Last updated: October 19, 2026
Cream of anything soup is the homemade base that stands in for any canned cream of mushroom, chicken, or celery soup, and it takes about 15 minutes with butter, flour, milk, and broth.
The full recipe card sits below, and the walkthrough here covers every step, swap, and storage tip so you can make it with confidence.
What Cream of Anything Soup Really Is
Cream of anything soup is a thick, creamy white sauce built from butter, flour, milk, and broth that works exactly like a can of condensed cream soup. You stir it into casseroles, sauces, and slow cooker dinners, or thin it out and eat it as a soup on its own.
The name comes from the way one simple base turns into many different soups. Add sauteed mushrooms and you have cream of mushroom, add diced cooked chicken and you have cream of chicken, and add finely diced celery and you have cream of celery.
Most casserole recipes written since the 1950s call for a 10.5-ounce can of condensed cream soup, and this homemade version swaps in cleanly. One batch makes about 1 1/4 cups, which is the same amount you get from a standard can.
Making it yourself gives you control over the salt, the dairy, and the flavor. Store-bought cans lean salty and often carry a faint metallic taste, while the homemade base tastes like butter, cream, and whatever you decide to stir in.
It also solves the empty pantry problem. If a recipe calls for a can you do not have, you can usually make this on the stove faster than you can drive to the store.
Ingredients for Cream of Anything Soup
The base uses just eight pantry ingredients, and every one of them has a job. The full measurements live in the recipe card, and the quantities below match it exactly.
The Fat and Flour
Three tablespoons of unsalted butter and three tablespoons of all-purpose flour form the roux that thickens the soup. Unsalted butter lets you control the sodium, and a standard all-purpose flour such as King Arthur or Gold Medal works equally well.
Equal parts butter and flour is the classic ratio for a thick sauce. Using this much roux for such a small amount of liquid is what gives you a condensed texture instead of a thin gravy.
The Liquids
Half a cup of low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth and three-quarters of a cup of whole milk make up the liquid. The broth supplies savory depth, and the milk supplies the creamy, rounded flavor.
Low-sodium broth is the better choice because the base reduces slightly as it simmers. Use vegetable broth if you want the base to stay vegetarian.
The Seasonings
Half a teaspoon of onion powder, a quarter teaspoon of garlic powder, a quarter teaspoon of salt, and an eighth of a teaspoon of black pepper finish the base. These dry seasonings dissolve smoothly, so you never bite into a raw chunk of onion or garlic.
Taste at the end and add a pinch more salt only if your broth was unsalted.
How to Make Cream of Anything Soup Step by Step
The whole process takes about 15 minutes in one medium saucepan, and the only real rule is to keep whisking.
Cook the Roux
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in the flour. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly, until the mixture looks bubbly and smells lightly toasty but has not browned.
Browning the roux would turn the base tan and add a nutty flavor, which suits a gravy but not a neutral soup base.
Add the Liquids
Pour in the broth slowly while whisking, and the roux will tighten into a thick paste before smoothing out. Keep whisking until no lumps remain, then gradually whisk in the milk.
Adding the liquids in two stages is the easiest way to avoid lumps. If a few do appear, a minute of vigorous whisking into the corners of the pan usually clears them.
Season and Simmer
Stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, then lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer for three to four minutes, whisking often, until the base is as thick as warm pudding and coats the back of a spoon.
The base keeps thickening as it cools, so stop when it looks just slightly looser than you want the final texture to be.
Cool Before Using
Remove the pan from the heat and let the base cool for about 10 minutes before stirring it into a casserole. Cooling keeps the hot sauce from overcooking delicate add-ins such as sour cream or shredded cheese.
Flavor Variations for Cream of Anything Soup
The card shows the plain base, and every variation below is an optional add-in that is not listed on the card. Make the base as written, then stir in your flavor at the end, or cook the add-in in the butter before the flour goes in.
Cream of Mushroom
Finely chop four ounces of white or cremini mushrooms and cook them in the melted butter for about five minutes, until their liquid has evaporated. Then add the flour and continue with the recipe as written.
Cream of Chicken
Use chicken broth and stir in a quarter teaspoon of dried thyme at the end. For a heartier texture, fold in half a cup of finely diced cooked chicken once the base has thickened.
Cream of Celery
Cook a quarter cup of very finely diced celery in the butter for about four minutes, until soft, before adding the flour. Vegetable broth keeps this version vegetarian.
Cheddar Cheese
Take the pan off the heat and stir in half a cup of shredded sharp cheddar until it melts. This turns the base into a quick cheese sauce for broccoli, baked potatoes, or pasta.
How to Use Cream of Anything Soup in Recipes
One batch of this base replaces one undiluted 10.5-ounce can of condensed cream soup in any recipe. That makes it a direct swap for casseroles, bakes, and slow cooker dinners.
Swapping for Canned Soup
Use it in green bean casserole, chicken and rice bakes, tater tot casserole, slow cooker pot roast, and creamy baked pork chops. Because the base is already cooked, it goes straight into the recipe with no extra steps.
Let it cool for 10 minutes first so it does not melt the cheese or cook the eggs too quickly.
Eating It as Soup
To serve it as soup, whisk one batch with 1 1/4 cups of milk or broth in a saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming hot. That makes about 2 1/2 cups of soup, enough for two small bowls.
Taste the thinned soup and add a little salt if needed, since diluting the base mutes the seasoning.
Substitutions and Dietary Swaps
The recipe card lists the standard version, and the swaps below are optional changes that are not on the card. Each one is a simple trade, so the rest of the method stays the same.
Dairy-Free
Replace the butter with a plant-based butter and the milk with unsweetened oat milk. Oat milk gives the creamiest result because it has a natural body that almond milk lacks.
Gluten-Free
Replace the all-purpose flour with a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend, such as Bob’s Red Mill, in the same amount. The base will look slightly grainier while it cooks but smooths out as it simmers.
Lower Sodium
Use unsalted broth and cut the salt to an eighth of a teaspoon if you are watching your sodium. Taste the finished base before adding anything else, since the cheese or chicken you stir in later will add salt too.
A Richer Version
Swap the whole milk for half-and-half when you want a more luxurious base for a special dinner. The extra fat makes the soup taste closer to restaurant-style cream soup.
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating Cream of Anything Soup
The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service advises refrigerating cooked food within two hours. Once chilled, store the base in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
For longer storage, freeze it for 2 to 3 months, which is the range the USDA gives for soups and stews. Freezing in 1 1/4-cup portions means each bag equals one can.
Cool the base quickly by spreading it in a shallow container, since a large deep pot holds heat for a long time. Press a piece of parchment onto the surface to keep a skin from forming.
Thaw frozen base overnight in the refrigerator, then whisk it well, since it can look separated at first. Reheat it gently on the stove over medium-low heat, whisking in a splash of milk if it has tightened up, and bring leftovers to 165°F before serving, as the USDA recommends.
Where Cream of Anything Soup Comes From
The short answer is that it grew out of French sauce making and American pantry cooking meeting in the middle.
Condensed soup took off in 1897, when Campbell’s chemist John T. Dorrance worked out how to remove water from soup and sell it in a small can. Campbell’s introduced cream of mushroom in 1934, and it soon became the shortcut ingredient that defined American casserole cooking.
The idea behind it is much older. A roux thinned with milk is the French mother sauce called bechamel, and a roux thinned with stock is called veloute, so this base is a friendly cross between the two.
Home cooks have been making their own version for generations, long before anyone worried about sodium or ingredient lists. The recipe below simply brings that old technique back to the stove in a form that fits modern weeknight dinners.
Ready to cook? Use the recipe card below for the exact measurements and steps.
Cream of Anything Soup
A creamy homemade base made with butter, flour, milk, and broth that replaces any 10.5-ounce can of condensed cream of mushroom, chicken, or celery soup. It takes 15 minutes on the stove.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until bubbly and lightly toasty but not browned.
- Slowly pour in the broth while whisking until smooth and no lumps remain.
- Gradually whisk in the milk.
- Stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, whisking often, until the base is as thick as warm pudding and coats the back of a spoon.
- Remove from the heat and cool for 10 minutes before using. Use the base as is in place of one undiluted 10.5-ounce can of condensed cream soup.
Notes
One batch replaces one undiluted 10.5-ounce can of condensed cream soup. To serve as soup, whisk with 1 1/4 cups milk or broth over medium-low heat until steaming hot. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking and store in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days, or freeze for 2 to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, whisk well, and reheat leftovers to 165°F.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
5Serving Size:
1/4 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 106Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 150mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 2g
Frequently Asked Questions About Cream of Anything Soup
How much does one batch replace?
One batch makes about 1 1/4 cups and replaces one undiluted 10.5-ounce can of condensed cream soup. Use it exactly as you would the canned version.
Can I double the recipe or make it ahead?
Yes, you can double or triple it in a larger saucepan, and the cooking time stays about the same. Refrigerate it for 3 to 4 days or freeze it for 2 to 3 months.
Why is my base lumpy?
Lumps usually appear when the liquid goes in too fast or the whisk skips the corners of the pan. Whisk hard for a minute, or pour the base through a fine mesh strainer if any stubborn bits remain.
Can I use it in the slow cooker?
Yes, but use the low setting and stir the base in well so it blends with the other ingredients. Long cooking on high can make any dairy-based sauce separate.
What if my base turns out too thick or too thin?
If it is too thick, whisk in a tablespoon of milk at a time until it loosens. If it is too thin, simmer it for another minute or two, whisking constantly, until it coats the back of a spoon.
Why This Recipe Works
Equal parts butter and flour create a roux with enough thickening power to hold up in a casserole. Cooking it for a full minute removes the raw flour taste without letting it brown.
Adding the broth first and the milk second keeps the sauce smooth. The thick roux absorbs the broth into a paste, which then relaxes evenly as the milk goes in.
Whole milk matters here because its fat keeps the base smooth and glossy when it is stirred into hot casseroles. Low-fat milk tends to thin out and weep as it bakes.
A short three to four minute simmer finishes the job, activating the flour so the base reaches a pudding-like texture.
The seasonings follow the same logic. Onion and garlic powders give you the savory backbone of canned soup without any chopping, and they blend into the sauce without leaving texture behind.
Make Cream of Anything Soup Tonight
Cream of anything soup is one of those small kitchen skills that pays off every week, because a 15-minute pot of base can rescue dinner when the pantry runs low. Make a batch today, freeze a couple of 1 1/4-cup portions, and try it in your next casserole.
Leave a comment below and tell us which flavor you stirred in first.
