment
  • Storage
  • Tips to make it better @home
  • Other Plant Based Recipes
  • Pair with Seafood Dishes
  • Recipe
  • Food safety
  • Fortune Cookie 🥠

Ingredients

Just three regular ingredients can transform into a stellar, smooth soup. Salt is also used but not counted as one of the ingredients.

labeled ingredients for 3 ingredient corn soup
The corn in the picture is the peeled sweet corn found in the refrigerator section of Costco. I like to use a grassfed butter or vegan butter. Grassfed butter is shown in a cat shaped dipping sauce dish.
  • Corn - Fresh sweet corn is preferred for the best flavor. Otherwise, frozen corn would be next in line. In a pinch, you could use drained, canned corn.
  • Onion - Use white or yellow onions.
  • Butter - Use vegan butter for a dairy free soup.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

There are 3 parts to making this soup: prepping the vegetables, cooking the soup, and blending the soup. You can do all three steps in one go, or complete each step on separate days when you have time.

Vegetable Prep

If onions make you cry, cut the corn first, so you're not shedding tears from the cut onion.

corn kernels being cut off the cob onto a parchment lined gold baking sheet

Trim one end of the corn, so you have a flat bottom to hold the corn upright. Use a paring knife to cut off the kernels as close to the stalk as you can. Use a parchment lined, rimmed baking sheet or pie plate to catch all the kernels.

diced onion on a wooden cutting board

Cut the onion into a ¼-1/2" dice.

Cook Soup

This will take a good 15-20 minutes to cook, so be prepared to stand by the stove.

4 corn cobs in boiling water in a silver saucepan

Optional: Cover the corn stalks with water to make a homemade corn stock. Bring to a boil, and leave it to simmer, uncovered, while you make the soup in a separate pot.

diced white onions and a pat of butter in a silver saucepan

Put the onion and butter in a pan over medium heat. Sweat the onions for a good 8-12 minutes until they are translucent. Add a pinch of salt to help them sweat (about ⅛ tsp). Lower the heat, if they start to brown.

Wooden spoon stirring onions and butter in a silver saucepan

You don't want the onions to caramelize, but they should be meltingly soft. Cooking them this long coaxes out their sugar and adds natural sweetness to this soup.

sauteed corn and onions in a silver saucepan with a wooden spoon

Add the corn. Stir over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. It doesn't seem like this makes a difference, but frying the corn in the onion butter does help add complexity to the corn flavor.

Blend

There are three options for blending the soup: hand blender (coarse texture), conventional blender (smoother but still visible chunks), or Vitamix (as smooth as it gets).

corn soup being pureed with an immersion blender stick in a silver saucepan

Before blending, remove ¼ cup of the corn mixture to serve as garnish. Add the homemade corn stock to the soup and blend. Alternatively, use plain water or vegetable stock.

Vitamix filled with cream of corn soup

If using a blender, take care to remove the plastic insert on the lid and cover with a towel. This allows some steam to escape while blending, otherwise, it can build up in the blender and explode.

Texture of corn potage shown blended with a hand blender, Cuisinart blendar, and vitamix.
The texture will vary depending on the type of blender you use. For the smoothest texture, use the all powerful Vitamix blender. Otherwise, enjoy a little but chunkier soup.

Make ahead: The soup doesn't have to be blended right away. You can store the cooked corn in the fridge, then blend and reheat when you're ready to eat. This soup also tastes really good cold.

Japanese corn potage in a blue grey bowl on a white background
Save a little bit of the corn before it's blended, so you have a pop of corn kernels as a garnish.

Equipment

You will need a couple of items to make this creamed soup.

  • 2 qt pot to make the cook the corn and onions
  • Blender: either hand blender, regular blender, or Vitamix will work
  • 2 qt pot to make the optional corn stock

Storage

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze up to a month.

corn potage in a wooden bowl with two ears of corn in the husk in the background
If you use white corn, just note the color will be a little more whitish rather than yellow.

Tips to make it better @home

  1. Use fresh corn.  If using frozen corn, adjust seasoning with a pinch of sugar.  Used drained, canned corn if that is what you have available.
  2. Substitute homemade corn stock with vegetable stock or water.
  3. Use a Vitamix for the smoothest puree. Otherwise, a regular blender will work while a hand blender will yield a chunkier puree.
  4. Take care when blending hot liquids, since the steam can cause the blender cap to pop off. Hold the cap, cover loosely with a towel, and pulse gently to get the soup started. 
  5. Make ahead up to 1-2 days.  Tastes yummy cold too! 

Other Plant Based Recipes

Looking for other palnt based recipes? Try these:

  • a pile of vegan beans and greens on a white plate
    Vegan Beans and Greens (no cheese needed)
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    Vegan Green Bean Casserole with Coconut Milk (only 7 ingredients)

Pair with Seafood Dishes

Corn pairs exceedling well with seafood, including these dishes:

  • Collage of 4 Thanksgiving seafood recipes
    17 Thanksgiving Seafood Ideas to Add to Your Holiday Menu
  • Pan seared sockeye salmon filet on a white oval plate with brussel sprouts
    Quick Pan Seared Sockeye Salmon (with a savory rub)
  • sliced blackened tuna on wild rice
    Blackened Tuna Steaks (3 ingredients, 15 minutes)
  • Aguachile ceviche with orange slices on a blue plae
    The BEST Ceviche Recipe (with regular ingredients)

Recipe

Japanese corn potage in a white mug with a red striped napkin in the background
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5 from 1 vote

Creamy, 3 Ingredient Corn Soup

This recipe is a very simplified twist on a classic Japanese corn potage. You won't miss the flour or milk. You just need 3 simple ingredients (plus salt) and a blender to make this creamy, naturally sweet, and homey soup.
Course Soup
Cuisine Japanese
Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegetarian
Keyword fresh corn soup, simple soup
Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes minutes
Servings 2
Calories 184kcal
Author Agile Test Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 4 ears corn about 3 c of corn kernels, See Note 1
  • 1 c onion, diced ½" cubes this is about 1 small to medium sized onion
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt table or pink Himalayan salt, or ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 Tb butter or vegan butter

Optional

  • chopped parsley, basil, or mint fresh or dried, for garnish
  • sugar to taste for a sweet corn taste

Instructions

  • Shave corn kernels off the cob, if using fresh corn.
  • Make the optional corn stock. Put the corn cobs in a pot with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer for 15-30 minutes, while you prepare the rest of the soup.
  • Add the butter, onion, and salt to a pot and set over medium heat. Sweat onions until they're completely translucent and meltingly soft. Take care not to brown the onions. They should't caramelize, otherwise they'll make the soup brown.
  • Add corn kernels to pot and saute for another 2-3 minutes to help develop their flavor.
  • Reserve a ¼ cup of the corn kernel mixture for garnish.
  • Blend the cooked corn with 1 ½ c of the corn stock. Blend until completely smooth using a hand blender or standalone blender. Take care to remove the plastic cemter insert in the cap, cover loosely with a towel, and hold down the cap with your hand to keep the hot steam from making the blender explode.
  • Serve hot. Top with reserved corn kernels and optional garnish of fresh or dried herbs.

Notes

This makes about 3 ½ c of soup or 4 servings of ¾ c each or 2 servings of 1 ¾ c each.
    1. Use fresh corn.  If using frozen corn, adjust seasoning with a pinch of sugar.  Used drained, canned corn if that is what you have available.
    1. Substitute homemade corn stock with vegetable stock or water.
    1. Use a Vitamix for the smoothest puree. Otherwise, a regular blender will work while a hand blender will yield a chunkier puree.
    1. Take care when blending hot liquids, since the steam can cause the blender cap to pop off. Hold the cap, cover loosely with a towel, and pulse gently to get the soup started. 
    1. Make ahead up to 1-2 days.  Tastes yummy cold too! 

Nutrition

Serving: 1.75c | Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 284mg | Potassium: 126mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 532IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @agiletestkitchen or tag #agiletestkitchen!

Food safety

Don't forget to wash your hands with hot soapy water before handling any food. Also, wash your vegetables to make sure they're clean too.

  • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
  • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
  • Never leave cooking food unattended
  • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
  • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

Fortune Cookie 🥠

The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

More Asian Soup Recipes

  • Easy Egg Drop Soup Recipe (and 3 ways to make egg ribbons)
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