What kind of ham should I use?

The best choice would be if you had leftover ham from a ham dinner. But you can use thick sliced ham from your deli. There are also ham steaks in the meat section of the grocery store. These are a bit saltier so if you do use them, I would lightly rinse it off and pat dry before chopping to add to soup. Also, taste test the soup before adding additional salt.

How can I make soup thick and creamy without flour?

If you are looking for a low carb option, I prefer using Arrowroot powder in this recipe. It is a gluten free choice that will thicken the soup without adding many carbs. Just make sure to sprinkle in slowing and stir well or it can get a bit gummy in texture.

What can I use instead of Sherry cooking wine?

Since the recipe only uses a few tablespoons, you can easily use a dry red wine or a Port to substitute the Sherry. Any one of them gives the soup a richer flavor and a bit of a tang. If you prefer, you can leave it out and add more chicken or vegetable broth.

How long will the soup keep?

You can store any cooled leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Just reheat on a low simmer on the stove. Due to the heavy cream, I don't recommend freezing the soup. Dairy tends to separate and get grainy when frozen.

Creamy Onion Soup ⋆ Deb's Daily Dish

Description

This rich and savory cream of onion soup tastes like it was simmered on the stove all day. But it is quick and easy to make for a weeknight dinner. It's also lower in carbs without any flour to thicken the soup.

Ingredients

Units Scale

3 tablespoons butter
4 large yellow onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
5 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups chopped cooked ham
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons cooking Sherry *
2 tablespoons roasted red peppers, chopped (jarred)
1 tablespoon Arrowroot powder **
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

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Instructions

Over medium heat, melt butter in a large pot. Add the sliced onions and roasted peppers and saute' until onions are soft and caramelized to a golden brown. This should take about 15 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and saute' for a minute, don't cook longer or it may burn.
Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes in pot.
Carefully, pour about 1/3 of the soup at a time with a ladel, into a blender and puree. Continue with the rest of the soup. ***
Return the pureed soup to pot. Stir in the ham, cream, Sherry, salt and pepper. Bring to a low simmer and sprinkle in the tablespoon of Arrowroot powder. Stir well and cook for 10 minutes until soup is thickened and heated through.

Notes

* Sherry can be substituted with any dry red wine or a Port.

** If carb count isn't a concern, cornstarch or flour can be substituted to thicken the soup.

*** You can also use an immersion blender in the soup pot to puree the soup.