Corn Potage is a easy corn soup that is very popular in Japan. You can find the creamy soup served in restaurants before dinner, as instant soup packets, in hotel breakfast buffets or (my favorite way) as a hot vending machine treat.
Miracles of the Modern Age
Japanese vending machines are a miracle of modern living! They are located EVERYWHERE so you can easily get water, coffee or other drinks when traveling, shopping or just taking a walk.
They also have a fabulous setting that allows them to serve hot drinks in the fall and winter.
It’s a sure sign of fall when you step up to a vending machine and see the red glowing light that indicate your selection will be served warm. (See the red bars in the photo below, those are hot cans of coffee!)
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This long row of vending machines awaits visitors in the parking lot of Kinkaku-ji the location of the famous Golden Pavilion in Kyoto, Japan. The temple is the most famous temple in Japan and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is visited by million of people each year so it needs a lot of vending machines!
Life in Japan
We’ve lived in Japan two different times for my husband’s job. I love the culture, the history, and the food!
Here are my little cuties in the garden of the Heian-Jingu Shrine in Kyoto, Japan on a cool fall day. (You might recognize the garden from the film adaptation of Memoirs of a Geisha.)
Hot Drinks Kids Love
My kiddos loved getting hot drinks as a treat after a long day of touring temples. My daughter always chose corn potage and my son always chose hot lemonade.
Now that we’re living back in the United States I miss the convenience and flavor of Japanese corn soup. I sometimes order it online, but I’ve also found out that it is an easy to replicate recipe.
Easy Corn Soup Recipe
Corn potage is actually a French soup that the Japanese have adapted. It has a fresh, creamy corn taste and make the perfect comfort food.
I make my corn potage in the crock pot to make preparation and clean up a snap. You can also make it in a dutch oven on the stove top. It is a great soup to send in a thermos for school lunches and also freezes well.
Print
Japanese Corn Potage Recipe (Easy Corn Soup)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 240 minutes
- Total Time: 245 minutes
- Yield: 10 1x
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Japanese
Description
Japanese Corn Potage is an easy corn soup that is very popular in Japan. It has a fresh, creamy corn taste and is the perfect comfort food.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup white or yellow onion (finely chopped)
- 4 cups corn (fresh or frozen)
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 3 cups milk (reserve ¼ cup)
- 3 Tbsp corn starch or arrowroot powder
- salt and pepper
- green onion (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Combine onion, corn, milk, and stock in a crock pot.
- Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the corn. You can leave some of the corn unblended to add texture or strain the soup after blending to make it extra smooth.
- Combine the corn starch or arrowroot powder with the remaining milk and stir well to eliminate lumps. Stir into soup to thicken.
- Serve topped with diced green onions and black pepper.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 101
I hope you try making Corn Potage for a little taste of Japan.
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Michelle
I just spent two weeks in japan and fell in love with the food, especially the corn portage. I ate it almost everyday, sometimes twice a day. I will be making a Japanese feast soon and the corn portage soup is definitely on the menu. Your recipe will be my first try.
Bren
Hope you enjoy it!
Taylor
I’m just living my first trip from Japan and headed back to the US and I can’t stop thinking about their corn soup! I would pour it over rice every morning for breakfast! Can I ask, if you make a big pot of this, how long do you think you could keep it and either a fridge or freezer? I would love to be able to have a bowl each morning, but I may be the only one in my household eating it!
Bren
I keep it in the fridge for about a week or in the freezer for months. I like freezing the soup in smaller 2 or 3 cup portions so I can defrost just a bit when needed.
Sallie
Oh, how we miss Japan and its vending machines! Have been reading through your safer cleaning recipes and spied this one so had to take a look. The soup looks yummy!
Bren
Thanks, Sallie! WE miss soooooo many things about Japan!
Jen
Thanks for the recipe! We just had some at a restaurant last night and the kids loved it, so I definitely will try to make it soon.
Bren
Hope you enjoy, Jen!
Stephanie
This transports me back to Japan. Now, can you figure out how to make hot lemon drink???
Bren
Yes!!! I must try to make the hot lemonade!
Jennifer Miller
I miss those vending machines too! I will have to try this later this fall.
Bren
I miss them too!
deannapiercy
Sounds delicious!
Bren
Thanks Deanna!
Lisa (@retrohousewife5)
Sounds wonderful! Going to save it for when it gets a bit cooler. It’s still in the 90’s around here, not quite soup weather yet. But it will be here before we know it!
Bren
The 90s might be too warm for soup. 🙂 I hope you try it when winter comes.