Spicy Ginger Soup with Corn and Potatoes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
SERVES: 4
This corn soup is creamy, sweet, and spicy and gets its richness from coconut milk (shout out to the lacto-intolerant folks). With ginger, garlic, shallots, and jalapeños, it’s a satisfying meal on its own — for extra flair, top with a mix of spicy, crunchy, and fresh garnishes like extra jalapenos, toasted coconut, peanuts, or cilantro. You can omit the Harrisa paste if you prefer less spice. If you skip the blender or immersion tool, you might end up with a soup that feels more like a giant bowl of polenta—delicious if you’re into that texture, but for a creamy, smooth finish, blending is key.
Delicious boule slices courtesy of Dutch Oven Bread Co.
Ingredients
5 cups frozen corn kernels
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced into rings
4 garlic cloves, minced
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
1 jalapeño, seeds removed, minced
2 medium red potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes
2½ cups vegetable broth
15-ounces (1 can) coconut milk
½ teaspoon Harissa paste
1 tablespoon lime juice (from ½ lime)
Kosher salt, to season
Torn cilantro leaves, toasted coconut flakes, chopped roasted peanuts, lime wedges, and more sliced jalapeño, to serve (optional)
Preparation
Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Add olive oil, shallots, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño. Sauté while stirring until the mixture is soft and fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Next, pour in the corn kernels and continue to sauté until the corn becomes softer and more vibrant in color, which should take about 3 minutes.
Add the chopped potato pieces and stir for another 1 to 2 minutes.
Then, pour in the vegetable broth and coconut milk. (As a shortcut, I prefer to add broth cubes directly into the pot with the appropriate amount of water instead of preparing them beforehand.) Stir in the harissa paste and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until creamy, leaving some chunks of corn, potato, and jalapeño for texture. Finally, add lime juice and season with salt to taste.
To Serve
Divide soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro, toasted coconut flakes, roasted peanuts, lime wedges, and more sliced jalapeno
