The Trick For Making Creamy Soups Without Adding Any Dairy (2024)
Matthew Spina
·3 min read
Simple and comforting yet flavorful and filling, something about the texture of creamy soup is just perfect for a cool evening meal. And there's no shortage of options in the category; your soup can be corn chowder, cream of tomato, or chicken and tortellini, but one thing that ties many of them together is the need for dairy. The silky texture you want from soup often relies on heavy cream as a finishing agent that takes all the flavors you've developed and immediately transforms them into a rich, decadent broth.But sometimes dairy isn't what you want in soup. Whether it's because of dietary restrictions, or just the milky taste, there are times when you want a nice, thick soup, but don't want to use cream. Well, the good news is that you have plenty of options to make creamy soup without dairy, and a lot of them are already a welcome addition.
The thing to do when thickening soups without dairy is to add a type of starch. Starch molecules thicken and take on water when exposed to heat, which can take any liquid from runny to thick and creamy. Bread and wheat are starches, but so are rice and potatoes, cornmeal, and other cereal grains. Simply filling your soup with rice or potatoes for an extended time is enough to release starch and help thicken it, giving you a creamy consistency, dairy-free.
Choose From A Variety Of Starches To Give Your Soup A Creamy Texture
Rice and potatoes are great thickening choices because they work well with so many soups, but you have plenty of options beyond these. Leftover stale bread is frequently used to thicken soups in a lot of European dishes like the Italian ribollita. Grains like barley and oatmeal will have a similar effect and can add a hearty element. And of course, pasta water is famous for its ability to smooth and thicken sauces, and adding some noodles to your soup will do the trick too. With some starches like bread or rice, it may also help to put your soup in a blender for a quick spin to further break down the ingredients and make it extra creamy.
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If you don't want to blend your soup, you can also break down some starchy ingredients in other ways to help thicken your broth. Beans will make your soup a little creamier, but once they are cooked you can also fish out a few tablespoons worth, mash them, and add them back to the soup to thicken it. The same goes for potatoes. Finally, you can use flour to make a vegan roux with vegetable oil in place of butter, and then simmer your soup with it until it thickens. Any one of these options can give you a great creamy soup, so you don't have to fret if dairy isn't an option.
The thing to do when thickening soups without dairy is to add a type of starch. Starch molecules thicken and take on water when exposed to heat, which can take any liquid from runny to thick and creamy. Bread and wheat are starches, but so are rice and potatoes, cornmeal, and other cereal grains.
Using ingredients like coconut milk, almond milk, cashew cream, silken tofu, white beans, tahini, and even cauliflower can make to ordinary recipes more complex and satisfying, while still delivering all the creamy goodness synonymous with traditional dairy.
Starch is a very efficient thickening agent, and potatoes are full of it. Both leftover mashed potatoes and instant mashed potatoes can be used to thicken soups and stews—just blend 'em up with the liquid portion.
The best options for thickening soup are cream or half and half. Plain yogurt or even freshly grated cheese works well and adds an extra layer of tangy, salty flavor. Add the dairy at the end and avoid bringing the soup to a boil since this can cause yogurt, cheese, or cream to split.
You can substitute an equal amount of heavy cream with coconut cream and use it as a dairy-free alternative in recipes that call for heavy cream. It can be baked, cooked, and whipped, but it does have a coconut flavor, so choose your recipes accordingly.
Thick coconut milk is great for sauces and desserts while thin coconut milk is best as a milk alternative in coffee or soups. Most plant milks have a relatively neutral flavor, but coconut milk, both thick and thin, does maintain a slight coconut flavor.
Yogurt may seem like an odd addition to your bowl of pasta, but seeing as it's practically as creamy as cream, it's a smart choice. The tang of yogurt also provides a nice balance of flavor, which you don't get from cream.
Non-dairy milk: While soy milk is my go-to for dairy-free sauces, you can also use almond, cashew, or oat milk. Choose an unsweetened, unflavored milk.
In fact, it's quite creamy and more milk-like than other plant-based alternatives. It's made by first grinding the yellow split peas into a flour; the protein is then extracted and combined with water to make the milk.
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. Simmer 1 to 2 minutes, until flavors meld.
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.
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.
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 milk and cream are mostly interchangeable in recipes such as curries and soups. If you prefer a richer flavour and texture, try coconut cream or vice versa. However, be careful when substituting coconut milk and cream in baked goods.
You can make a stand-in for the heavy cream called for in a recipe where it will be mixed with other ingredients. Melt 1/4 cup unsalted butter in a large glass bowl and gradually whisk in 3/4 cup whole milk or half and half. You'll end up with 1 cup of a cream substitute. Use in soups, sauces, puddings, etc.
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