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.

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.

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 Or Cornstarch

Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool. Add a few tablespoons of flour or cornstarch to the bowl and whisk until it's blended smooth. Next, bring the soup to a simmer and add the mixture back to the pot. Pro tip: Don't dump in the entire mixture at once.

Combine equal parts silken tofu and soy milk and blend thoroughly in an immersion blender or food processor until the mixture reaches a smooth, thick consistency. Then use it in place of an equal amount of heavy cream to thicken your favorite recipes, such as soups or sauces.

Coconut milk

Keeping a can or two around makes it simple to whip up an improvised pureed soup, especially Food editor Joe Yonan's Any Vegetable Instant Pot Soup. As long as you have the coconut milk and some aromatics, you can cobble together a satisfying meal with whatever vegetables you have on hand.

Whole milk is an excellent substitute for heavy cream. It adds richness to your pasta sauce without the excess fat.

Keep in mind that this evaporated milk will make your dish taste richer, but it won't actually thicken the soup. You can always use a bit of flour or cornstarch if you're missing that added texture. Otherwise, you'll find evaporated milk the best dairy addition for your classic slow cooker favorites.

What kind of cream do you use for soup? ›

Double cream

It contains no thickeners, boasts 45 to 60 per cent milk fat, and is ideal for dollopping on your desserts, adding to your baking and stirring into soups and slow-cooked meals (we're talking rich, comforting goulash here) to give that extra creamy texture and taste.

A common technique is to thicken your sauce or soup with roux before adding the milk. This changes the makeup of the liquid and prevents curdling.

If you're making a soup that calls for pasta, you generally only need to use approximately one-third or half of the box of dried pasta. Prepare the soup and add the dried pasta directly to it after the soup has cooked for half the time recommended in the recipe instructions.

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.

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.

Thick soups are classified depending upon the type of thickening agent used: purées are vegetable soups thickened with starch; bisques are made from puréed shellfish or vegetables thickened with cream; cream soups may be thickened with béchamel sauce; and veloutés are thickened with eggs, butter, and cream.

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.