A Japanese-inspired twist on corn soup with lots of sweet and savory flavor contrast from miso, toasted sesame oil, and lime. Comforting, naturally creamy, and completely vegan with no dairy.
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From the Glow Diaries
IMO there’s nothing better than a comforting, warming bowl of soup on a cold winter’s day and I will happily eat it for dinner as a main meal.
I’m not fussy about soup texture – chunky, brothy, or smooth all have their place! Chunky ones like my Red Lentil & Coconut Soup feel hearty enough for dinner, brothy ones like my 10 Minute Dumpling Soup or Healthy Instant Noodle Soup are lighter – ideal for lunch or when you’re feeling sick, and smooth soups are pure wholesome-comfort food.
This Miso Corn Soup is blended until mostly smooth, with fine flecks of corn throughout, which gives it body but not as much as chowder. It has the perfect balance of sweet-savory from miso and toasted sesame oil.
It’s not your as sweet as Japanese corn potage (which is strained and silky, more butter-heavy) and it’s also not like heavier American sweet corn soups. It’s a breed of its own! But if you love a hearty soup and sweet-savory Japanese inspired flavors, I think it’ll be a hit 🙂
Key Ingredients
This is a simple recipe but the ingredients are different to typical American sweet corn soup, so make sure to get the right ones! Here are my notes and product recommendations:
- Corn – use plain sweet corn only. Fresh corn is best but frozen corn works well too and tastes cleaner than canned. You can get away with using canned corn in a pinch but make sure it’s well drained – canned corn is pre-cooked and can be saltier. Do not use creamed corn or corn with added sugar, dairy, or thickeners.
- Toasted sesame oil – this is essential! Do not use regular sesame oil. Toasted sesame oil is a very dark amber color, aromatic, and nutty, and it’s added at the end for flavor. It’s sometimes labelled as Roasted Sesame Oil. Regular sesame oil is light and has almost no flavor – do not use it.
- Miso paste – Stick to white or yellow miso, not red. Red miso is much stronger and saltier and will overpower the corn. Miso should be mellow and savory here, not dominant. Look for miso in the refrigerated section near tofu; the shelf-stable tubes tend to taste sharper (do not recommend).
- Vegetable broth – Use a neutral, savory vegetable broth, not one with tomato, herbs, or sweetness built in. Concentrated bases like Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base work well, though salt levels vary, so final seasoning should be adjusted after blending.
- Lime juice – use fresh, not bottled – it won’t taste as tangy and light.
How to Make Miso Corn Soup
Step One: Finely dice the onion and celery.
Step Two: Cook the onion and celery in olive oil until soft and lightly caramelized.
Step Three: Add the corn and cook briefly until tender.
Step Four: Stir in the miso and black pepper.
Step Five: Add the broth and simmer until everything is soft.
Step Six: Remove from heat, add sesame oil and lime juice, then blend until smooth (or partially blend for texture). Season to taste and garnish before serving.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. This soup also freezes very well, which makes it great for meal prep – I often portion it out using SouperCubes and freeze it for easy lunches. It will keep for up 2 months in the freezer. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave, stirring occasionally.
Expert Tips
If you like your soup on the chunkier side, scoop out about a cup of the soup before blending and set it aside. Blend the rest until smooth, then stir the reserved portion back in for a creamy soup with a little texture.
FAQ
White or yellow miso are the best options for this soup. They’re milder and slightly sweet, which pairs nicely with the corn. Red miso can work, but it’s much stronger and saltier, I do not recommend it.
Yes, frozen corn works well – just defrost it first and cook as written. Canned corn is passable but not recommended… if you have to use it, make sure it’s well drained and skip the extra cooking time before adding the miso, as it’s already soft and typically salted.
Yes, just keep in mind that miso adds salt on its own, so a low-sodium broth gives you more control at the end. I always taste before adding any extra salt.
Once the corn has cooked and the soup is gently simmering. You don’t want the soup at a hard boil when you add the miso, as high heat can dull the flavor.
Stir it into the soup off the heat and take your time mixing it through. If you prefer, you can dissolve it in a small ladle of hot broth first, then add it back to the pot.
More Soup Recipes
If you make this miso corn soup, I’d love to know what you think! Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @glowdiaries___ 🙂
Miso Corn Soup
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion diced (150 g)
- 1 celery rib diced (75 g)
- 3 cups Corn kernels from 3 ears / 450 g
- 2 tbsp Olive oil divided (27 g)
- 2 tbsp White or yellow miso paste (30 g)
- ½ tsp Ground black pepper (1 g)
- 4 cups Vegetable broth (940 g)
- 2 tbsp Toasted sesame oil (27 g)
- 2 tbsp Lime juice (30 g)
- ½ tsp Fine sea salt divided (3 g)
- Chives or cilantro for garnish (optional, to taste)
Instructions
- Peel and dice onion. Dice celery. Make sure they are finely diced to cook quickly.
- Heat 2 tbsp/30g olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the celery and onion. Cook for 7-10 minutes until onion begins to caramelize.
- Add the corn and cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the miso and ground pepper.
- Add the broth. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add sesame oil and lime juice. Use an immersion blender to puree. For more texture, remove 1 cup of the soup before pureeing. Can be pureed in a regular blender – allow to cool before blending in an enclosed container.
- Taste and add salt as needed. Garnish with chopped chives or cilantro, a drizzle of sesame oil, and/or fresh corn kernels.
- Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to 5 days. This is a soup that freezes well for meal prep purposes.
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