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I enjoy recipes that surprise me, and this Chilled Coconut Corn Soup certainly did. The combination of sweet summer corn, creamy coconut milk, fresh ginger, and bright lime creates flavors that remind me of Thai cooking, even though it’s not something I’ve ever seen on a Thai restaurant menu.
Served well chilled, it’s a refreshing soup for hot summer days. The coconut milk gives it a silky texture, while the lime, ginger, and turmeric keep the flavors bright and balanced. Toasted coconut and fresh cilantro make wonderful garnishes, and if you’d like to turn it into a more substantial meal, it’s easy to top each bowl with cooked shrimp, lump crabmeat, smoked salmon, shredded chicken, or diced avocado.
Adapted from a recipe on Epicurious, this soup makes a generous batch—about 8 cups—and keeps beautifully in the refrigerator for several days, making it a great make-ahead option for summer lunches and light dinners.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Creamy without any dairy
- Naturally vegan and gluten-free
- Perfect served chilled on hot summer days
- Easy to make ahead
- Delicious with a variety of fresh toppings
Ingredients & Notes
- Fresh corn – Sweet summer corn gives the soup its best flavor.
- Coconut oil – Adds richness and complements the coconut milk.
- Onion and fresh ginger – Build a flavorful base.
- Turmeric – Adds subtle earthiness and beautiful color.
- Yukon Gold potato – Creates a naturally creamy texture.
- Lite coconut milk – Rich without being overly heavy.
- Lime zest and juice – Brighten the finished soup.
- Unsweetened shredded coconut – Toast before serving for extra flavor.
- Fresh cilantro – One of my favorite garnishes.
- Optional toppings: llme wedges, chopped basil, diced avocado, chopped cooked bacon, shredded chicken breast, chopped cooked shrimp, lump crabmeat, smoked salmon, etc.
How to Make Chilled Corn Soup with Coconut and Lime
Step 1: Gather and prepare all ingredients.
Step 2: In a large pot over medium heat, melt coconut oil. Add onion, ginger, turmeric and salt, cooking and stirring occasionally until onions become translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Step 3: Break corn cobs in half and add to pot along with corn kernels, potato, coconut milk, lime zest and 1-1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce heat and simmer until potato is softened, about 20 minutes.
Step 4: Remove corn cobs and transfer soup to blender (affiliate link) and purée until smooth.
Step 5: Pour soup into large bowl and cool to room temperature before covering and refrigerating at least 2 hours before serving.
Step 6: Meanwhile, toast the shredded coconut by a adding coconut to a small skillet over medium-low heat. Continuously stir until golden, and then remove to a small bowl (affiliate link). Alternatively, toast coconut until golden in a small rimmed baking dish or pie plate (affiliate link) by preheating toaster oven, or oven, to 350F degrees and stirring occasionally until toasted, 3 to 5 minutes.
Step 7: Remove soup from fridge and stir in lime juice. Taste and add salt, if necessary, or small amounts of water to thin soup, if desired.
Step 8: Top with chopped cilantro, toasted coconut and and additional toppings.
Step 9: Store unused soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t throw away the corn cobs—they simmer with the soup to add even more sweet corn flavor before being removed.
- Cutting each cob in half first creates a flat base, making it easier (and safer) to remove the kernels.
- Chill the soup for at least 2 hours before serving so the flavors have time to meld.
- If the soup thickens after refrigeration, simply stir in a little water until it reaches the consistency you like.
Take one cob half and stand on flat (cut) end and slice off the kernels. Again, being careful to not injure yourself.
Serving Ideas
I like serving this soup with toasted coconut and cilantro, but it’s also wonderful topped with:
- Diced avocado
- Fresh tomatoes or basil
- Cooked shrimp
- Lump crabmeat
- Smoked salmon
- Shredded chicken
- Crispy bacon (if you’re not keeping it vegetarian)
Storage
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Stir well before serving and thin with a little water if needed.
How Many Calories and WW Points?
According to my calculations, each serving has 233 calories and 5 WW Points.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
7 PointsPlus (Old plan)
If you’ve made this Chilled Coconut Corn Soup, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Chilled Coconut Corn Soup Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped (about 1-1/2 teaspoons)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 ears corn with kernels cut off (about 5-1/2 cups), cobs reserved
- 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, chopped into 1/2" cubes
- 1 can (14 ounces) lite Coconut milk
- Zest of one lime
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Cilantro leaves, chopped
Optional Toppings:
- lime wedges, chopped basil, diced avocado, chopped cooked bacon, shredded chicken breast, chopped cooked shrimp, lump crabmeat, smoked salmon, etc.
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, melt coconut oil. Add onion, ginger, turmeric and salt, cooking and stirring occasionally until onions become translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Break corn cobs in half and add to pot along with corn kernels, potato, coconut milk, lime zest and 1-1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce heat and simmer until potato is softened, about 20 minutes.
- Remove corn cobs and transfer soup to blender (affiliate link) and purée until smooth.
- Pour soup into large bowl and cool to room temperature before covering and refrigerating at least 2 hours before serving.
- Meanwhile, toast the shredded coconut by a adding coconut to a small skillet over medium-low heat. Continuously stir until golden, and then remove to a small bowl (affiliate link). (Alternatively, toast coconut until golden in a small rimmed baking dish or pie plate (affiliate link) by preheating toaster oven, or oven, to 350F degrees and stirring occasionally until toasted, 3 to 5 minutes.)
- Remove soup from fridge and stir in lime juice. Taste and add salt, if necessary, or small amounts of water to thin soup to desired consistency.
- Top with chopped cilantro, toasted coconut and any optional toppings, if desired.
- Store unused soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 7 PointsPlus (Old plan) This creamy soup can be made 3 to 4 days in advance. Simply cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Stir in small amounts of water to achieve desired consistency before serving. It can be tricky cutting the kernels from the corn cobs. Here’s a tip that may help—chop the cobs in half first. This way, you have a flat base to stand up the cob and remove the corn kernels. First, shuck the corn removing husk and silk strands. Using a cutting board (affiliate link) and chef’s knife (affiliate link), lay cob on its side and cut in half. Be very careful to not injure or cut yourself. Take one cob half and stand on flat (cut) end and slice off the kernels. Again, being careful to not injure yourself. Optional garnishes:
- Fresh chopped herbs (cilantro, basil, rosemary, etc.)
- Chopped avocado, radishes, tomatoes, etc.
- Crisp croutons
- Crunchy bacon pieces
- Chopped grilled shrimp, lump crabmeat, smoked salmon, shredded chicken, etc.
- Lime wedges
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe source: Epicurious
More Interesting Soup Recipes
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Why are the cobs cooked and then removed?
Hi Martha, To add flavor to the soup. Hope this helps. ~Martha
Maybe I missed them, but there are no directions. I’m pretty sure you don’t eat the potatoes raw.