For a new way to use jalapeños, try this delicious cream of jalapeño soup recipe! Avocado, potato, and Greek yogurt contribute creaminess, while corn, onion, spices, and fresh jalapeños add tons of flavor. Each spoonful has just the right amount of heat! Plus, it’s vegetarian and gluten free.
I created this cream of jalapeño soup recipe with the goal of creating a dish that uses a lot of jalapeños, just like my Jalapeño Relish. However, I didn’t want the soup to be too spicy, so I was sure to add ingredients to balance out the flavors. And WOAH, the final result is just SO good! Even Will couldn’t stop raving about this one.
In addition to ‘peños, I added corn, onion, garlic, and cumin and cooked them all with some potatoes and vegetable broth. When blended, potatoes provide a creamy texture, so I knew they’d be perfect for making a healthy twist on a “cream of ___” soup. Right before blending, I added an avocado, and after blending, I stirred in some Greek yogurt to really nail the creamy texture. YUM. It reminds me of my Broccoli Soup with Potatoes and Peas (a must-try recipe by the way)!
Anyways, you should totally try this one ASAP, or at the very least, bookmark it for when you have a whole bunch of backyard jalapeños or buy a tray of them at the farmers market. Enjoy the soup on its own as a light meal or pair it with tacos, quesadillas, or another Mexican-inspired dish.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Jalapeños: You’ll need about half of a pound of them, which is about 5 or 6. Frozen jalapeños can be used in place of fresh ones. Keep the seeds and membranes in the peppers for a spicier soup.
- Onion: I used a white onion, but you can sub yellow or red onion.
- Russet potato: Substitute Yukon gold or really any other potato with white or yellow flesh.
- Corn: Use frozen or fresh kernels. Canned corn also works.
- Extra virgin olive oil and butter: You’ll use this to cook the aforementioned veggies. Feel free to use all olive oil instead of a mix if that’s what you prefer (or if you want to make the soup vegan).
- Garlic: Fresh garlic tastes great in cream of jalapeño soup, but you can sub dried minced garlic (1 tablespoon) or garlic powder (1 teaspoon) if needed.
- Ground cumin: Yum.
- Vegetable broth: Use low-sodium if desired. You can sub chicken broth too.
- Avocado: This makes the soup really creamy!
- Greek yogurt: Use plain Greek yogurt of any fat percentage. I like to use whole milk for extra creaminess. You can substitute sour cream. If you want to make the soup vegan, omit the yogurt or swap in a plant-based yogurt.
Instructions
The full recipe card, including ingredient quantities, is at the bottom of the post. Here’s a preview of the steps, along with process shots, for cream of jalapeño soup.
Dice the onion and roughly chop the potato and jalapeños. Gather the rest of the ingredients.
Warm olive oil and butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeños, and corn. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent. Stir in the garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper, and cook for another minute.
Add the potatoes and vegetable broth to the pot. Increase heat to bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Add the avocado flesh to the pot.
Use an immersion (handheld) blender to puree the soup right in the pot.
Stir the Greek yogurt into the blended soup. Serve, garnish with cilantro if desired, and enjoy!
Blending Tips
I recommend using an immersion blender, like the Cuisinart Smart Stick hand blender (that’s the one I use) to puree cream of jalapeño soup. You can also use an upright blender if you don’t have a handheld one.
Transfer the soup in batches to the blender. Avoid overfilling the blender to prevent splashing (and burns!), since the soup will be very hot. To allow steam to escape, leave a corner of the lid cracked, or remove the plastic circle from the center of the lid. Cover the lid with a dish towel, and blend until smooth. Pour the blended soup into a mixing bowl. Repeat with the rest of the soup until it’s all blended.
Storage and Reheating
Keep cream of jalapeño soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Reheat in a saucepan or pot on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.
To freeze this soup, let it cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers. Leave an inch of headspace to allow the soup to expand while freezing. Seal tightly and label. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Reheat from frozen in a covered saucepan or pot over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. You can also let the soup thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Serving
You can enjoy this soup on its own as a light meal or alongside a sandwich, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, fritters, a salad, and more. Consider serving it with my Grilled Quesadilla with Veggies and Beans, Arugula Sweet Potato Salad with Cumin Lime Dressing, or Avocado Toast.
More Jalapeño Recipes
I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.
📖 Recipe
Cream of Jalapeño Soup
Equipment
- Immersion blender (see notes for using upright)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 white onion - diced
- 5 jalapeños - about ½ pound, seeded and roughly chopped; leave seeds and membranes in for a spicier soup
- 1 cup corn - fresh or frozen
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Russet potato - roughly chopped
- 3 cups vegetable broth - add up to 4 cups for a thinner soup
- 1 avocado
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- Lime wedges - for serving; optional
- Chopped cilantro - for garnish; optional
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil and butter in a pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion, jalapeños, and corn. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent.
- Stir in the garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook for another minute.
- Add the potatoes to the pot. Pour in the vegetable broth. Increase heat to bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Turn off the heat and add the avocado flesh to the pot. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot (see notes for upright blender instructions).
- Stir the Greek yogurt into the blended soup.
- Serve the soup with lime wedges and garnished with cilantro if desired. Enjoy!
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- Upright blender instructions: Transfer the soup in batches, being careful not to overfill the blender. Leave the lid cracked to let steam escape. Blend until smooth. Pour the soup into a mixing bowl. Repeat until the whole soup is blended.
- To make vegan: Use more oil in place of the butter. Substitute a plant-based yogurt or omit the yogurt entirely.
- Storage and freezing: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Reheat in a pot or saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. To freeze, let the soup cool then transfer to containers, leaving an inch of headspace. Seal tightly and freeze for up to 6 months. Reheat from frozen in a covered saucepan or pot, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, or let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
Enjoy this fun soup! – Lizzie
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