Easy Cream Soups

Thick and Creamy Recipes with Half the Calories

Sep 19, 2009 Elvira Nieto

The words "hearty" or "creamy" don't necessarily have to mean high in calories, high in fat. Thick, hearty soups can be enjoyed without worrying about adding pounds.

As the weather begins to cool, families once again gather around the table to enjoy warm, comforting foods. But when the craving for a hearty cream soup strikes, simply heating up a can of something condensed usually doesn’t do the trick.

These recipes are not only simple to make, but by substituting some of the more fatty ingredients, the caloric count gets cut significantly.

Simple Cream Soup Base - Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-fat milk
• 2 cubes chicken bouillon
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan.
2. Slowly add the flour, making into a paste.
3. Add milk and bouillon cubes; heat over low heat until soup thickens.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Depending on the soup thickness desired, a little more milk may be added when incorporating other ingredients.

Jazz this basic recipe up with cooked potatoes, bacon and chives; broccoli and cheddar cheese; spinach, asparagus and mozzarella, or any other family favorites.

Chicken and Green Chile Cream Soup - Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Simple Cream Soup Base (see previous recipe)
• 1 (10 ½ oz) can reduced fat cream of mushroom soup
• 1 packet reduced at cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups low-fat milk
• 1 cup Daisy Fat-free sour cream
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
• 2 (4oz) cans chopped green chiles
• 1 ½ tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Heat cream soup base over low heat.
2. Stir in cream of mushroom soup, softened cream cheese, milk and sour cream to the cream soup base. Mix well.
3. Add in the diced onion. Simmer covered over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
4. Stir in all remaining ingredients, except for the cheddar cheese. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Before serving, sprinkle cheddar cheese onto the individual servings.

Tomato Basil Bisque - Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped or 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup flour
• 3 cups plum tomatoes, chopped or 1 (2 lb.) can Hunt’s whole peeled tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup half and half
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add onion and garlic to heated olive oil. Sauté until onions are translucent.
3. Add basil, thyme, tomatoes, tomato paste and most of chicken broth (3 cups) to heated onion garlic mixture. Simmer for about 20 minutes covered over low heat.
4. Use the remaining cup of chicken broth to make a thickening agent along with the flour. Ensure to thoroughly dissolve any clumps of flour in the chicken broth before adding the mixture to the soup.
5. Pour entire soup mixture into a blender; puree.
6. Return pureed soup to pot, cook 15 minutes longer.
7. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or a pinch of mozzarella.

Crab Bisque - Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1 stick I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter
• 1 can (14 oz) Swanson’s Low Sodium chicken broth
• 14 oz. fresh crab meat or 2 (6 1/2 oz.) cans white crab meat
• 4 cups low-fat milk
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed into 1 tablespoon cold water for thickening
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. In a large sauce pan, melt butter; add onion and celery; cook until softened and translucent.
2. Add garlic powder, chicken stock, milk and crab. Bring the soup mixture close to a boil over medium heat.
3. Stir in the thickening cornstarch and water mixture until soup achieves creamy consistency.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Simmer, covered for 45 minutes over low heat.

The copyright of the article Easy Cream Soups in Recipes is owned by Elvira Nieto. Permission to republish Easy Cream Soups in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Soup in bread bowl

Tomato Soup

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