This Roasted Sweet Corn and Tomato Soup is the ideal meal for when your garden is overflowing with sweet, flavorful summer produce. The blended corn gives it a rich, creamy texture with no dairy whatsoever. Smoked paprika and chipotle chili powder provide a subtle smoky, sweetness that will bring everybody back for more. Craving this beautiful soup other times of the year? Frozen corn and store-bought tomatoes will do in a pinch. It’s easy and delicious and absolute perfection paired with a grilled cheese sandwich.
Ingredient & Equipment Notes
- Fresh corn on the cob – Fresh corn provides a delicious, creamy base for this soup and is by far the best choice. In a pinch, frozen corn would be a close second. Don’t use canned corn for this recipe.
- Tomatoes – You can use any variety of garden tomatoes here. Little ones work the best, but if you happen to have large tomatoes in your garden, just quarter them before roasting and you’ll be good to go. You can buy 10 ounce containers of cherry tomatoes in the grocery store and those work great, too.
- Roasted bell peppers – I wanted the smoky sweetness of fire-roasted bell peppers, but I really didn’t want to take the time to roast one myself, so I used a jar since it’s something I almost always have in my pantry. If you want to roast your own bell pepper, just take a look at this tutorial for roasted red peppers. An 8-ounce jar is equivalent to about 1 medium sized bell pepper.
- Broth – Use chicken broth, unless you need to make this vegetarian, in which case you can experiment with vegetable broth. When given the choice of the two however, I’ll always go with chicken broth since it has a lot more flavor.
- Spices – The two seasonings that will give a ton of flavor to our roasted veggies are chipotle chili powder and smoked paprika. Both go beautifully with corn and tomatoes and are a perfect compliment to this flavor profile. Don’t worry if you’re not a big fan of spicy food- the chipotle chili powder does not make the soup spicy, just adds a lovely boost of flavor.
- Baking sheet – The vegetables will be roasting to perfection in the oven. I highly recommend lining your baking sheet with foil for easy clean up!
- Blender – You can use an immersion blender to puree the soup, but I actually prefer my blender for this one since the corn has so much texture. Remember when you put anything hot in your blender to remove that little stopper at the top. It’s important that the steam has somewhere to go. The other important step is that you cover it with a folded paper towel before you press start!
- Souper Cubes (or other silicon molds) – if you ever make soup and freeze it, consider these a must-have! These make soup easy to freeze and pop out when they are solid. Perfect for freezing leftovers.
How To Make Roasted Sweet Corn and Tomato Soup
- The base of this soup is sweet, fresh corn. We’re going to toss the fresh corn kernels with some tomatoes, and then we’ll add a bunch of chopped garlic, a light sprinkling of kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, and a little drizzle of olive oil. The oven then does magical things as the veggies roast and caramelize and release natural sugars. Your house will smell amazing.
- While the corn and tomatoes are doing their thing in the oven, we’ll sauté some diced onions on the stove top, and then add some diced roasted red peppers.
- Next we’ll add that gloriously fragrant mixture of roasted corn and tomatoes from the oven, making sure to scrape all the caramelized bits off the baking sheet, and then let it all simmer for a few minutes to allow the flavors to blend together in a sweet, smoky combination.
- Lastly we’ll blend it all up. I originally planned to add a little low-fat cream cheese to this soup to add a rich, creamy feel, but I realized that the corn has enough starch in it to really create a creamy soup without any actual “creamy” products. It’s quite thick, and slightly sweet, smoky, and savory, all at the same time. Simply divine.
- We’ll add our spices right to the pot. And then, since we’re making soup here, we’ll definitely need some broth.
Storage & Other Tips
- Refrigeration: after letting the soup cool slightly, transfer to an airtight container before refrigerating. It keeps well in the fridge for 3 – 4 days.
- Freezing: this soup freezes really well. Portion it into freezer-safe zip-top bags, or “pucks” in silicon molds and pop them out when completely frozen.
- Reheating: thaw (if frozen) and warm gently on the stove or in the microwave, stirring occasionally.
- Serving Suggestions: Nice, crusty artisan or sourdough bread paired with smoked gouda or provolone would be an amazing companion here. If you’re in the mood for something a little different, consider a Smoked Turkey and Artichoke Panini.
Does this soup freeze well?
Most soups are great reheated, and this one is no exception! Freeze in “pucks” in a silicone mold or in individual mason jars for quick reheating.
Can I use frozen or canned corn instead of fresh?
We do not recommend canned corn in this recipe; it has a distinct taste that just isn’t good in this recipe. However, frozen works really well if fresh isn’t available.
Is roasting the tomatoes and corn a “must”?
Yes. Roasting the vegetables brings out the caramelized flavor and deepens the taste, so technically, you could skip it, but you’ll lose the richness.
How smooth does the soup have to be?
It’s meant to be pureed until smooth, but you could leave a little texture if you prefer a slightly chunkier soup.
What kind of garnishes or toppings work best?
A few roasted corn kernels, fresh herbs, or a sprinkle of smoked paprika work nicely. It’s especially good with a grilled cheese sandwich on the side!
Roasted Sweet Corn and Tomato Soup
This rich, creamy soup is full of sweet, smoky flavor thanks to roasted peppers, sweet corn, and smoky spices. Perfect paired with a gooey grilled cheese sandwich.
Servings cups
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups corn kernels, fresh about 4 cobs
- 10 ounces cherry tomatoes about 2 cups
- 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 1 onion, medium any color, diced
- 8 ounce jar roasted red bell peppers drained
- 32 ounces chicken broth 4 cups
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- kosher salt
- fresh cracked black pepper
- optional: chopped herbs for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉.
- Place corn, tomatoes, and garlic on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Gently toss with hands and then arrange in an even, flat layer. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until tomatoes are crinkled and burst.
- While vegetables are roasting, heat a stock pot to medium high heat on stove top. Add remaining one teaspoon olive oil and diced onion. Sauté about 5 minutes, or until tender. Add roasted bell peppers, chicken broth, smoked paprika and chipotle chili powder. Add a light sprinkling of kosher salt and black pepper (I add about ½ teaspoon salt and a few cracks of pepper at this point and then season to taste at the very end.)
- When corn and tomatoes are done roasting, add them to the pot*, making sure to scrape off all of the bits on the pan. (*If desired, reserve a couple spoonfuls of roasted corn for garnish.) Bring soup to a low simmer and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender, or transfer soup to stand blender and puree until smooth. Taste, and add additional salt and pepper (and chipotle chili powder if you want a little more heat) to taste.
- Divide into bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of smoked paprika, a few corn kernels, and some chopped herbs if desired.
Nutrition
Serving: 11/2 cup, Calories: 111kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 3mg, Sodium: 1254mg, Potassium: 336mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 616IU, Vitamin C: 32mg, Calcium: 38mg, Iron: 1mg
Calories: 111kcal
Cost: $8
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Questions & Reviews
Made this yesterday for Sunday dinner and it was a HUGE hit. It was so fresh and delicious. Definitely a keeper–thanks for sharing!
I just made this recipe… and oh my goodness… it is AMAZING!!!!!!!! I made a bunch ahead of time for my lunches this week and I am sure my coworkers are going to be soooo jealous! Thanks for the recipe!
I’ve never had roasted sweetcorn before, but I can just imagine how great it tastes. This looks lovely!
HO. LY. GUACAMOLE! I just made this with tomatoes/corn/peppers from my garden, and it was so darned good! Especially since I’m not normally a lover of tomato soup. I think I’ll make a double batch of it and freeze it in single serve portions for work lunches. I’ve gotta say, it is a rare gem of a recipe that is not only good for you AND delish. Of course, I’ve never made anything that disappoints from Our Best Bites – and how many cookooks can I say THAT about? Thanks SO MUCH!!! Now to try it with grilled cheese as suggested by Kirsten!
Thanks yet again OBB.
You’ve inspired me! This is definitely on my list of soups to make…it may even bump some of the other ones I have lined up each week for my soup blog.
I’ve been on the hunt for tomato recipes to use up the (approximately) 3 gazillion tomatoes I’m picking daily. I used 2 red bell peppers from the garden and just roasted them right along with the tomatoes & corn.
I served it with grilled cheese using a colby pepper jack cheese to try and up my fancy game . . . but I would serve it with regular cheddar or american cheese sandwiches next time cause the pepper jack overwhelmed the delicious roasted veggies.
I ran it through my food processor first and then a 2nd time through my blender and I thought that did the trick texture wise.
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe!! I made it this weekend with tomatoes and corn from my garden and it was every bit as delicious as you promised it would be!! I love the calorie information as well as the carb count – I am insulin resistant and trying to drop pounds – This recipe fits the bill for a perfect dinner at my house! Love you girls- courting down until book #2 comes out!!
I would love to have an ipad!!! My daily fix is to look at the recipes from your site!!
Can I use canned or frozen corn?
I made this soup for lunch today. The company hasn’t arrived yet, but the soup is ready and fabulous! The roasted corn by itself will someday be a side dish for a fun dinner, perhaps with steak or fish — temptation in and of itself!