FOOD NEWS
Thicken Up Any Fall Soup With A Particular Canned Ingredient Hack
By Ashlyn Frassinelli
If you're in need of thick and hearty soup this fall but don't want to use any dairy products, canned pumpkin is the seasonal alternative you need.
A can of creamy pumpkin purée stirred into a pot of soup will thicken the texture to silky smoothness and provide that subtle pumpkin flavor that evokes thoughts of autumn.
Pumpkin flavor in soup is discernible but not overwhelming, imparting an earthy and slightly nutty taste that mixes well with a medley of other ingredients.
As well as being full of fall flavor, canned pumpkin provides plenty of nutritional benefits like antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and a medley of other nutrients.
One way to easily infuse canned pumpkin into your soups is to substitute it in recipes that call for cream or half-and-half, completely or partially replacing the dairy.
For example, it can thicken a creamy roasted tomato soup or provide extra smoothness to a hamburger soup without the heavy dairy.
Pumpkin can also be used to thicken broth-based soups like chicken noodle or chicken tortilla, just add the pumpkin slowly and taste it regularly.