While vacationing in Africa in February all the lodges we stayed at through andBeyond served soup at lunch and dinner. One that was memorable to us was the Corn & Yellow Pepper Soup a dish that pleasantly surprised me.
Corn is one of those vegetables that I always felt had no redeeming qualities since it’s insoluble. That’s far from true though! Corn is a nutritional powerhouse, rich in antioxidants and fiber. It’s considered a vegetable from the cob but if dried and popped for popcorn it’s then considered a grain.
Since corn is extremely high in potassium it can lower your blood pressure. Corn can also help you fight against cell damaging free radicals, and may decrease your risk of heart disease, cancer and other diseases. Corn is a better source of antioxidants than wheat, rice or oats, to include carotenoids (good for your eyes), vitamin C and vitamin E. As an added bonus for some, since most of the fiber in corn is insoluble, it adds bulk to stools which may help prevent constipation.
Yellow Bell peppers lend tremendous flavor to any dish. Plus they’re high in vitamin C, the highest levels compared to other peppers. In addition they are high in vitamin B-6, Folate, and also offer amounts of vitamin A, thiamin, niacin and vitamin B-5.
This Corn & Yellow Pepper soup uses 6 yellow peppers providing sweetness, flavor, nutrition, and color.
In the recipe below, from Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, they use canned sweet corn that I drained and rinsed to remove any sodium that was added in the canning process. However, whole roasted or grilled corn on the cob would be wonderful, using 4-5 cobs.
If grilling or roasting, the color may not be as vibrant since it would have some charred marks. However, the flavor would be sweeter – a trade off you would need to decide. Plus it would be fresh rather than canned as the recipe from Ngorongoro Crater Lodge stated.
I love this soup. If I were to make any changes I would prefer using grilled corn in the summer months while the weather is nice. I always prefer fresh over canned, but honestly whatever type of corn you use (even frozen) this soup will be a winner. If you prefer a slight kick to the soup then a touch of cayenne might be nice, topped with a dollop of Greek yogurt and chopped avocado and pepitas.
Quick & easy to prepare Corn & Yellow Pepper soup is delicious and on the table in no time at all. I hope you’ll give it a try!
Hungry for more? Savor these!
Chilled Avocado, Cucumber & Melon Soup
Tools Used to Make Corn & Yellow Pepper Soup: