Joy the Baker

Cold Avocado Soup with sweet corn and bacon

by 116 Comments

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I know what you’re craving.  I know what you’ve got on your mind.  I know juuuuust the thing you need.

Cold.  Green.  Soup.

Sexy right?  Just the thing you’ve been yearning for?  The answer to all of your burning questions?  The great treasure?

Wait…. no!?

Cold green soup isn’t your thing?  Come on…. let me at least try to change your mind.

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This soup starts with creamy, ripe, delicious avocados.  We’re off to a wonderful start!  It’s the start of amazing things like guacamole.  But wait… stop thinking about guacamole.  We’re not making that.

Psssst!  Sneak up top and check out the podcast page for the latest Joy the Baker Podcast!

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Look how pretty food is!

This is going into the creamy, cold, green goodness.

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Sweet corn is worth freaking out over.

Sweet corn with lime and cooked onions is worth triple freaking out over.

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We’re going to cook up all of these pretties and spoon a generous portion into the center of the creamy, cold, green goodness soup.

These corn, spice, and bacon mixture will add just the kick and crunch the soup needs.  Lime?  Zesty.  Parsley?  Bright.

ba love

The recipe is adapted from this month’s Bon Appetit magazine.

They also have a clever corn-cutting trick.  I didn’t use their clever corn-cutting trick.  I prefer to have my corn fly all over my counter and floor as I cut it.

Also… please look at the cover on Bon Appetit.  It’s pietown central in this month’s issue.

How is it that I decided to make cold, green soup?  I dunno.  I don’t.  I have issues.

avocado soup collage

The soup is as smooth as can be.  Avocado blends beautifully and creates a pure velvet soup.  It’s flavored delicately with only lime and salt, so the avocado flavor really shines through.  A generous amount of sweet corn and salty bacon  hash give each bite of this soup a kick of flavor and a touch of crunch.  The soup and hash are a match made in heaven.

Creamy, bright, salty, rich and delicious.  I wasn’t sure I would love this soup… I’ll be honest… then I finished two bowls.  It’s different, and sometimes different is delicious!

Cold Avocado Soup with sweet corn and bacon

makes about 4 cups

adapted from Bon Appetit August 2011

Print this Recipe!

For the Soup:

2 ripe Haas avocados

1 cup vegetable broth

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 tablespoons sour cream, creme fraiche, or milk (optional if you’re vegan)

3/4 teaspoon salt (plus a bit more if you’re a salt freak like me )

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups water

For the Topping:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 ears fresh corn, sliced from the cob

1/2  jalapeno pepper, de-seeded and diced (I used a fresh cayenne pepper)

4 slices cooked bacon, chopped (optional if you’re vegan)

small handful fresh parsley leaves, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

To make the soup, place avocado flesh in a blender along with vegetable broth, lime juice, sour cream (if using), and salt.  Blend until the avocados are creamy.  Remove the center from your blender lid, and while blending, slowly add the water.  Soup will be done when smooth, with your desired consistency.  Feel free to add a touch more water if you prefer a thinner soup.  Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary.  Place in a container in the fridge while you make the topping.

To make the topping, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until translucent and browned, about 5 minutes.  Add corn and jalapeno and cook for 3 minutes more.  Add sliced bacon and parsley.  Cook until everything is warmed and just browned.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pile about 1/2 cup of warm topping into a bowl.  Pour cold soup around the topping.  Serve and enjoy.  Soup lasts up to three days in and airtight container in the fridge.  

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Heidi

    Wow.

    I love…adore avocado!
    I love them with milk and sugar…and I love them guacamole’d

    I never thought that you could make a soup from it.

    One question though…does this soup go well heated too? I

    Reply

  3. Aurora

    AH joy, this is one of the most delicious things I have eaten in a long, long time. And it was so, so easy- I used frozen corn and turkey bacon and red onion. And we ate it with biscuits and had enough for 3 servings. Seriously, I can’t believe how good this is- this is one of the best recipes that I’ve tried from you.

    Reply

  4. Rachel {Studio Cuisine}

    Oh my, Joy. I just made this soup and it is quite possibly the best soup I’ve ever had. The perfect summer dinner, light and refreshing. The addition of bacon just takes it over the top. Thank you SO much for sharing this recipe!

    Reply

  6. Sara

    I was exploring your recipes and everything looks delicious! That said… this recipe is listed under “vegan.” You might want to fix that.

    Reply

  7. Maya

    Yummm I have got to make this! I love avocados so much…we even stayed in “Avocado Cottage” on our honeymoon. My husband knew no other place stood a chance after I found that one.

    Your photography is amazing too.

    Reply

  8. T. Crockett

    I was curious, though a little nervous about this. It was surprisingly good, though it really needs the toppings. I tried it without the corn etc and that was too weird, but add the corny goodness and it was a nice summer meal.

    Reply

  10. Mandy Jean

    Oh my! I love it when you post recipes containing avocados! It’s a miracle I’m not 500 lbs by now from all the avocados I eat (lol). Thank you for always trying to make these simple recipes vegan friendly as well!

    Reply

  11. kim

    Oh my! I normally hate cold soup too but I will definitely give this a try. Sounds like summer goodness to me especially living in Savannah, Ga…..its H-O-T !!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks!

    Reply

  13. kales

    ohhh joyy, I loved your website before, and i love it now, this is always my go to for ideas when i’m feeling uninspired, ans i believe i will be making this for lunch today! Thanks so much keep it up!

    Reply

  15. Jill

    Just made this tonight – substituted a little (chicken broth and lemon, and no jalapenos) due to our pantry. This was DELICIOUS. We were also eating flounder, and my husband used this soup and salsa as a fish topping (Southwestern Flounder!), and is suggesting we use it on hamburgers, chicken, anything. It was definitely a hit! Thanks!

    Reply

  16. Lydia

    the background is very pretty and inventive Joy! good job (saving the earth along with green soup! you’re my hero. to date.

    Reply

  18. Angie

    yet to try. I have this crazy hot peppered chili from the local market. I was crying for some guac to go with it. (I really can only eat 3 bites at a time.) Ironic and wonderful that you picked avocado soup today. I will follow up with my feedback.

    Reply

  19. Laura

    So excited! I’m bringing this to dinner tonight with the family as a side to go with some amazing burgers. Can’t wait to show it off!

    Reply

  23. Glo

    In Hawaii the avocados are almost $3 a pound, but having grown up in California, I love hass avocados so I still buy them. I am looking forward to my first spoonful of creamy soup with BACON, and all the other colorful ingredients. Mahalo for the recipe.

    Reply

  25. Pam

    I am not usually a huge fan of cold soup, but I must say that this recipe (with my favorite food–avocado), sounds absolutely scrumptious.

    Reply

  27. emily

    I had a bad run in with avocado ice cream a little while ago…it tasted like sweetened guacamole and quite frankly I’m a little scarred. But anything with bacon….

    Reply

  29. Becca

    Hi Joy! This may be a noob question, but does the soup change its colour after a while in the fridge? I know if I cut an avacado and put half in the fridge it starts to go brown. I was just wondering if that happens with this soup and if so, how do you stop it? (does the lime help?) Thanks!

    Reply

  32. Anne

    Okay, I’ve always been a bit skeptical about cold soup, let alone avocado soup- you see I like my avocados too much to mess with them. Buuuuut, I may have to try this. Your first photo makes this look like a pretty convincing, tasty option (especially with the corn bacon goodness on top).

    Oh, and I’m diggin’ the cover on that magazine!

    Reply

  33. Andrea

    Just finished making this….eating it as I write…and loving it. Definitely a keeper! Thanks for sharing Joy :-)

    Reply

  36. jenna

    So Joy, I saw this soup and was like “this looks SO GOOD.” but then i was like “Maybe it’s weird. A little weird? maybe? oh man. ew. I probably won’t even like it.”

    Then I made the green part. I still was doubting. Then I put it all together in a bowl and I am writing this comment now while eating it. My sister and I give it two thumbs up. Daaang this is tasty.

    Reply

  43. Kocinera

    I hope you know just how much you’re enabling my avocado soup addiction. Just when I thought I had a handle on things, now there’s corn and bacon involved.

    Corn. And. Bacon.

    A major relapse is imminent…

    Reply

  45. CarrieLovesKeith

    OMG, I read that magazine and saw that picture for corralling your corn on the cob, and thought of you, and that one time you were talking about scraping corn off the cob, and saying, “It’s going to go everywhere. It just is. And you know what? That’s okay.” or whatever.

    Also, I just glossed over that recipe b/c I thought for sure I wouldn’t like it, but you totally just convinced me! You could convince me to dip fish sticks into my coffee and eat them for dinner! :)

    Reply

  47. lidia@ sugarslut

    I’m going to be honest… I hate cold soup with a passion.
    But! somehow this looks absolutely delicious.
    Avocado+corn+bacon= my three favorite things ever wrapped all up
    in one delicious recipe.
    This issue arrived in the mail about a month ago and I’ve yet to
    looked at it, shame on me!

    P.s. I love the paper you used for the background.

    Reply

  51. Esther

    I’ve got absolutely nothing against cold green soups. Especially when the main ingredient is avocado. Oh and corn. and bacon. Yup, nothing wrong here!

    Reply

  54. Meagan

    I wasn’t a fan of cold soups until I became an adult. I have, however, been a fan of bacon and sweet corn since birth.

    This soup is such a winner – I just know it’ll be perfect on one of these hot summer days. I love that you used a fresh cayenne pepper as well.

    Lovely! Thank you!!

    Reply

  55. Maia

    This looks fantastic! Just one question… got any tricks for knowing which avocados will be as freakishly perfect on the inside as the ones you photographed?! As great as they seem to the touch to me at the market, it’s so hit or miss when I get home and actually open them… would love to know if you have any avocado-selecting secrets!

    Reply

  56. Elizabeth @ Coppertop Kitchen

    YAY! Thank you! I have ripe avocados! I have sweet corn! I have bacon! Tomorrow night I don’t have to worry about cooking boy-friendly things, and I’m totally making this lovely soup for myself, and watching a chick flick and painting my toenails. :-)

    Reply

  63. The Teenage Taste

    Believe it or not, I actually have had chilled avocado soup on my mind for awhile. All Summer I’ve been yearning to make it, but I just keep putting it off. :(
    Not anymore though! Originally I was planning on making a recipe that I found in The New Basics cookbook, but your avocado soup looks so much more delicious. Plus it has bacon. Bacon is always a win! :)

    Reply

  66. dani

    Oh my! I really love the idea of using baking parchment as a backdrop for food presentation. These photos really are top notch!
    And the recipe … certainly something I’ll be trying one of these days, although I might omit the bacon.

    Reply

  67. Eliz. K

    I adore cold soup! Thank you for sharing this recipe and all the lovely photographs… I haven’t ever had problems with my corn flying all over; perhaps I should be purchasing more adventurous corn.

    Now to find some avacados…

    Reply

  68. Claudia from Idiot's Kitchen

    Off to buy avacados and corn. Already have the bacon. I saw the corn/bundt cake pan tip in Bon Appetit too and wondered, “why didn’t I ever think of that?” Although my weird old cat now eats off the floor like a dog so maybe she will like corn flying all around. Green soup is good!

    Reply

  69. Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray

    While I love everything about this soup recipe, the thing I most want to comment about is the photography in this post–wow, Joy. These are some fantastically amazing photos, and I just wanted to letcha know it. :) I always admire them, but today’s are particularly beautiful–thanks for sharing!!

    Reply

  70. Pip

    Something about this makes me want to simultaneously pour it into a glass and/or soak it up with a think crusty piece of baguette. Either way, it looks delicious and it looks like dinner tonight. Thanks!

    Reply

  72. Amy

    This looks crazy and amazing. But those avocados – they look beautiful. The worst thing ever is cutting into an avocado and finding it to be brown or icky or too hard.

    Reply

  78. Sue/the view from great island

    Your photos and tutorial are great on this one…I’m loving the great color of the soup. I always assume that avocado will turn on me if i use it in anything other than guac. The warm topping is an interesting touch. AND, I love your wooden bowls.

    Reply

  80. Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga

    Any recipe that starts out with perfect looking avocados, doesn’t turn on a stove or oven for the soup itself, and has a stellar looking topping…is a total winner in my book. I mean c’mon, it’s like eating…guacamole by the bowlfull. That’s never a bad thing :)

    Reply

  81. Aine Carlin

    @JessicaAnn – I live in England too and believe it or not I have found some incredible avocados here in Cornwall – I mean mind blowingly good. They definitely matched up to the ones I’ve sampled in the US, so if your ever in this neck of the woods get yourself to a local farm shop for some top notch avocados x

    Reply

  83. Aine Carlin

    This looks sensational Joy! I can sub the sour cream for vegan sour cream:) I just happen to have fresh corn in the fridge too – woot! Thanks for another wonderful recipe idea x

    Reply

  84. Elina

    Oh, I wish we’d still have some hot summer days left and I’d definitely make this. But cold soup on a crisp early fall day doesn’t really match up. I’ll have to remember it next year.

    Reply

  89. Hannah

    Being the freak I am, cold soup kind of freaks me out. How can soup be cold?! Right? No? But the whole corn, bacon and avocado thing going on around here has changed me. Consider me persuaded.

    Reply

  92. Jessica

    I can’t believe it! I have everything already to make this! It must be some kind of amazing food sign.

    P.S. Love the background you used for these. So much texture!

    Reply

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