Heavy cream is a common ingredient in a lot of Indian, French, American, and Italian cuisines. It has such an intense richness that makes it the winner among all the other varieties of dairy as far as taste and texture are concerned.
The good thing about heavy cream is that there are also a few substitutes for it just in case you no longer have some on hand or can’t use it specifically for whatever reason. Here are just some of the best heavy cream substitutes you can use when preparing soup
- Butter and Milk
- Coconut Cream
- Soymilk
- Half-and-Half
- Greek Yogurt
- Cornstarch and Milk
- Evaporated Milk
- Mascarpone
- Onion Cream
Read on if you are still unable to get hold of the substitutes mentioned above and want the full comprehensive list of alternatives to replace heavy cream
14 Best Substitute For Heavy Cream
Recognized as a useful ingredient in many dishes globally, heavy cream can give your recipes a creamy and velvety consistency.
The fact that it is rich and thick and does not curdle when you heat it also makes it the perfect choice if you are looking for the best soup thickener.
In addition, it has a rich flavor that can highlight the taste of your soup recipe whether it is sour, sweet, or savory. If you happened to run out of heavy cream, we felt that mixing butter and milk is one of the best and easiest ways to replace heavy cream.
Of course, they are also other heavy cream substitutes you can consider below and the basics of using them in your soup recipes.
Butter and Milk
Mixing butter and milk together is one of the easiest ways for you to get a hold of a good substitute for heavy cream. What’s so great about this mixture is that it is versatile that you can use it in a lot of your recipes, not just soup.
The butter here will provide additional fat to the milk, so its fat percentage will end up becoming similar to heavy cream.
To prepare this heavy cream substitute, mix one-fourth cup melted butter with three-fourths cup milk. Mix well so you can produce around one cup of heavy cream from it.
Note that you also have the option to put around one tablespoon of flour in the mixture. This can help in making the mixture thicker, especially if the milk you used is the low-fat type.
Coconut Cream
If you have coconut cream in your kitchen, then you will surely be glad to know that it works as a great substitute for heavy cream.
You can buy pre-made coconut cream but note that you can also easily make one at home. The only ingredient you will need for this would be coconut milk.
What you have to do with the can of coconut milk (full-fat) is chill it in your fridge overnight. After that, you can filter its liquid content. One advantage of coconut cream, whether the pre-made or the homemade one, is that it is vegan-friendly.
You can also whip it similar to heavy cream. It is a great alternative to the mentioned ingredient as it also has a thick texture. You also have an assurance that this substitute will enhance the flavors of your soup recipes and other dishes.
It is possible to do a 1 for 1 substitute for coconut cream as heavy cream in your recipe.
Soymilk
You can also use soymilk in place of heavy cream. To do that, mix two parts of it with one part olive oil. The result will be a vegan substitute for heavy cream with the ability to boost the rich texture of your baking and cooking recipes.
The olive oil used in the mixture will also enhance the flavor of your recipes.
Half-and-Half
Half-and-half literally consists of half whole milk and half heavy cream. This makes this alternative very suitable for cooking.
It resembles heavy cream so much that no one will notice that you used it in place of heavy cream when making sauces, soups, and other recipes that require the slight silkiness of the ingredient.
Quick Note
It may not be ideal for use in baked goods that require heavy cream, especially if you depend on it for the structure of the end product
Greek Yogurt
Also known as strained yogurt, Greek yogurt is another good alternative to the famous ingredient in soups, which is heavy cream.
Greek yogurt is actually a result of eliminating excess minerals, lactose, and water, which means that the remaining one is a rich yogurt that has minimal amounts of sugar, higher carb content, and a tart flavor.
To make Greek yogurt a great replacement for heavy cream, you have to combine it with whole milk. The mixture of the two ingredients will create the best soup thickener meant to replace heavy cream.
The reason is that the whole milk is effective in softening the yogurt so that it will have the same consistency as the heavy cream.
To make the mixture, blend or mix equal parts of whole milk and yogurt. The resulting mixture will be so similar to heavy cream that you can add the same amount of it into your soup recipes.
This alternative also has the advantage of having higher amounts of protein and lower calorie content compared to heavy cream.
Cornstarch and Milk
Cornstarch and milk combination also makes for an incredible alternative to heavy cream. You should consider using this substitute if you prefer using one with low-calorie and low-fat content.
You will have to use cornstarch here as a means of hardening the milk. It also helps in recreating the creamy and thick consistency of heavy cream.
If your soup recipe requires you to use one cup heavy cream, substitute it with a mixture of two tablespoons cornstarch and around 237 ml milk. Mix well until you have formed a thicker blend that is exactly the same as heavy cream.
Evaporated Milk
If you have evaporated milk on hand, you can just grab it and use it to replace the heavy cream required in your recipe.
Evaporated milk contains around two times the fat present in whole milk. This makes it ideal for use in soups and casseroles. What’s even better about it is that it can make your recipes creamier while adding a bit of caramelized taste to them.
Mascarpone
Mascarpone is a fatty dairy product that contains up to 75 percent fat. Made using whole cream, acids, and cultures, and a high-fat content, mascarpone can make your recipes more flavorful, indulgent, and creamier.
The mildly sweet taste of mascarpone also makes it ideal for use in sweet sauces.
You can incorporate this substitute for heavy cream into soups, especially if you are making tomato soup. This substitute is also very versatile that you can also add it in mac-and-cheese, other pasta dishes, and gravy.
When using mascarpone, you should remember that you have to thin it first using a small amount of milk if you plan to use it in cold applications.
Meanwhile, when using it in hot applications, thinning would be unnecessary. The reason is that mascarpone tends to melt well.
Onion Cream
If you are searching for the best vegan-friendly heavy cream substitute, then onion cream should be on top of your choices. Onion cream is perfect not only in soups but also in pasta sauces.
It can add more flavor to your recipes.
To make an onion cream, use oil to coat the onion you will be using. Put the coated onion in your oven and cook it there for approximately 45 minutes. After cooking and cooling, add it to your blender along with some lemon juice, salt, and oil.
This blended mixture will have a consistency and thickness that’s the same as heavy cream.
Silken Tofu
You can also use silken tofu if you run out of heavy cream. This ingredient uses condensed soy milk, which is solidified to create white blocks.
It is different from regular tofu in the sense that its texture is softer. You can, therefore, easily blend it into another ingredient to create a heavy cream substitute that is rich in protein.
To make use of silken tofu as a heavy cream replacement, you have to blend it with soy milk. Doing so will give it a kind of consistency that is the same as heavy cream.
Blend the two ingredients thoroughly to eliminate all lumps. After that, you can use equal amounts of this mixture as heavy cream. You can also use whole milk or other plant-based milk for the mixture.
Sour Cream
Sour cream can also be your magic ingredient if you no longer have heavy cream on hand. It is a great replacement if you are planning to prepare savory recipes such as soups due to their sour taste.
Sour cream is also ideal for use in dips, sauces, and dressings. However, sour cream is not suitable for use in recipes that call for whipped cream.
Cashew Butter Cream
You can also make your own cashew cream and use it in place of heavy cream. It is a good alternative ingredient if you are willing to put in the time and effort to create the cream.
To make the cashew butter cream, soak some cashews in boiling water first. This should take around twenty minutes. Alternatively, you can soak the cashews in water that is at room temperature for eight hours.
Once the required time for soaking is up, blend the soaked cashews with any spice you prefer. The blended mixture will be the cashew cream that you will definitely love to use as an alternative to heavy cream if you are making soups, stews, and sauces.
Cottage Cheese
If you are looking for a low-calorie and high-protein heavy cream substitute, then cottage cheese should be included in your list of choices.
It is indeed low in calories and high in protein as it is made out of cow’s milk curd. One thing that makes it a really great substitute is that it has plenty of essential nutrients that you can’t find in heavy cream.
This heavy cream alternative is also white, creamy, and soft. To use, blend cottage cheese properly to get rid of its lumps before adding it to your recipe. Use the same amount of cottage cheese as heavy cream.
If you are making sauces and soups, cottage cheese on its own is already enough to replace heavy cream. Some recipes, though, require you to mix the cheese first with whole milk. This is to make an even creamier texture.
Creme Fraiche
Crème Fraiche is similar to sour cream in the sense that it is also made out of cultured cream with a light tang. Many even say that Crème Fraiche is heavier compared to sour cream due to its 30% fat content.
This ingredient is a result of letting natural bacteria perform its magic in unpasteurized cream. They add thickness and sourness to the cream naturally.
You can incorporate this heavy cream substitute into stews and soups, as well as puddings, so the result of your cooking will have a nice tang.
