Never run out of condensed, or cream of chicken soup again! You'll love this 5-minute homemade version of canned condensed soup! Make a big batch and save it for later! 
If you're like me, you'll be halfway through cooking a fabulous "green bean" casserole and realize there's no condensed soup in the pantry. I've done this a million times. But have no fear, this quick recipe produces just about any type of "condensed" soup you need!
What is condensed soup?
Condensed soup is a processed food in which the water has been extracted from the soup, resulting in a thick, concentrated gel. It was developed in 1897 by Dr. John T. Dorrence, a chemist who worked for the Campbell's company.
Cream of Tomato soup was the first concentrated soup the company produced around 1898. Cream of Celery came about in 1913, then Mushroom in 1934.
The most popular and widely used is Cream of Chicken which was introduced in 1947.
These concentrated soups are popular for seasoning and thickening soups and stews, as well as enhancing the flavor and consistency of popular dishes like "Green Bean Casserole," as well as Chicken Spaghetti casserole.
While there are now various derivatives of these products, (low sodium; heart healthy, etc.) the canned product still contains a plethora of ingredients I cannot pronounce, therefore, I am suspect to the overall "healthiness" of the jellied-soup-product.
About this recipe
This recipe is an alternative to canned Condensed Cream of Chicken soup. (See Variations below)
The ratio of ingredients yields one cup (8 ounces) of "condensed" soup, almost equivalent to one can of Campbell's. If you want to make more and store it for later use, just increase the ingredients in proportion to one another.
Here's all you need:
- ½ stick butter (4 tablespoons)
- 4 tablespoons flour (¼ cup)
- 1 -1 ½ cups milk
- 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Paste (or 1 bouillon cube)
Feel free to add a pinch of onion or garlic powder, salt and pepper to your liking.
How to make it:
- This takes about 5-minutes to make.
- Add to casseroles, soups, stews or refrigerate for later use. Take note that "cubes" are often high in sodium, so wait until the soup-base is done before you add salt.
- Melt butter, whisk in flour, pour in milk; allow to heat; add bouillon paste or cube
Whisk in the bouillon paste or cubes and cook on low heat to desired thickness...
Storage
Homemade condensed soup will last up to a week in the fridge and up to 2 months in the freezer-when secured properly. When you're ready to use the soup base, let it thaw to room temperature, then add it to your casserole, soup or stew.
Variations
In short, use the above recipe and add pureed celery or mushrooms for these types of flavored condensed soups. The Cream of mushroom, substitute beef bouillon for chicken.
- Cream of Celery: add 1-2 stalks of pureed celery to the recipe (yes; you still add the chicken bouillon)
- Cream of Mushroom: substitute beef bouillon for chicken; add a pinch of garlic powder; add 4-5 pureed mushrooms per cup of soup
- Cream of Tomato: add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste to the recipe (yes; you still add the chicken bouillon)
Related Recipes:
- Use this in the family favorite - Chicken Spaghetti or in Chicken Pot Pie
- Make an easy homemade Chicken Broth
- Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup
♥ If you make this recipe, please be sure to comment and leave a rating! I love to hear from you!
Condensed Soup Alternative
Ingredients
- ½ stick unsalted butter (4 tablespoons)
- ¼ cup flour (4 tablespoons); all-purpose
- 1½ cups milk add 1 cup first; if you want the soup thinner, add remaining milk
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon Better Than Bouillon or 1 cube
- ½ tsp garlic powder (optional)
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Melt butter in saucepan
- Sprinkle in flour; whisk
- Add milk; whisk
- Add chicken bouillon paste or cube
- Cook on low until mixture thickens
- Taste for salt and pepper
Notes
- If you don't have milk, use ¼ cup nonfat dry milk + 1 cup water = 1 cup of milk
- If you don't have butter, use oil
- If you don't have chicken bouillon paste or cubes, use chicken broth (if you use broth, you'll want to increase the amount of flour)
- Cream of Celery: add 1-2 stalks of pureed celery to the recipe (yes; you still add the chicken bouillon)
- Cream of Mushroom: substitute beef bouillon for chicken; add a pinch of garlic powder; add 4-5 pureed mushrooms per cup of soup
- Cream of Tomato: add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste to the recipe (yes; you still add the chicken bouillon)
Pat says
Can the condensed soup alternative be frozen? I would like to have it ready to go when I need a condensed soup. Thanks for the recipe,
Anecia says
Yes, Pat! It can be frozen for up to about 2 months. Let it thaw to room temperature before adding it.