Healthy Basic Condensed Soup Recipe

I've been making my own homemade condensed soup for awhile now. It is easy to make a big batch and freeze in pint jars or simply whip up a batch for a recipe on the spot. I'm so glad I can still have my tasty (and inexpensive) casseroles and not spend a fortune on "healthy" condensed soups. I've found several recipes on different blogs, but I always found them too plain. So if you like lots of flavor, read on! BTW, this can easily be made gluten-free by using arrowroot or tapioca flour (may have to adjust amount to get the right consistency), and dairy-free by adding broth instead of milk and olive or coconut oil instead of butter.

Healthy Basic Condensed Soup Recipe:

3 Tbl butter

1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp salt

1/8 to 1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp chicken or beef bouillon

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 1/4 cups milk, water or broth

Melt butter, add flour and stir, making a light roux. Then add liquid and seasonings. Heat and stir until it thickens. 

Variations:

For Cream of Mushroom or Celery: saute 1/4 cup in the butter before adding the flour

For Cream of Chicken: use mostly broth instead of milk for the liquid

For Cream of Tomato: Use tomato juice instead of milk and add a 1/2 tsp basil and 1/2 tsp oregano

For Cheese Soup: After adding the liquid, add 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and stir