Popcorn Soup

This recipe for popcorn soup features a creamy corn and potato chowder topped with freshly popped popcorn. You’ll never want to top your soup with crackers again!

Ever heard of popcorn soup? This comforting yet unconventional recipe tops a cheesy veggie-packed soup with popped kernels, which add a crunchy contrast to each creamy spoonful. Popcorn is a fun alternative soup topper compared to the usual crackers!

To create the creamy corn and potato chowder base, we puree all the vegetables with vegetable broth before combining them with heavy cream and shredded cheddar to add richness to the soup. For the most flavorful popcorn topper, I like to use my stovetop Whirley Pop popcorn maker. I recommend making more popcorn than you need to garnish each bowl so you can snack a little while the soup simmers.

Ingredients for Popcorn Soup

• Olive oil: Olive oil is used to saute the vegetables. No need to use extra virgin olive oil; regular olive oil will do the trick here.
• Veggies: The soup is flavored with a combination of chopped yellow onion, carrots and celery, creating a mirepoix.
• Seasoning: This soup is seasoned with a combination of salt, black pepper, dried thyme and garlic.
• Low-sodium vegetable stock: Low-sodium vegetable stock serves as the base of the soup. If you don’t care whether the soup is vegetarian or not, you can use low-sodium chicken broth instead.
• Frozen sweet corn: This recipe calls for 10 ounces of frozen sweet corn kernels. If you’re making this soup in the summer, you could sub in fresh kernels cut from the cob.
• Diced potatoes: A 15-ounce can of drained and rinsed diced potatoes adds to the flavor and heartiness of this soup. You could also sub in one medium russet potato, peeled and diced into small cubes.
• Heavy cream: Heavy cream adds richness and a creamy texture to the soup. You can substitute half-and-half cream if that’s what you have on hand, but avoid anything lower in fat, as it may curdle when added to the hot soup.
• Shredded cheddar cheese: Shred the cheese yourself for the best flavor and easy melting, although store-bought shredded cheese will work in a pinch. Use up the rest of the bag on one of our favorite recipes with shredded cheese.
• Freshly popped popcorn: Each bowl of soup is topped with freshly popped popcorn.

Directions

Step 1: Sauté the fresh veggies

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot and celery. Saute until the onion is golden and the vegetables are tender, five to six minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in the salt, pepper and thyme.

Step 2: Add the remaining ingredients

Add the vegetable broth, frozen corn and diced potatoes to the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Step 3: Puree the soup

In batches, carefully add the soup to a blender and puree until smooth.

After pureeing each batch, pour the soup through a strainer placed over a large bowl. Use the back of a spoon to help push the liquid through the strainer.

Editor’s Tip: Straining the soup ensures it has a smooth, velvety texture. Don’t skip this step!

Step 4: Stir in the cream and cheese

Return the strained soup to the Dutch oven. Stir in the heavy cream and shredded cheese. Simmer over low heat for two to three minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cheese is completely melted.

Step 5: Serve

Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls. Garnish each bowl of soup with 1/4 cup freshly popped popcorn.

Popcorn Soup Variations

• Add more herbs: Other dried herbs that would work well in this cheesy popcorn soup include oregano, parsley and basil. You could also use fresh herbs in place of the dried herbs, just use our guide for fresh-to-dried herb conversions and use 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs in place of 1 teaspoon of dried herbs.
• Add some heat: For a spicier soup, stir in a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or a dash or two of your favorite hot sauce.
• Add popcorn into the soup: For a thicker soup, you can even add freshly popped popcorn into the soup. Simply stir up to 3 cups of freshly popped popcorn into the soup and simmer as directed. If you go this route, don’t skip the straining instructions; this will help remove any kernel bits that remain after the popcorn has softened in the soup.

How to Store Popcorn Soup

After the soup has cooled, transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

How long does popcorn soup last?

Popcorn soup lasts up to seven days when stored properly in the refrigerator.

How do you reheat popcorn soup?

You can reheat popcorn soup over medium heat in a pot on the stove. Or, transfer individual portions of the soup to a microwave-safe dish, cover and microwave for one minute, then stir and continue microwaving for 30-second intervals until heated through.

Popcorn Soup Tips

What’s the best way to make popcorn from scratch?

There are a few different ways to make popcorn. Three ways that we recommend are using an air popper, cooking popcorn on the stovetop or microwaving popcorn in a paper bag.

What else can you serve with popcorn soup?

Pair this soup with your favorite sandwich or salad for a simple lunch or dinner.