Gluten Free Cream of Chicken Soup and Cream of Mushroom Soup blows the canned versions out of the water! These thick and creamy homemade soups can be used in any recipe calling for canned, don't need to be watered down, are packed full of flavor, and can be easily made dairy-free. An upgrade all the way around!
“THE go-to cream of mushroom soup for all casseroles everywhere! … There are other recipes out there, and even gluten-free store bought cream of mushroom soup cans now, but I keep coming back to this one year after year. It’s my family’s favorite.”
Fall, winter, and the holidays are filled with reasons to bake bubbly, cozy casseroles, which often times call for canned, condensed soups.
The only problem is store-bought canned soups aren’t typically gluten free, and the GF ones can be expensive or hard to find. They’re also packed with sodium and dairy, which our family has to be mindful of.
Problem solved with my recipes for Gluten Free Cream of Chicken Soup and Gluten Free Cream of Mushroom Soup. These homemade, thick, and creamy soup recipes will change the holidays and casserole season as you know them. They’re so delicious that I would eat (and have eaten) them as-is as soup!
Main Ingredients Needed
Both homemade soups are made with everyday ingredients that I always have on hand in the fridge, pantry, and spice cupboard. Here are the main ingredients you’ll need:
For the base soup recipe:
- Extra virgin olive oil: or vegetable oil.
- Shallot: or minced yellow onion.
- Butter: use vegan butter to make the soups dairy-free.
- Gluten free flour: use a measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend versus a single flour or starch like almond flour or cornstarch.
- Gluten free chicken broth: or stock.
- Milk: I use unsweetened almond milk when making the soups dairy free, and 2% milk fat or higher when using cow’s milk.
Customize the base:
- For the Cream of Chicken Soup: add poultry seasoning to the base soup recipe to infuse slow-cooked flavor without having to open a bunch of spice jars from the cupboard. I like McCormick Poultry Seasoning.
- For the Cream of Mushroom Soup: add sauteed chopped mushrooms – either white button or baby bella mushrooms – to the soup base.
How to Use Homemade Condensed Soups
Use homemade condensed soups in any casserole, soup, or side dish recipe that calls for the canned version, or in any dish where you need a flavor and/or thickening boost. Again, I don’t dilute them prior to using.
Top Tips for this Recipe
Keep these top tips to keep in mind when making gluten free cream of mushroom and chicken soups:
- Make or freeze ahead of time. Make the soups up to 5 days ahead of time then store in the refrigerator. This is especially helpful around the holidays when you’re prepping for a big meal. The soups can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Know how much you need. The recipe for Gluten Free Cream of Chicken Soup makes roughly 10 ounces (1-1/4 cups), which is the same amount as a small can of store-bought soup. The recipe for Gluten Free Cream of Mushroom Soup makes roughly 14 ounces (1-3/4 cups). I typically add the whole thing even if the recipe calls for 10oz, or just eat the extra half cup!
- DON’T add water. You don’t need to dilute the soups with water like store-bought cans advise because we’re not adding a truck load of salt like they do. The only reason I’d add additional liquid would be if I needed to cook rice or noodles in a casserole, for example.
Watch How to Make Them
How to Make Gluten Free Cream of Chicken Soup
First up is the gluten-free cream of chicken soup recipe. Here what to do:
- Step 1: Heat extra virgin olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat then add chopped shallots and saute until softened, 2-3 minutes.
- Step 2: Make a roux by adding butter to the pan then, once melted, sprinkle in gluten free flour and whisk until smooth. Cook while whisking for 1 minute, then slowly add splashes of chicken broth while whisking to create a smooth sauce.
- Step 3: Pour in milk and seasonings then turn the heat up to medium-high to bring the soup to a simmer while whisking constantly. Lower the heat to medium then cook while whisking for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the soup is thick.
How to Make Gluten Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
Next is instructions for the creamy, dreamy condensed mushroom soup. Honestly I could eat this mushroom soup all on it’s own. It is SO luscious!
- Step 1: Heat extra virgin olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat then add minced mushrooms and shallots. Saute until the mushrooms release their liquid, the liquid cooks off, and the mushrooms become tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl then set aside.
- Step 2: Return the saucepan to the stovetop then lower the heat to medium. Melt butter inside then sprinkle in gluten-free flour and whisk for 1 minute. Slowly pour in splashes of chicken or vegetable broth while whisking to create a smooth sauce.
- Step 3: Pour in milk and seasonings then turn the heat up to medium-high to bring the soup to a simmer while whisking constantly. Lower the heat to medium then cook while whisking for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the soup is thick.
- Step 4: Turn off the heat then stir the mushroom mixture back into the soup.
How to Store and Freeze:
- To store: cool the soup down then transfer to a mason jar or storage container with a lid and refrigerate for up to 5 days before using.
- To freeze: cool the soup down then add to a freezer-safe container with a tight-fitting lid and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Can I can this recipe?
I have no experience canning food so I can’t say if this recipe is a good candidate for canning.
Make these homemade soups once, and you’ll come back to them again, and again, and again. Enjoy!
More “Better-than-Store-Bought” Recipes:
- Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Large Batch Taco Seasoning
- Restaurant-Style Salsa
- Homemade Seasoned Salt
- Homemade Italian Sausage
Gluten Free Cream of Chicken Soup & Cream of Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
For the Cream of Chicken Soup:
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon minced shallot
- 2 Tablespoons butter or vegan butter
- 2-1/2 Tablespoons gluten free flour
- 3/4 cups gluten free chicken broth
- 1/2 cup milk, any kind, I use unsweetened almond milk
- 1-1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
For the Cream of Mushroom Soup:
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon minced shallot
- 4 oz mushrooms, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons butter or vegan butter
- 2-1/2 Tablespoons gluten free flour
- 3/4 cup gluten free chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup milk, any kind, I use unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Directions
For the Cream of Chicken Soup:
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat then add shallots and saute until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add butter then, once melted, sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Cook while whisking for 1 minute then slowly add splashes of chicken broth while whisking to create a smooth sauce. Add milk and seasonings then turn heat up to medium-high and bring soup to a simmer while stirring constantly. Turn heat back down to medium then simmer while stirring until soup is fairly thick, 3-4 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat then set aside to cool slightly. Can be made up to 5 days ahead of time.
For the Cream of Mushroom Soup:
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat then add mushrooms and shallots. Saute until the mushrooms release their liquid, the liquid cooks off, and the mushrooms become tender, 5-7 minutes. Scrape mushroom and shallot mixture into a bowl then set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium then melt butter in saucepan. Sprinkle in flour then whisk to combine and cook while whisking for 1 minute. Slowly add splashes of chicken or vegetable broth while whisking to create a smooth sauce then add milk and seasonings. Turn heat up to medium-high and bring soup to a simmer while stirring constantly then turn heat back down to medium and simmer while stirring until soup is fairly thick, 3-4 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat then stir in cooked mushrooms and set aside to cool slightly. Can be made up to 5 days ahead of time.
Notes
- The Cream of Chicken Soup recipe yields 1-1/4 cups, or 10oz of soup.
- The Cream of Mushroom Soup recipe yields 1-3/4 cups, or 14oz of soup.
- You do NOT need to water or thin these soups down, like the cans instruct you to. Use as-is for the most flavor.
- You can freeze the soups for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
I have the same question that another reader does – think I could use the basic recipe for the cream of mushroom soup (use vegetable broth) adding celery instead of mushrooms for a cream of celery soup? I am excited to try these! I hate all of the sodium in the canned stuff…
I’m sure! I’d mince the celery very fine and maybe use 2 stalks. Good luck!
Oh, I was just wishing for a good recipe for cream of chicken soup, can’t wait to try both of these recipes! I just put it on two Pinterest boards and have the email as well.
Perfect timing!! I hope you love it. :)
I wonder how you could can this to stock pile it ?!?
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this post! Mu hubby and I are following the DASH diet so sodium is a huge concern. I’m going to make this tonight!
I can’t wait to try this – thank you so much for posting such a staple item to make my life easier!!!!
Any thoughts on how to make cream of celery?
I would saute 2 minced celery stalks with the shallots in 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil then proceed with the rest of the ingredients in the mushroom soup recipe. I haven’t tested this, but would start there!
You are a mind reader. I too have to watch my sodium intake for health reasons and just the other day was googling homemade cream of mushroom soup, so thank you for this!
You bet, Christina! Glad I could help you out!
I excited to try this recipe! I have tried several but none used actual shallots and lacked flavor. I’m sure this one will have tons of flavor!!! Thank you!
Yes – SO good! I hope you love them!
So if you actually wanted to eat it like soup and not in recipes, you would add 10oz milk for the chicken one when heating it up, right? Is this a dumb question? hahaha.
Not a dumb question! Yep, you can use it just as you would the canned version. I LOVE the flavors of both of these so I personally would add a little less diluting liquid then the can calls for.
Looks great! Two questions: to double the recipe, would any measurement need to be modified or is it a simple double everything? Also, would you use this straight for green bean casserole, for example, as opposed to diluting with milk? Thanks!
You can double all the ingredients – you’ll need to tack on an extra 5 minute or so of simmer time though. It will seem as though the sauce won’t thicken with all that liquid, then it does all at once. If your recipe calls for diluting the recipe with milk, go ahead and do it with this soup, too (maybe a little less.) You can use it interchangeably for the canned version. :)
This is perfect! My husband is allergic to dairy as well. I’ve been using the cream of mushroom portion of your green bean casserole recipe for years. So happy to now have cream of chicken! Thank you.
You bet, Sarah! So glad to help you guys out!
Ahhh!!! Thanks for this! So many uses with our family:)
Yes, yes! :)
How long do these store for? I assume in the fridge? Can you freeze them to keep longer?
3-4 days in the fridge. I think the chicken soup would freeze fine (I actually have some in thawing now as a test – forgot to do it two days earlier when I was getting this post together!) but I wouldn’t freeze the mushroom one as they can turn to mush in the freezer.
Ok – cream of chicken froze >> thawed in the fridge just fine. I’d freeze for no more then a month or two!