Creamy Pasta Soup Recipe (vegan) - Elavegan (2024)

FAQs

What is a substitute for milk in creamy soup? ›

Coconut Milk. Coconut milk is a popular substitute for heavy cream in many soups, stews, and curries. Its consistency is similar to that of heavy cream or milk and can be added to recipes in a similar fashion.

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.

What Do Vegans Use Instead of Heavy Cream? Fortunately, nearly any plant-based milk can be made into a heavy cream substitute. Nut milks, including hemp milk, oat milk, coconut milk and soy milk can all be used as the base for a heavy cream substitute with the addition of the right fats.

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.

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.

Whole milk or half-and-half also thicken up the soup. I've even made it with half the amount (1/2 cup or 120ml) heavy cream in a pinch. (Add more chicken broth if you use heavy cream; see recipe Note.)

There's classic heavy cream, of course, which makes soups like our creamy tomato Parm soup and our cream of broccoli soup extra delicious. Another great (and non-dairy) option is coconut 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.

Can you use almond milk instead of milk in soup? ›

In general, yes, you can replace almond milk for cow's milk in a recipe, but you should not expect identical results. Again, you will miss out on some richness, since almond milk does not have any saturated fat and tends to contain slightly more water.

Luckily, you can make a vegan heavy cream substitute with ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. Grab your favorite plant-based milk and go-to cooking or baking oil. Soy, oat or almond all work — just make sure they are unsweetened for savory recipes.

Spaghetti is one of the most popular pasta types to go into soup. Commonly found in Minestrone and Cream of Chicken, it's simple, can be trimmed to various lengths, and adds sustenance without taking up too much space.

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.

A soup made with milk is usually richer and more luxurious than one made with just water or stock. This addition helps make the soup feel more comforting. Adding milk or cream to a soup can balance contrasting tastes and help ingredients that don't typically mesh blend seamlessly.

Cashew milk

Cashew milk is rich and creamy in its consistency and has a milder taste compared to other nut milks. Environmentally, cashew crops are quite low-yielding and still require a fair amount of water (although not as much as almonds), which means it probably isn't the most eco-friendly option out there.