Cream-based (not cream of) vegetable soup recipe
April 9, 2010 3:02 PM Subscribe
Looking for a recipe for a light cream-based vegetable soup. But not the pureed variety "cream of vegetable" soup.
I'm no cook but I'm trying to replicate some soup I was recently served. It was vegetable soup with a very light cream base, rather than the tomato base I'm accustomed to. However, I'm not sure it would be considered cream of vegetable soup, as it had whole chunks of vegetables. The version I had included cauliflower, corn, zucchini, carrots and broccoli.
Can you recommend a recipe for such a soup? Most of my searching so far turns up pureed cream of vegetable soup, and that's not quite what I'm looking for.
I'm no cook but I'm trying to replicate some soup I was recently served. It was vegetable soup with a very light cream base, rather than the tomato base I'm accustomed to. However, I'm not sure it would be considered cream of vegetable soup, as it had whole chunks of vegetables. The version I had included cauliflower, corn, zucchini, carrots and broccoli.
Can you recommend a recipe for such a soup? Most of my searching so far turns up pureed cream of vegetable soup, and that's not quite what I'm looking for.
Here's what i would do.
Chop up an onion and a couple cloves garlic. Heat 2 tbsp butter in a soup pot and saute until soft. Add spices like cayenne or cumin or pepper at this point. A little salt would be good also (you can always adjust the seasoning at the end). Chop up whatever veggies you want into tiny bite size pieces. All the ones you mentioned will take about the same amount of time to cook (except perhaps the corn, so you could add that at the end if you wanted to). Saute for five minutes or so then add about a quart of chicken stock or equivalent vegetable stock or bouillon. Let the soup come to a boil, then turn the heat to low and put a lid on it for about 25 minutes. If the soup has reduced down too much, add some water at this point. Now add about half a cup of cream and let the soup heat through. You don't want to let it come to a boil or the cream will separate and the soup will become greasy. So gentle heat is the way to go. Garnish with parsley or any other fresh herbs you would like and serve! Reheat gently as well.
posted by peacheater at 3:18 PM on April 9, 2010 [2 favorites]
Chop up an onion and a couple cloves garlic. Heat 2 tbsp butter in a soup pot and saute until soft. Add spices like cayenne or cumin or pepper at this point. A little salt would be good also (you can always adjust the seasoning at the end). Chop up whatever veggies you want into tiny bite size pieces. All the ones you mentioned will take about the same amount of time to cook (except perhaps the corn, so you could add that at the end if you wanted to). Saute for five minutes or so then add about a quart of chicken stock or equivalent vegetable stock or bouillon. Let the soup come to a boil, then turn the heat to low and put a lid on it for about 25 minutes. If the soup has reduced down too much, add some water at this point. Now add about half a cup of cream and let the soup heat through. You don't want to let it come to a boil or the cream will separate and the soup will become greasy. So gentle heat is the way to go. Garnish with parsley or any other fresh herbs you would like and serve! Reheat gently as well.
posted by peacheater at 3:18 PM on April 9, 2010 [2 favorites]
Try looking at Paula Deen's corn chowder recipe for a creamy base. She adds a ton of butter, but I bet you could leave at least half of it out; add a little more cream or chicken broth to thin it out.
posted by specialagentwebb at 4:42 PM on April 9, 2010
posted by specialagentwebb at 4:42 PM on April 9, 2010
Pretty much what everyone else is saying, (start with either a mire a piox or at least onion and one other thing, probably garlic, celery would be good too), saute in something fat (butter or oil) until the onion is translucent.
At this point, clear a spot on the bottom of the pot and put between 1 to 3 tbs of flour in depending how big your pot is or how thick you want the results to be (more flour will be thicker, you're making a roux). Let the flour heat through, for about a minute or so.
Slowly wisk in milk or cream (2% milk works well), start with at least a cup. Heat for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, don't let it boil.
Add veggies, cook until veggies cooked to desired tenderness. Add more milk or water if soup is too thick. Season at some point.
posted by cestmoi15 at 5:38 PM on April 9, 2010
At this point, clear a spot on the bottom of the pot and put between 1 to 3 tbs of flour in depending how big your pot is or how thick you want the results to be (more flour will be thicker, you're making a roux). Let the flour heat through, for about a minute or so.
Slowly wisk in milk or cream (2% milk works well), start with at least a cup. Heat for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, don't let it boil.
Add veggies, cook until veggies cooked to desired tenderness. Add more milk or water if soup is too thick. Season at some point.
posted by cestmoi15 at 5:38 PM on April 9, 2010
Yeah, it sounds like a light chowder. I like peacheater's method up there; I may have to try that soon.
posted by cooker girl at 5:38 PM on April 9, 2010
posted by cooker girl at 5:38 PM on April 9, 2010
And when I want to "cheat" creamy soups, I puree white beans, heat and then thin with water or broth.
posted by cestmoi15 at 5:41 PM on April 9, 2010
posted by cestmoi15 at 5:41 PM on April 9, 2010
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posted by HuronBob at 3:09 PM on April 9, 2010