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–+ servings
Overhead view of three bowls of miso corn soup with chili oil and toppings

Corn and Miso Soup with Chili Oil

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4
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Ingredients:
  

  • 3 cups corn kernels (about 4 cobs) white corn or any corn you like
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • ¼ cup (4 tbsp) miso paste
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 scallions finely chopped
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro
  • 1½ tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the chili oil (optional, see Notes for store-bought alternatives):

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1-2 dried chili peppers

Instructions:
 

  • Sauté the onion: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until softened and golden.
  • Cook the corn: Set aside about ¼ cup of corn for roasting later. Add the remaining corn and the water to the pot. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 40 minutes.
  • Roast the reserved corn: Meanwhile, in a small pan, roast the reserved corn with ½ tbsp olive oil for about 2 minutes, stirring. Set aside.
  • Make the chili oil: In a small pot, combine the olive oil and dried chili peppers. Cook over minimal heat for 20-25 minutes, low heat keeps the chilies from burning while they flavor the oil. Strain if you like.
  • Blend and add the miso: Remove the soup from the heat. Add the miso paste, then blend using an immersion blender or a regular blender, no need for a perfectly smooth purée.
  • Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each bowl with roasted corn, scallions, and cilantro, and drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of the chili oil.

Notes:

  • Any type of corn works well. I used white corn here, which has a more delicate, subtly sweet flavor.
  • Boiling miso can make it bitter and breaks down its beneficial cultures, always stir it in at the end, off the heat.
  • This recipe uses dark (red) miso. Light (white) miso works too, it's milder, so add an extra tablespoon (5 tbsp total) if you swap it in.
  • Store-bought chili oil, hot sauce, or chili flakes all work instead of homemade chili oil.
  • Leftover chili oil keeps well and is great in other soups and stews.
Did you make this recipe? Let me knowLeave a comment and a star rating below, I'd love to hear how it turned out