Easy, Blender-Free Soup: A Warming, Hearty Delight

Cooking soup without a blender is a great way to make a delicious, thick, and creamy soup. There are several ways to make soup without a blender, and it can be as simple as taking some produce, such as potatoes, carrots, broccoli, or tomatoes, and cooking them with aromatics before pureeing them with a liquid base like stock or milk. Here are some ways to cook soup without a blender:

- Using a potato masher: Cook your vegetables until they are soft and use a potato masher to squish them into a pulp.

- A food mill: This device fits over a pot or bowl; you ladle your soup into the top and turn the handle, pushing the food through a mesh strainer, and pureed soup comes out of the bottom.

- A food processor: Food processors can also be used to puree ingredients, but the soup will have a more textured, chunky consistency.

- Strainer and sieve: Press the soup through a sieve or strain it through a fine mesh sieve for a smooth and creamy consistency.

Use a potato masher

If you want to make a smooth soup without a blender, a potato masher can be a great tool. This is how you do it:

First, make sure your vegetables are cooked until they are soft. The softer they are, the easier they will be to mash. For example, if you are making a potato and leek soup, you will want to make sure your potatoes are tender before you start mashing.

Next, take your potato masher and start squishing the vegetables down into a pulp. You can control the fineness of your soup by how much you mash it. If you like your soup with a bit of texture, you may not need to mash for long. However, if you prefer a perfectly smooth consistency, you will need to mash for longer and put in a bit of elbow grease.

Using a potato masher is a great low-calorie way to add creaminess to your soups without adding extra cream or flour. It is also a good option if you are looking for a no-power tool to make your soup.

If you are making a large batch of soup, you may find that it takes a while to get it to your desired consistency. In this case, you could consider using a food mill or sieve to help get the soup nice and smooth. However, if you are happy with a chunkier soup, then there is no need to put in the extra effort!

Use a food mill

If you're looking for a non-electric way to make a creamy soup, you can use a food mill. This device fits over a pot or bowl. You ladle your soup into the top and turn the handle, and the screw pushes the food through a mesh strainer to create a puréed, creamy soup that comes out of the bottom. It's best to do this while the soup is hot.

Using a food mill is a little old-fashioned, but it can fit right into your kitchen if you're living tiny on a homestead. However, unless you're making a lot of puréed soups, it may not be worth it as it's a unitasker.

Use a chinois or drum sieve

If you want to make a smooth soup without a blender, a chinois or drum sieve is a great option. This method requires a bit of elbow grease, but it will give you a creamy, mono-textured soup.

First, make sure your soup is hot. Then, ladle the soup into the chinois or drum sieve, which is placed over a pot or bowl. Use a rubber spatula or rubber dough knife to push the soup through the sieve. The soup will be pushed through the fine mesh, creating a smooth and creamy consistency. The more you push, the finer the soup will become. This technique is especially useful if you're making a large batch of soup, as it will only take about 15 minutes to process a big pot of soup.

Using a chinois or drum sieve is a traditional method of making smooth soups, and it gives you fine control over the consistency of your soup. You can make it as smooth or as chunky as you like, simply by adjusting how much you push the soup through the sieve. This method is also useful if you don't want to use any electrical appliances, and it's a great way to get some extra arm exercise!

Cook vegetables until soft and use a ricer

If you want to make a soup without a blender, you can cook the vegetables until they are soft and then use a ricer to pulp them. This method is a great, low-calorie way to add extra creaminess to your soup without adding extra cream or flour.

First, you'll need to chop your vegetables into small pieces. Make sure to get a very fine dice on your onions and mince your garlic. You can also grate your garlic with a rasp-style grater.

Next, heat some olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add your diced onions and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent. Then, add your garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant.

Now, it's time to add your vegetables. Pour in enough water or broth to just cover the vegetables. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer until the vegetables are very soft.

Once your vegetables are soft, you can use a ricer to pulp them. Simply pass the cooked vegetables through the ricer, and you'll be left with a creamy, smooth soup.

If you don't have a ricer, you can also use a potato masher or a food mill to achieve a similar result. A potato masher gives you fine control over the smoothness of your soup, while a food mill will require more elbow grease but will result in a very creamy, uniformly textured soup.

Use a stand mixer

If you don't have a blender, you can still make soup using a stand mixer. This method is ideal for chunkier soups, and you can use a flat or pastry beater to mash or shred ingredients like potatoes and chicken. This will give your soup a more rustic style.

If you want a more refined and uniform consistency, you can use slicing or dicing attachments with your stand mixer. These attachments will help you achieve more consistent results and make the preparation process easier.

Using a stand mixer is a great way to create delicious and hearty chunkier soups without the need for a blender. By mashing or shredding the ingredients, you can achieve a satisfying texture that is perfect for a comforting meal.

• Chicken Noodle Soup: A classic and comforting soup that everyone loves. You can shred the chicken using the stand mixer and add your favourite noodles and vegetables.
• Potato and Leek Soup: This soup combines the creaminess of potatoes with the delicate flavour of leeks. Use the stand mixer to mash the potatoes and create a chunky texture.
• Minestrone Soup: A flexible and seasonal soup where you can use a variety of vegetables. The stand mixer can help you chop and mash the ingredients to create a hearty and flavourful soup.
• Vegetable Bean Soup: Combine your favourite vegetables with beans for a nutritious and filling soup. Use the stand mixer to mash the beans and create a thicker consistency.
• Creamy Cauliflower Soup: This soup is simple and elegant. You can use the stand mixer to mash or puree the cauliflower, creating a smooth and creamy texture.

Frequently asked questions