Homemade Cream of Something Soup

On December 18, 2023 by Tricia

It seems like canned cream of something or other soup crops up in so many recipes, especially traditional crockpot, and casserole recipes. This simple guide to Homemade Cream of Something Soup is for those who wish to avoid processed foods, have dietary restrictions, or are simply looking for better flavor from fresh ingredients. It’s also a great recipe for those times when you’re too ~~lazy~~ busy to get to the store for a can of soup!

How to make homemade cream of something soup for any diet!

No matter what type of food you eat in your household, you can make this recipe work for you with simple substitutes. The recipe is a just a roux (a mixture of fats and starch used as a thickener) enhanced with some simple aromatics and your main ingredient (i.e. mushroom, chicken, celery, etc.) Of course the “cream” component can be real milk or any type of milk substitute. For example, you could make your cream of mushroom vegetarian by substituting vegetable broth or dairy free by substituting almond milk. Once you get the hang of your substitutions, you could make Cream of Just About Anything Soup by swapping in 1/2 cup of finely diced meats or veggies.

Simply follow the base recipe outlined below, consulting the SOUP BASE table for any substitutes to suit your dietary needs and also the MAIN INGREDIENT table for the same. Or for easy reference, we have created the most commonly used cream of soups below. Follow those links below to begin immediately or search for them in our database and add them to your custom freezer cooking meal plan.

Ingredients for Homemade Cream of Something Soup

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup main ingredient, diced (see Main Ingredient)
1/4 cup butter or substitute (see Soup Base)
1/4 cup flour or substitute (see Soup Base)
1 cup milk or substitute (see Soup Base)
3/4 cup broth (see Soup Base)

Directions for Homemade Cream of Something Soup

Saute garlic, onion and main ingredient (mushrooms, chicken, celery, etc.) and set aside. Melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add “milk” and broth. Add sauteed garlic, onion and main ingredient. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring regularly, until it reaches desired consistency (about 10-15 minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper and use as you would a can of condensed Cream of Something Soup in any recipe. If I make it ahead of time, I pour the soup into a pint canning jar and refrigerate it for up to four days.

Freezing Directions for Homemade Cream of Something Soup

You can freeze these in batches in pint or quart size bags or use as you would a can of condensed Cream of Something Soup in any recipe and freeze that dish. A great way to keep “cans” at-the-ready for your recipes is to make a quadruple batch and bag each “can” serving in a pint-sized freezer bag. Place those bags in a gallon freezer bag, label, and freeze. When you need a “can” of condensed soup, pull out a bag, thaw, and use it in recipes as directed. Another great option is to freeze in Small Sized Containers or in pint sized, widemouthed mason jars.

Servings

1 “can” = approximately 1.5 cups

Our Favorite Cream of Soups

Here are the individual recipes that you will find in our recipe page as well as in our meal plans so that you can easily add them onto any cooking day as a substitute or as a way to stock the freezer an easy ingredient for quick meals:

Cream of Chicken Soup (Traditional or Real Food)
Cream of Celery Soup (Traditional or Real Food)
Cream of Mushroom Soup (Traditional or Real Food)
Gluten Free Dairy Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
Gluten Free Dairy Free Cream of Chicken Soup
Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup

Again, feel free to play around with substitutions and different main ingredients to meet your own needs. The ratios we used will yield about 1.5 cups of soup. Don’t forget you can freeze these in batches in pint or quart size bags or use as you would a can of condensed Cream of Something Soup in any recipe and freeze that dish.