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Bisbee you are so right. I guess they got me (must...have...casserole), but only halfway.

how 'bout a bit of 'chopped up-cooked chicken, sauté mushroom or onion' & some cream?

As a cook who refuses to use 'cream of...' anything, I will say that I either avoid recipes calling for the soup, or will use 2% yogurt or stir in light (not non-fat) sour cream.

To be more specific, I'm wondering if anyone has a switch that is still creamy, but doesn't involve using over 10 ounces of cream?

I'll have to try a combination of sauteed veg and the evaporated milk. I know these "can of soup" recipes usually involve adding milk, so maybe if I switch the total volume (can+milk) with an equal amount of evaporated milk, it might even out.

Or maybe I should just suck it up and make the roux. I know, it's not that hard. I just wish I had more (any) "mix these things together and bake" type of dishes that didn't also make me feel guilty or excessively thirsty...

@renzata - I think you answered your own query. ;-) Keeping it real!

I would have to ask, why do you need a substitute? If it is to avoid milk then a lot of what I have seen is just as bad. Imagine foods has a line of soups in the same kind of boxes that you get the rice milk and such in. One such soup is called Potatoe Leek soup. It is VERY good and thick enough that I imagine it could take the place of a cream of recipe. If you need to avoid milk consider if it could be soy bothering you , coming through the milk from the soy in the grain.
Imagine foods also carries a good squash soup, better than I expected it to be. They also have a good tomatoe soup. You have to read lables though because they have two tomatoe soups and one has soy whereas the other does not. The others I mentioned are soy free and milk free.

I am not clear what the ingredients you read are from. I spoke of Imagine foods brand and I know there is no soy in it. As for salt, well, most soup will have a somewhat high salt content. There are bullion cubes available without msg and , if I remember correctly, fairly low in sodium. The brand there is Rapunzel. I have used them before , the vegitable ones. I put them in rice while it cooks to flavor the rice some. Even on a low sodium diet one needs a certain amount of salt to remain healthy. I don't believe the Imagine Foods soups are really high is salt but you would have to read the lable on that brand.
MSG in any form, autolized yeast or whatnot, is not good and I know is not in the imagine foods potatoe leek soup, nor is there any milk . There is some oil but nothing horrible, all organic. check it out for yourself. What I spoke of is not canned.

I guess it would depend on what the recipe was...you could use some combination of milk (whatever version you want) and maybe mix it with yogurt or sour cream. Or you could add some cheese if that would help the texture. Or mayo. Yeah, that sounds weird, but it could work in the right recipe.

If it needs thickening and you don't want to make the bechamel, you could add some other starchlike item. Cornstarch, potatoes... maybe tapioca?

Maybe save this project for the day after you've made some kind of thick soup, like potato, and see if that works.

Or, if this is a very rare indulgence, and you love the original recipe, just go for it. Maybe just serve it as a side dish along with huge salads and something else that you feel better about. In my world, it's all about moderation. If I want to eat something insane and indulgent one day, I don't worry about it. But I also know that I'm just as much in love with salads and veggies and things that are good for me. So if one day isn't the picture of heathy eating, over the course of the week, it all balances out.

Green Bean Casserole is one of those classic "canned cream of ... soup" recipes. I really detest the taste of canned creamed soups. Last November, somebody here posted a link to a Cook's Illustrated recipe for a "from scratch" casserole. I made it for Thanksgiving and it was delicious. I replaced the the chicken broth with the soaking liquid left over from soaking porcini mushrooms. I tossed the reconstituted mushrooms into the casserole. It was a big hit at the office party!

The sauce made to replace the canned soup is very rich, made with cream. You could probably make a very nice version with evaporated skim milk. It won't be as rich, but then it won't add inches to your waistline, either!

I am in definitely the "make your own roux" group. Granted it's not dumping a can in a saucepan and heating it up, but it really takes minutes to put a good soup together. I have given up those cans and whipped up some awesome soups this winter. Just had cream of tomato last night and I certainly don't miss the cans. I'm actually on a HIGH salt diet due to low blood pressure, but not a fan of preservatives and stabalizers.

If you are a Cooks Illustrated member I can recommend their Cream of Mushroom soup, Ultimate Cream of Tomato Soup, Cream of Carrot Soup, and Creamy Green Pea Soup. We like the creamy here!

Good for you for giving up the cans!

They do offer "Healthy" versions - low fat/low sodium. For Thanksgiving, the family HAS to have the traditional green bean caserole with the cream of mushroom soup and Durkee onions. Last year I used the healthier can of soup and no one was the wiser, although I think it has a sweeter taste.

I like the synthesized roux idea, and can see myself doing that. Once I did Thomas Keller's version of green bean casserole from scratch. It was awesome, and not that hard (except for the slicing, breading, and frying of shallots).

My reluctance to make whole batch of "cream of x" soup myself or buy a carton of high-pedigree cream of x is about time and money.

The cornstarch slurry is also very appealing, and I can see myself applying that idea to a couple of other baked dishes. Ex: I have a recipe for baked vegetables, simply sliced and layered with a little butter, herbs, and topped with tomato sauce and a little cheese, and it's good but the veggies give off all their water and it's not pretty. A slurry could help keep those juices where they belong.

Thanks for all the ideas.

Maybe there is a place for a new thread, one devoted to healthy/fresh mix and bake recipes. I guess that's what this is really about: easy, comforting dishes that I can virtually keep my hands off, for those times when I just really don't want to cook, but I really do want to eat.

I have actually made a cream of broccoli soup with pureed cauliflower. It was a good base, though certainly not the same. I would recommend adding a bit of milk or cream to the puree to ensure you get the creamy texture of the condensed soup.

Since I was diagnosed as a diabetic last year, I've come up with a number of ways to cut out sugar, carbs, and fats and still have food that tastes good and is satisying.

I start out by sauteeing onion and garlic or shallots in olive oil.

I basically use a chicken soup stock or base to cook whatever veggie and a potato or two in the stock with any herbs you like.

I use a butter substitute called Butter Buds to add a richer flavor.

Cook until the potatoes and vegs are just tender.

Then either use an immersion or stick blender, or about half of the liquid and veggies and blend until they're a smooth as you like.

CAUTION: Be very careful when blending a hot liquid in the blender. Only fill about half way and vent the top. (I know, I learned the hard way and had broccoli soup everywhere).

You can make the soup as smooth as you like, but I like to leave some veggies for texture or perhaps blend them slightly along with the smooth blended soup.

It's healthy creamy and fufilling without a speck of fattening cream or butter.

It'll never be the same as say, a real creamy soup, but it's much, much healthier and you can eat a larger portion and not feel guilty.

Here's a very simple and quick alternative. The Bisque. For every gallon of liquid in your recipe add 1 cup of uncooked rice. When the rice is cooked, puree the soup and pass through a strainer. Then garnish with reserved Veg. of the themed soup ;IE Florettes, diced tomato,sliced mushroom etc...You'll find a very similar apperance and mouth feel.

pureed white beans instead of the potato for more protein and fiber, albeit a very different flavor.