With a smooth, velvety texture and bright jalapeño flavor, this Cream of Jalapeño Soup is surprisingly mild and incredibly craveable. Ready in about 30 minutes, it’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or an elegant starter.
If you love jalapeños, you’ll adore this creamy soup. It captures fresh jalapeño heat without overwhelming the palate—about medium-spicy—and the avocado and cream give it a rich, silky finish. Use fresh produce and dairy for the best results; the flavors deepen after resting in the fridge, so it’s often even better the next day.
What you’ll love about Cream of Jalapeno Soup
- Bold jalapeño flavor balanced into a creamy, mild soup.
- Simple to prepare and ready in about 30 minutes.
- Elegant enough for guests, comforting enough for weeknights.
Ingredients
- Butter – Salted is fine; adjust seasoning at the end if using unsalted.
- Jalapeños – Remove stems and seeds. Removing seeds keeps the texture smooth.
- Onion – Sweet onion works well; shallot is a fine substitute.
- Garlic – Fresh cloves, minced.
- Cumin – Ground cumin adds warmth and depth.
- All-purpose flour – Or another thickener of your choice.
- Avocado – One ripe avocado, peeled and pitted; it adds creaminess and body.
- Milk – Whole milk yields the richest result; 2% is fine too.
- Chicken broth – Low- or no-sodium broth, or use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version.
- Heavy whipping cream – Stirred in at the end for richness.
- Salt and pepper – To taste; white pepper keeps the soup visually smooth.
- Cilantro – Fresh, for garnish; you can also make optional cilantro oil for a finishing touch.
For the Cilantro Oil (optional)
- Cilantro – About 1/2 cup, stems and leaves.
- Olive oil – Good-quality extra virgin olive oil.
How To Make the Best Cream of Jalapeño Soup
Refer to the recipe section below for exact measurements and timings. This overview highlights the key steps and tips for a silky, balanced soup.
1. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add diced jalapeños and diced onion, then sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Keep the heat moderate to avoid browning, which can discolor the soup.
2. Add minced garlic and ground cumin and sauté about a minute until fragrant. Turn off the heat before the garlic browns.
3. Stir in the flour and cook for about a minute to eliminate any raw flour taste.
4. Gradually whisk in the chicken (or vegetable) broth to prevent lumps, then whisk in the milk until smooth.
5. Cover and simmer gently for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
6. Carefully transfer the hot soup to a blender. Add the peeled, pitted avocado and puree until completely smooth. When blending hot liquids, remove the center cap from the blender lid and drape a folded kitchen towel over the opening so steam can escape safely.
7. Return the blended soup to the pot, whisk in the heavy whipping cream, and warm through over low heat—do not boil. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, and finish with a splash more milk or cream if you prefer a thinner consistency.
8. Garnish with chopped cilantro and a drizzle of cilantro oil if desired. Serve warm.
How To Make Cilantro Oil
- Boil water in a medium pot and blanch the cilantro (stems and leaves) for about 5 seconds.
- Transfer the cilantro immediately to an ice bath to preserve color, then squeeze out excess water.
- Blend the cilantro with olive oil until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh.
- Pour the oil into a small squeeze bottle and use it to finish the soup for a bright, herbaceous accent.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Keep the heat medium-low when sautéing to avoid browning the onions, which alters color and flavor.
- Sauté until the vegetables are very tender for a silky puree.
- Substitute vegetable broth to make this vegetarian.
- Add heavy cream at the end and heat gently—avoid boiling to prevent curdling.
- The cilantro oil is optional but adds a professional-looking finish and fresh flavor.
- To thicken the soup, whisk a slurry of 1 tablespoon flour with 3 tablespoons water, then simmer until thickened.
- If the soup is too thick, thin with additional milk or cream and re-season.
Make It a Meal
This soup pairs beautifully with savory breads and sandwiches. Consider serving it alongside cornbread madeleines, a robust sandwich, or as an elegant starter before steak or roasted poultry. It also works well on a holiday buffet when paired with smoked turkey and stuffing.
Storage
Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. It also freezes well—thaw in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stove, whisking to recombine any separation.
Cream of Jalapeno Soup
Chef Jenn
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter (salted is fine)
- 6 jalapeños, stems and seeds removed
- 1 cup diced sweet onion
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups no-sodium-added chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 cups milk (whole or 2%)
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, optional garnish
For the cilantro oil
- 1/2 cup cilantro (stems and leaves)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the diced jalapeños and onion and sauté until the onions are translucent and very soft, about 6 minutes.
- Add the garlic and ground cumin and sauté about 1 minute until fragrant, then remove from heat.
- Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Slowly whisk in the chicken or vegetable broth, then whisk in the milk until smooth.
- Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Carefully transfer to a blender, add the avocado, and puree until completely smooth. When blending hot liquids, keep the blender lid vented and cover with a towel to allow steam to escape safely.
- Return the soup to the pot, whisk in the heavy cream, and warm gently to a bare simmer. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and cilantro oil if desired. Serve warm.
To make the cilantro oil
- Boil water in a medium pot and blanch the cilantro for about 5 seconds.
- Transfer to an ice bath, squeeze out excess water, then blend the cilantro with olive oil until smooth.
- Strain and store the oil in a small bottle to drizzle over the finished soup.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Saute gently to keep the soup color bright and avoid browning the onions.
- Sauté the vegetables until very soft for a silky texture.
- Use vegetable broth to make this vegetarian.
- Add cream at the end and warm gently—do not boil.
- Cilantro oil is optional but makes a pretty, flavorful garnish.
- To thicken, whisk a slurry of 1 tablespoon flour with 3 tablespoons water into the soup and simmer until thickened.
- To thin, add more milk or cream and re-season.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on available ingredient data and should be used as a guideline only.