Japanese Corn Soup (Corn Potage)

Name: Japanese Corn Soup (Corn Potage)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2 ears sweet corn; 1/4 yellow onion; 20 g unsalted butter; 350 ml water; 1 teaspoon bouillon; 250 ml milk; 2 tablespoons heavy cream; pinch of sugar; salt and pepper, to taste; fresh parsley; croutons

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Japanese corn soup (コーンスープ), or corn potage (コーンポタージュ), is a French-influenced Japanese soup. It is one of the most famous soups in Japan for good reason. It is delicious, comforting, and creamy with a silky smooth texture; made naturally sweet by cooking fresh sweet corn with onion, milk, and cream. So simple, quick, and easy to make!

A bowl of Japanese corn soup (corn potage) drizzled with cream.

Sweet corn is in season from late-July to mid-September (depending on where you live). This means this soup is best to make in late summertime when the corn is fresh, sweet, and juicy. However, Japanese corn soup is really perfect for all seasons. It's delicious both hot or chilled; and can be made from canned or frozen corn if needed. It makes an excellent side dish for lunch or dinner, or a wonderful snack.

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Ingredients
Substitutions
Variations
Instructions
Equipment
Storage
Tips for Success
FAQ
Related
Pairing
📖 Recipe

Most Japanese people grew up drinking corn soup and have a nostalgic feeling about it. In Japan you will often see it in Western-influenced Japanese restaurants served as a side to fried shrimp or hambagu. Depending on the season, you can buy it hot or cold in vending machines. And it is also sold in instant powder packets for easy soup to make at home.

While the instant soup version is very tasty, this recipe made from scratch is even better because it doesn't contain any preservatives. And the flavour of the fresh sweet corn really shines. You will find that it's quite simple, too. And, if you love this soup, this kabocha soup is another Japanese potage recipe that you should give a try. It is so umami and flavourful!

Ingredients

Ears of fresh, sweet corn - This is the star of the show, so make sure to use corn that is good quality. If you can't get it fresh, canned or frozen can be used (see Substitutions below).
Yellow onion - Yellow onion is commonly used in Japan. However, white onion is an acceptable substitute.
Unsalted butter - The amount of salt in butter varies by brand, so we use unsalted butter along with salt to more accurately control the flavour and salt content.
Water
Chicken bouillon - Or, vegetable bouillon for a vegetarian variation.
Milk - Whole milk is recommended, though 2% milk works as well.
Heavy cream - This makes the soup rich and creamy, but you can omit and replace with more milk if you prefer.
Salt & Pepper
Optional garnish: fresh parsley and/or croutons

See the recipe card below for quantities.

Substitutions

Fresh corn - If necessary, you can substitute the 2 ears of corn with a 15 ounce can of whole corn, drained, or 1 ½ cups of frozen corn. If you use frozen corn you do not need to thaw it first. However, I really recommend using fresh corn if you can. In this recipe we boil the cobs to extract more sweet flavour.
Yellow onion - Substitute with white onion.
Chicken bouillon - Most corn potage recipes from Japan use bouillon. But, if you prefer, you can omit the bouillon in this soup to achieve a more simple and pure flavour profile. Or, you can substitute chicken bouillon with vegetable bouillon for a vegetarian variation.

Variations

Vegetarian - Substitute the chicken bouillon with vegetable bouillon.
Extra creamy - You can adjust how creamy this soup is by increasing the amount of heavy cream that you use. If you add an extra couple tablespoons of cream, reduce the milk that you use by the same amount.
Super smooth - For the smoothest Japanese corn soup with a silky texture you have to strain the soup after blending it to remove residual corn fibres. Or, you can enjoy the soup as is. This is totally personal preference.
Chilled - In Japan, this soup is enjoyed both hot and cold. Chill the soup for a refreshing summer treat.

Instructions

Shuck the ears of corn. Cut the cobs in half and cut off the kernels. Reserve the pieces of cob.

Thinly sliced onions on a cutting board.

Cut the onion into thin slices.

In a medium pot, heat butter over medium-low heat. Add the corn kernels and onion. Stir fry until the onions have softened.

Add the water, chicken bouillon, and pieces of cob into the pot. Increase the heat to medium. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Remove and discard the cob. Use a blender or immersion blender to liquify the soup. Strain it through a fine mesh sieve to remove remaining fibres. Use a rubber spatula to help it through. (Straining is optional, but it gives you a silky, smooth soup.)

Return the soup to the pot over medium heat. Add in the milk, cream, and sugar. Warm the soup but don't let it come to a boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Distribute the hot soup into serving bowls. Drizzle with a little more heavy cream. Garnish with finely chopped, fresh parsley and croutons, if you please.

Option: Cool the soup in the refrigerator and serve chilled for a refreshing treat on a hot day.

Equipment

Knife and cutting board
Medium-sized pot
Blender or immersion blender
Fine mesh sieve (if you intend to strain the soup)
Rubber spatula

Storage

Allow the soup to completely cool before storing. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. Reheat on the stovetop being careful to not let it come to a boil.

This soup is very freezer-friendly, making it perfect for making ahead in large batches. You can freeze it for up to 3 months.

A golden spoon in a bowl of corn potage.

Tips for Success

The key to making corn potage the best is using fresh, high quality ingredients. Because it is a simple soup made with few ingredients, this is especially important.
Cooking the corn cobs in the soup adds additional flavour and sweetness. Make sure to not skip this step (unless you are using canned or frozen corn).
Once the milk has been added to the soup, heat it but do not let it come to a boil. This can cause the milk to curdle and ruin the soup.
You can adjust how creamy this soup is by increasing the amount of heavy cream that you use. If you add an extra couple tablespoons of cream, reduce the milk that you use by the same amount.

FAQ

What is the origin of corn potage?

Potage [poh-tahj] is a soup style that originated in medieval Northern France, in which vegetables were cooked down into a porridge-like texture. Corn potage is believed to be French-inspired (hence the name). However, since 'corn' potage is only found in Japan it is considered to be an example of youshoku (洋食): a Western-influenced dish created in Japan.

What is sweet corn?

Sweet corn is corn the sweet and juicy variety of corn that is enjoyed for eating, rather than 'field corn' or 'cow corn'. It has a higher concentration of sugar and it is harvested while young before the sugars become starch.

What does Japanese corn soup (corn potage) taste like?

This soup has a sweet and savoury corn flavour and a creamy, silky texture.

How is Japanese corn potage different from western corn soup?

In corn potage, the soup is blended and then strained to remove the corn fibres. This leaves you with a silky, smooth texture. In western corn soups or chowders, the corn kernels are typically left whole.

Is Japanese corn soup and corn potage the same thing?

When the soup is not blended and there are intact pieces of corn, this is called 'corn soup'. When the soup is blended and strained to remove fibres and leave a smooth consistency, this is called 'corn potage' - however, sometimes corn potage is also referred to as 'corn soup'.

Looking for other Japanese recipes like this? Try these: