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.

Mix mix 1 tablespoon of arrowroot starch with 2 tablespoons of cold water until smooth then stir into the soup. May need to double or triple that depending on how much soup you have. Simmer gently to thicken. The advantage of arrowroot starch over cornstarch is that it does not break down as quickly when heated.

Alternatively, you could cook the pasta separately and add to the soup at the last moment. This will ensure the pasta and the soup are cooked perfectly. This also works well for re-heating the soup as the pasta can be added at the last minute, helping to keep it al dente.

"The majority of issues with a creamy soup come from undercooking the vegetables," explains Rick Martinez, associate food editor at BA. They should be uniformly soft, with no resistance or "bite"—otherwise, they will not stand up to the blender. You'll be left with a soup that's watery in portions and lumpy in others.

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.

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.

Coconut cream is a versatile ingredient that makes an excellent vegan substitute for heavy cream. While it can be purchased pre-made, it's also simple to make at home using coconut milk. Simply chill a can of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight, open it and pour the liquid contents into another container.

How to Thicken a Soup with Pureed Beans or Hummus. Blend 1½ cups cooked beans, lentils, or chickpeas with ½ cup water or broth until completely smooth. Add 2 tablespoons bean puree per 1 cup soup or stew, then stir until fully incorporated.

Cream-based soups have a thicker and richer consistency compared to brothy ones. We've found the best substitute to be full-fat canned coconut milk, and have swapped it in as a dairy substitute for many of the classics, like cream of broccoli, creamy tomato and cream of mushroom.

Traditional Italian dried pasta made from semolina and wheat is the perfect match for hearty broth-based soups that are loaded vegetables, beans, or meat, like minestrone and pasta e fa*gioli. Smaller shapes, like pipettes, elbows, mini farfalle, and orzo work best.

Why fry pasta before adding to soup? ›

She would gently fry the pasta in a pan until it was slightly golden brown before adding it to the broth. She always said frying it first added more flavor to the soup, and she wasn't wrong. You can also boil the pasta separately and add the cooked pasta to the broth, but I highly suggest trying it this way first.

Make ahead: This soup is best made ahead of time when you are using homemade egg noodles (they don't get soggy like regular store bought noodles). If using regular dry noodles I recommend making the broth (steps 1-2) first, and then the day of serving boiling the broth and noodles and adding the chicken.

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.

Flour or Cornstarch: Flour (or cornstarch) thickens the liquid, taking this soup from brothy to creamy. See recipe Note for that substitution. Chicken Broth: Or stock. Potato: 1 medium potato is the first magical ingredient in this recipe, because it cooks down and makes the soup SO creamy, hearty, and satisfying.

A cream soup is a soup prepared using cream, light cream, half and half, or milk as a key ingredient. Sometimes the dairy product is added at the end of the cooking process, such as after a cream soup has been puréed.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute.

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. Bisques are heavy cream soups traditionally prepared with shellfish, but can be made with any type of seafood or other base ingredients.