Roasted Poblano Corn and Potato Soup
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Smoky poblano peppers lend a mild heat that plays perfectly with the sweet corn in this roasted poblano corn and potato soup. This creamy soup is a new favorite in our family!
Corn season is annoyingly late in the summer up here in the Great White North. How I would love to be enjoying that sweet, crunchy, buttery goodness all summer long. But no, instead there is a disturbing amount of overlap between quintessentially summery corn and full-on fall pumpkin season.
But that’s alright. Corn season will be here soon enough, and when it comes, I’ll be ready with my favorite sweater (ok slightly dramatic) and this creamy roasted poblano corn and potato soup recipe!
This soup is the food version of grabbing warm towels out of the dryer. The poblanos provide the smoky flavor and warmth, the sweet corn does exactly what it says…adds some sweet, and the potatoes make it hearty enough that everybody leaves the table full and cozy.
I also love that it feels a little different from the usual creamy soup recipes without being too complicated. You roast the poblanos, simmer everything together, blend it until silky smooth, and suddenly you have this rich, cozy soup!
Why You’ll Love This Roasted Poblano Corn and Potato Soup
Before anybody gets nervous about poblano peppers: they’re very mild. This isn’t one of those soups that sneaks up on you and suddenly has you chugging water halfway through dinner. The poblanos bring more warmth than actual heat, which makes this recipe really family-friendly.
Poblanos may very well be my very favorite of the peppers. I love them in these chimichurri chicken bowls and these taco rice bowls too.
The potatoes give the soup body and make it feel hearty without needing a ton of extra ingredients. Once it’s all blended, the texture turns silky and creamy while still feeling comforting and substantial.
That little spoonful of corn and diced poblano on top is optional but makes the whole thing feel extra special. It gives you texture, sweetness, and little smoky bites throughout the soup instead of everything blending completely smooth.
Ingredient Notes
Each ingredient in this soup helps build flavor and texture in a way that makes the finished soup taste incredibly balanced.
Poblano Peppers
Once roasted, they become soft, smoky, and slightly earthy with a very gentle heat. They’re not spicy in an overwhelming way at all. Instead, they add this subtle warmth that gives the soup so much depth. Roasting them until lightly charred is important because it brings out their flavor and makes the skins easy to remove.
Onion and Garlic
The onion and garlic create the flavor base for the soup and help build that cozy, savory flavor right from the start.
The onion softens and sweetens as it cooks, while the garlic adds warmth without overpowering everything else. And once those two start cooking in olive oil? Everybody suddenly wanders into the kitchen, asking what smells so good.
Yukon Gold Potatoes
Yukon Gold potatoes are perfect here because they blend beautifully into the soup and create a naturally creamy, buttery texture. Russet potatoes work well too.
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Corn
The corn adds sweetness and little pops of flavor that balance the peppers perfectly. I love that some of the corn stays reserved for garnish too because it gives the soup texture and keeps it from feeling too uniform, which is often my issue with creamy soups.
Chicken Stock
The chicken stock keeps everything flavorful while helping the potatoes soften as the soup simmers. Feel free to use vegetable stock to keep this soup vegetarian!
Heavy Cream
The cream gets stirred in right at the end, making the soup silky and rich without feeling overly heavy. I would say the cream is optional though, it’s still delicious if you leave it out.
If you want a lighter alternative to heavy cream, half-and-half and evaporated milk are great lower-fat options. Evaporated milk is a go-to for me in soups and I often use it in chunky chowders like this ham potato and corn chowder and creamy soups like this pumpkin pear soup. It’s also makes a phenomenal creamy sauce, like in this skillet chicken pot pie. But I digress!
Lime Juice
A squeeze of lime juice at the end is the secret that quietly makes everything pop. It brightens the entire soup and balances the creamy texture perfectly. Lemon works too.
Cilantro, Salt, and Pepper
Fresh cilantro gives the soup a fresh finish and keeps it tasting vibrant. Use parsley if you hate cilantro.
And salt and pepper of course bring everything together so the flavors feel balanced instead of flat.
Don’t forget to watch the video!
Most of my recipes include a short step-by-step video tutorial. Just scroll down to the recipe card, or use the “Jump to Video” button at the top of the post!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Start by heating your oven to 425°F.
- Place the poblano peppers directly on the oven rack or on a sheet pan and roast them, turning every 15 minutes, until lightly charred on all sides. This usually takes about 30–45 minutes. Alternatively, you can broil them in the oven on high, about six inches from the heat, watching them carefully, and turning as needed, for about 5-10 minutes until blistered.
- Once the peppers are roasted, transfer them to a bowl and cover it so they can steam slightly while cooling. This makes removing the skins dramatically easier.
- After they cool a bit, peel off the skins, remove the seeds and veins, then dice the peppers and set them aside.
- Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Then stir in the garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the diced Yukon Gold potatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Then stir in 2 cups of the corn kernels, reserving the remaining cup for garnish later. Cook everything together for another 4–5 minutes.
- Pour in the stock and add half of the diced poblano peppers.
- Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender.
Prepare the Garnish
- While the soup simmers, heat the reserved corn kernels in a small skillet for about 5 minutes until tender and lightly charred.
- Stir in the remaining diced poblanos and set aside.
Blend the Soup
- Using an immersion blender, or carefully working in batches with a regular blender, purée the soup until smooth.
- Return it to low heat and stir in the lime juice followed by the cream. Season with salt and pepper, tasting and adjusting as needed.
Serve
- Ladle the soup into bowls and spoon the reserved corn and poblano mixture into the center of each bowl. Finish with fresh cilantro before serving!
Helpful Tips
- Roasting the poblanos until lightly charred really helps deepen their flavor and makes removing the skins much easier afterward.
- When blending the soup, an immersion blender is definitely the easiest option, but a regular blender works perfectly too. Just work in batches carefully if using a countertop blender, since the soup will be hot.
- The reserved corn and poblano topping may seem small, but it adds texture and keeps the soup from feeling one-note. I highly recommend not skipping it.
Storage Tips
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. The flavors actually deepen a little overnight, which somehow makes the leftovers even better.
Some notes on freezing: While this soup keeps very well in the refrigerator, I don’t recommend freezing due to the potatoes (which have a tendency to turn mealy or grainy when thawed) or the heavy cream (which has a tendency to separate). If the textural changes from thawing the potatoes doesn’t bother you though, you can always freeze it before adding the cream, and then stir it in when you heat it back up.
Reheating: Warm the soup gently over low heat on the stove or in the microwave, stirring occasionally until heated through.
Tell me what you think!
If you try this recipe, l’d be so grateful if you’d leave a comment and a rating in the recipe card. I love to hear your feedback, and your tips can help other readers too!
Roasted Poblano Corn and Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2-3 large poblano peppers
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and diced (3-4)
- 3 cups corn kernels frozen and thawed, or from approximately 4 ears of fresh corn
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Juice from 1/2 a lime
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the poblano peppers directly on a rack or on a sheet pan and roast, turning every 15 minutes, until lightly charred on all sides, about 30-45 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and let cool slightly. Remove the skins, seeds, and veins, then dice and set aside.
- Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.
- Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of the corn kernels, reserving the remaining cup for garnish, and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
- Pour in the stock and add half of the diced peppers. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for approximately 30 minutes.
- While the soup simmers, heat the remaining corn kernels in a small skillet for about 5 minutes, until tender, and stir in the reserved diced poblanos. Set aside.
- Using an immersion blender, or working in batches with a regular blender, purée the soup until smooth, then return it to the pot over low heat. Stir in the lime juice followed by the cream. Season with the salt and pepper, tasting and adjusting as needed.
- Ladle the soup into bowls. Spoon a small mound of the reserved corn and poblanos into the center of each bowl. Garnish with cilantro before serving.
