Creamy Vegetable Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes soup more creamy? ›

Possibilities include cream, coconut milk, yogurt, or even pureed avocado. If you choose coconut milk, be aware that it will impart a sweet, coconut flavor, which might not be right for every soup. Yogurt will add tanginess.

It may sound a bit strange and unusual for some, but vinegar is a common ingredient in some soup recipes, and there is a good reason for it. If you think about it, vinegar is really a flavor-enhancer (umami). That's why it is so often used in cooking, sauces, and salad dressings. The same is true with soups.

Celery, carrot, and onion are the base vegetables for most preparations of this kind. That's because when you gently fry them in extra virgin olive oil, they become a tasty flavor base for your soup, adding depth of flavor.

Soup Thickening Method: Cornstarch Slurry

About this method: One of the most common ways to thicken sauces and soups is with a starch-based slurry, and cornstarch is a popular choice. Cornstarch is flavorless, easy to mix up, and versatile, which makes it a go-to pantry ingredient.

Yes, you can definitely add cream to your soup. Whether you use a few tablespoons or a few cups, cream gives soup a silky mouthfeel and rich flavor. You can definitely add milk or other dairy as well, though it will taste gradually less creamy as you go down in percent.

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

Dried herbs and seasonings: homemade seasoned salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and dried bay leaves lend flavor to the soup. Stock: I much prefer chicken stock over vegetable stock in terms of flavor, though if you want to keep this soup vegetarian, feel free to use vegetable broth or stock instead.

Foods that have a great deal of acidity, like lemon juice, vinegar, white wine, and tomato puree, can help liven up the flavor of bland-tasting bone and other broths. "The acidity of these ingredients works to complement and enhance the broth's flavors, not mask it.

If you're cooking savory recipes like potato-parsnip soup or Joanna Gaines's asparagus and fontina quiche, heavy cream and half-and-half can generally be used interchangeably, but the dishes' consistency and richness may vary based on which type of cream you use. Beware of anything labeled fat-free half-and-half.

When to add cream to soup? ›

If you started the soup with broth, stock or water, I would wait until the end to add the cream. You can warm the cream, or “temper” it, which is what I do. Take about half a cup of the hot broth and slowly add your cream to that, stirring constantly.

A potage is a category of thick soups, stews, or porridges, in some of which meat and vegetables are boiled together with water until they form a thick mush.

Usually when your food seems like it is missing something it is either lack of salt, lack of acid or both. Try adding some salt and a teaspoon or 2 of vinegar. I know it sounds weird but trust me. And try simmering your soup on med-low for a good 30-45 minutes to let the flavors come together.

To season it, we recommend starting with our Vegetable Soup Mix. It contains celery salt, parsley flakes, garlic powder, sea salt, summer savory, marjoram, thyme, black pepper, turmeric and sage, which are all excellent with root vegetables, so you can incorporate things like carrots or potatoes into the soup.

Some common soup thickeners include flour, cornstarch, arrowroot, roux (a mixture of flour and fat), potato starch, and tapioca. These thickeners help to give soups a thicker, more substantial texture.

Add Rice

Simply throw a handful of any uncooked white rice you have into the broth as you cook the soup and let it simmer for at least half an hour. The rice will expand and release its natural starches into the broth, adding texture and body. If you want a slightly healthier option, go for brown rice.

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.