Creamy Pasta Soup Recipe (vegan) - Elavegan (2024)

FAQs

What makes thick creamy soups? ›

Traditional cream soups derive their smooth texture from liberal amounts of milk or cream, thickened with flour or cornstarch. Now when we make soups that are creamy, chances are they contain no cream at all: They're likely thickened with purees made from starchy vegetables.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

To ensure you get it just right, make sure the soup is nearly cooked before adding the pasta. Smaller pasta shapes soak up broth readily so ensure you serve the soup as soon as it's cooked. Alternatively, you could cook the pasta separately and add to the soup at the last moment.

Add Flour, Cornstarch, or Other Thickener: Starches thicken soup and give it body. Whisk a few tablespoons of starch into a little of the broth in a separate bowl before whisking it into the main pot. This prevents the starch from clumping and helps it dissolve into the soup evenly.

Milk or Half-and-Half: This is the other magical ingredient that turns your homemade chicken noodle soup into the creamiest soup ever. Use 1 cup of whole milk or 1 cup of half-and-half. If you want to make regular (non-creamy) chicken noodle soup, replace the milk with more chicken broth.

Originally Answered: Can I use milk instead of cream in soup? Of course you can, it may be a bit thinner in consistency. It will also be less in calories and fat, but also flavor.

If you need to thicken a soup or stew, you can turn to starchy vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and sweet potatoes. Cook the veggies well and then blend. Once you have a smooth mixture, incorporate it into your soups, stews, and sauces to achieve a thicker result.

Cream is one of the most delicious ways to thicken a soup — all that rich milk fat helps to emulsify the soup and make it even creamier. Cream can curdle with the long cook time of the slow cooker, so I prefer canned milks like evaporated milk or coconut milk for thickening instead.

The most classic and surefire way to thicken a broth-based soup is with a cornstarch slurry. Whisk together equal parts cornstarch (or arrowroot) and water or broth, then whisk it into the pot of soup. A good ratio to get to a pleasant thickness without your soup tasting goopy or heavy is one tablespoon.

There are two good reasons not to do it. First it will make your stock or broth very starchy in taste. Second, inevitably the pasta will get overcooked.

Should I rinse pasta before adding to soup? ›

The answer is simple: No, you should not rinse pasta. You should never rinse pasta, noodles, or macaroni if it is going to be added to a sauce and served.

Cream is used to add richness to soup, as the extra fat makes it delicious. Be sure not to bring it to a boil, but rather, add it in at the last minute before serving. The best item to thicken a soup is some sort of starch, whether from flour, cornstarch, arrowroot, or even a lot of potatoes.

It's important to note that cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. If you need to substitute cornstarch to thicken liquid in a recipe that calls for ¼ cup (four tablespoons) flour, you only need two tablespoons cornstarch.

Nuts or nut-based flour

A quick and easy paleo-friendly way to add more thickness to your soups is to grind down 1-2 cups of nuts. Use cashews, peanuts, almonds, or any other nuts that you have at home. Almond flour is also a commonly available substitute that you can find in almost any grocery store today.

Roux (pronounced roo) is a mixture of equal weights (parts) of flour and fat (usually clarified butter; chicken fat, bacon fat, and margarine are also used) cooked over medium heat and stirred constantly. Roux is the most common thickener for sauces and soups.

There are five primary types of soups: broth, bisque, chowder, cream, and purée. Broth is a clear liquid based on stock (flavorful liquid from simmering bones, herbs, and vegetables).

Corn Starch

This completely versatile starch is used in savory and sweet dishes alike: gelatinizing fruit pie fillings or thickening your hefty, stick-to-your-bones soups.