Learn to make this quick and easy homemade cream of chicken soup recipe. Then, mix up a dry cream of soup base to keep on your pantry shelf so you can whip up a cream of chicken, mushroom, onion, celery or any other cream of soup that you need in minutes.
If you’ve ever made a homemade casserole, you’re probably familiar with those cans of cream of chicken soup from the grocery store. These cans of soup are commonly used in many comfort meals: soups, stews, gravies, casseroles, etc.
In this post, you’ll learn how to make fresh cream of chicken soup (or cream of anything soup: celery, mushroom, onion, bacon) and learn how to make a shelf-stable dry mix. The mix can be stored on the pantry shelf and mixed with water, milk or broth to have a quick and easy cream-of-anything soup in minutes.
A cream soup will often have a soup base, prepared with ingredients such as onion, celery, garlic powder, celery salt, butter, bacon drippings, flour, salt, pepper, paprika, milk, light cream, and chicken stock or vegetable stock. Various vegetables or meats are then added to the base.
How to Make Homemade Cream of Anything Soup
The base of any cream soup recipe begins with a classic white sauce. Making a white sauce is similar to making gravy. It comes down to having a fat, a thickener, a liquid and seasonings.
Once you have your white sauce made, you can mix in whatever additional flavors you need: chicken for a cream of chicken soup, onion for a cream of onion soup, celery for a cream of celery soup, and mushrooms for a cream of mushroom soup.
The beauty of this recipe is you can generally make it with ingredients you always have on hand. Especially once you understand how different ingredients can stand in when you’re out of something.
Once you learn how easy it is to make a cream of anything soup at home, you’ll never reach for those cans of soup from the grocery store again.
- Butter – Any shortening will do. A shortening is a fat source that’s solid at room temperature and liquid once heated. Butter, ghee, lard, tallow and coconut oil all work well.
- All-Purpose Flour – This is my preferred thickener. If you need a gluten-free option, you can try tapioca flour or cornstarch.
- Chicken Broth – Since we’re making a cream of chicken soup, I like to use homemade chicken broth. You could also use beef broth, vegetable broth, or even water.
- Chicken Bouillon Cubes – Bouillon cubes are great for adding extra depth of flavor, but are optional. Try it with homemade chicken bouillon.
- Whole Milk – We prefer to use whole milk, but use whatever you have. Something like half and half or heavy cream will give your cream of soup a richer flavor and thicker end result.
- Celery Salt – Also an optional seasoning, we love to use our homemade celery salt in this recipe.
- Onion Powder – Another staple item in our pantry. Learn to make homemade onion powder.
- Garlic Powder – Just like the onion powder, garlic powder is a must! Try making this homemade herbed garlic salt.
- Salt – If you’re using celery salt and garlic salt, be sure to taste your soup before adding more salt. You may not need it! We love Redmond Real Salt (using that link and coupon code “HFSalt” will get you 15% off your order).
- Black Pepper – Fresh black pepper is a must for your cream-of-anything soup. Add more or less to your liking.
We like to stock our bulk ingredients from Azure Standard. That’s where I buy bulk flour, cornstarch, butter (when the cows aren’t in milk), and even seasonings like bulk peppercorns and other herbs we can’t grow in North Idaho.
If you’ve never heard of Azure before, check out our post for more information, including some of Homesteading Family’s Azure Standard favorites. Be sure to find our current coupon code to save 10% off your first order of $50 or more for a limited time (first-time customers only).
- In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, add the flour and whisk continuously to create a smooth roux. Let the roux cook for about 2-3 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste.
- Gradually pour in the chicken broth while whisking vigorously to avoid lumps. Add the chicken bouillon cubes (if using) and continue whisking until they dissolve into the mixture.
- Slowly pour in the whole milk while whisking constantly. Continue to whisk until the mixture is well combined and starts to thicken.
- Stir in the celery salt, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Let the mixture simmer over medium-low heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a condensed consistency.
- Give the soup a taste and adjust the seasonings according to your preference. Add more salt, pepper, or other seasonings if needed.
- Allow the condensed cream of chicken soup to cool slightly before transferring it to pint-sized jars. Seal the jars tightly and store them in the refrigerator for a few days, or freeze them for longer storage.
Your homemade condensed cream of chicken soup is now ready to work its magic in a variety of dishes. Whether you’re whipping up a casserole, a creamy chicken pot pie, or simply enjoying a comforting bowl of soup, your culinary creations are about to reach a new level of deliciousness.
Why I Love This Recipe
Some ingredients just shouldn’t be on our shelves! If you pick up a can of cream of chicken soup, you may need a translator to help you pronounce some of those ingredients (if you can even call them ingredients).
When I want to feed my family nutritious, from scratch meals, but I’m also in a hurry, the last thing I want to reach for is a can of soup with ingredients I can’t even pronounce. Not to mention, those cans of soup are overpriced and made with ingredients you wouldn’t find in any kitchen pantry.
Not only is making homemade cream-of-anything soup extremely simple, but it’s also very affordable and can be customized any way you want.
I am also thrilled to share my recipe for a dry cream soup base that can sit on the pantry shelf to whip up into any cream of soup that I need.
Cream of Soup Recipe, NEVER BUY TIN CANNED SOUP AGAIN
FAQ
What is cream soup base made of?
What is the base of a soup?
What is used as a base for cream soup in classic cuisine?
Where does cream soup originate from?
What is a good base for Cream of soup?
For a nice, generic base, we use garlic powder, onion powder, and parsley. When you’re ready to make a “can” of cream of soup, all you need is butter and water! If you prefer video, there is a video tutorial at the bottom of this post. Enjoy! Make up a quart jar of this cream of soup powder, and replace all those canned, creamed soups!
What can be used as a substitute for sour cream in baking?
Good substitutes for sour cream in baking are: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, buttermilk, coconut milk (the cream on top of full-fat coconut milk can be skimmed off and blended with apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and sea salt to be used as a plant-based sour cream), cashews (blending soaked cashews with vinegar, lemon juice, and sea salt), commercial soy-based sour cream.
What is a cream soup base recipe?
A cream soup base recipe is a fundamental culinary preparation that combines butter, flour, liquid like chicken or vegetable stock, and cream or milk. This blend is gently simmered until it reaches a velvety consistency, forming the perfect starting point for various cream soups.
Can You Make your own cream soup base?
Make your own cream soup base at home, as a dry mix and a pantry staple. Dry mix helps save valuable pantry and kitchen space, and creating the mix in bulk helps save you time and money. Skip the pre-made canned cream soups, and make your own mix that’s just as easy to use.