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We Love Cream Soup!
We’re sure you’ve picked up a can of cream of chicken soup or cream of celery soup for a recipe at some point. Cream soups, sometimes called condensed soups used in so many dishes and are honestly a pantry staple! They’re perfect for quick and easy dishes like casseroles, soups, and crock pot meals or even sauces. In our busy house, we’re all about quick and easy, so we’re big fans of cream soup!
But what if you’re ready to start making dinner and open the cupboard only to find that you’re out of that cream of mushroom soup that your recipe called for? It’s time to make a cream soup substitute. The best part about making a cream soup substitute is that the simple ingredients you need are likely ones you already have on hand!
Why we Love Cream Soup:
- Convenience. Canned cream soups are a great time-saver. They are pre-made and ready to use, making them a convenient option for busy weeknights or when you’re short on time.
- Easy to Make from Scratch. If you don’t have canned cream soup on hand, it’s often easy to make a homemade version from scratch, and we’re about to tell you how!
- Variety. Canned cream soups come in a variety of flavors like mushroom, celery, chicken, and more. This versatility allows you to add a rich and creamy element to any kind of dish.
Table of Contents
Supplies
- 2 tablespoons of butter – Both salted or unsalted work, but if you use salted, be mindful when adding extra salt.
- 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- ½ cup of milk – you can use a dairy-free option if you wish
- ½ cup of chicken broth – If you used salted butter, you may want to use a low sodium chicken broth. You can also use water if you don’t have broth on hand.
- saucepan
How To Make Cream Soup Substitute Base
- MELT. In a small or medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat.
- FLOUR. Once butter is melted, add flour and stir constantly for about 1-2 minutes to form a roux (here’s an article on exactly How to Measure Flour and How to Make a Roux)
- MILK. Gradually whisk in 1 cup of milk, stirring to avoid lumps.
- BROTH. Stir in broth to your mixture.
- COOK. Continue simmering, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens (about 3-5 minutes). This is a great time to add in seasonings you want to taste, like salt, pepper, garlic powder, or onion powder!
- Use or store. Once you’ve made your cream of soup substitute, you can use it right away or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. If you want to freeze it, just pop it into a freezer-safe container. Make sure to leave a little room at the top! It’ll keep for about 3 months. When you’re ready to use it, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, then warm it up on the stovetop, stirring until it’s nice and smooth.
Variations of Cream Soup
We know there are many variations of cream soup! Now that you’ve got the basic cream soup substitute down, let’s talk about some of the other cream soups you can find at the grocery store!
- Cream of chicken soup substitute – Add cooked, diced chicken to cream soup substitute and simmer for a few minutes. You can also add poultry seasoning and thyme for extra flavor.
- Substitute for cream of mushroom soup – Switch the chicken broth for vegetable broth and add finely chopped mushrooms (cooked or sautéed) to your cream soup base and let it cook together.
- Cream of celery soup substitute – Switch the chicken broth for vegetable broth and add finely chopped celery (cooked or sautéed) and a pinch of celery seed for extra flavor. Let this simmer with your cream soup substitute until flavors meld together.
- Substitute for cream of potato soup – To your cream soup substitute base, add in cooked, diced potatoes and simmer until well combined.
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FAQs
This recipe is not gluten-free because it uses flour. You can use substitutes for flour in the cream soup recipe. Cornstarch, arrowroot powder, and tapioca starch are great options—just mix with cold water and add it to the butter.
Sure! You can totally use cream instead of milk to make a richer and creamier substitute. Just remember, it’ll be thicker and a bit higher in calories.
If your substitute turns out lumpy, you can use an immersion blender to smooth it out or strain it through a fine-mesh sieve. Stirring constantly while cooking and gradually adding the liquid can also help prevent lumps.
