Summer Sweet Corn Gazpacho (Printable)
Chilled corn gazpacho with fresh vegetables and citrus, ready in 30 minutes for hot summer days.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables & Base
01 - 3 cups fresh sweet corn kernels (about 4 ears), divided
02 - 1 cup diced English cucumber, peeled and seeded
03 - 1 cup diced yellow bell pepper
04 - 1 cup diced ripe tomatoes
05 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
06 - 1 clove garlic, minced
→ Liquid & Seasoning
07 - 2 cups vegetable broth, chilled
08 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
10 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
11 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
→ Garnish
13 - 1/4 cup sweet corn kernels (reserved from above)
14 - 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives or cilantro
15 - 1/2 small avocado, diced (optional)
16 - Extra drizzle of olive oil
# How-To:
01 - Bring a saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 cups of the corn kernels and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain immediately and transfer to an ice bath to halt cooking. Drain again and set aside. Reserve the remaining 1 cup of uncooked corn kernels for garnish and texture.
02 - Combine the blanched corn, cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, shallot, garlic, chilled vegetable broth, olive oil, lime juice, sea salt, black pepper, and cumin in a blender. Purée on high until completely smooth.
03 - Taste the blended soup and adjust salt, pepper, or lime juice as needed. For a silkier consistency, pass the soup through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing with a spatula to extract all liquid. Discard any solids.
04 - Transfer the gazpacho to a covered container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and develop.
05 - Ladle the chilled gazpacho into individual bowls. Top each portion with the reserved raw corn kernels, chopped chives or cilantro, diced avocado if desired, and a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- This soup requires zero cooking skill, yet it impresses everyone who tastes it.
- Fresh corn blended raw captures a sweetness you simply cannot replicate with canned or frozen.
02 -
- Blending too long with hot broth can cook the vegetables and dull the fresh flavor.
- Straining seems fussy but transforms the texture from rustic to restaurant quality.
03 -
- Run the back of your knife down each cob after cutting to extract the milky starch, it thickens the soup naturally.
- Letting the finished gazpacho rest overnight is the real secret to deep flavor.