The pasta we know is commonly topped with tomato-based sauces and cheese, which is super appetizing to our palates, easy to prepare and difficult to resist. However, pasta doesn’t always have to be served that way! My kids love Asian noodles served in thin soups or broths, but I didn’t have any doubts that they’d fall in love with a thicker, creamy soup base served with egg noodles or pasta! They devour their portions when I serve them this dish AND ask for more!
PROTEIN AND PASTA ALTERNATIVES:
The recipe that I am about to share is VERY forgiving. While I typically use frozen shrimp as the protein source and egg noodles as the carbohydrate source, I can see this creamy soup working with other alternatives. Since I normally use frozen shrimp, I’d advise (if you choose to go with another option) that you cook it separately before adding them into the hot soup. This way it prevents other ingredients from overcooking. Having said that, I can imagine the following protein choices will work as well.
- Chicken
- Firm Tofu
- Pork
- Beef
- NO PROTEIN! This creamy pasta soup can work with just noodles and vegetables!
As far as noodle choices go, I prefer bite-sized options because they are easier for my kids to self-feed (without making a mess!), but I can see the recipe pairing well with lengthier ones like spaghetti or linguini. However, I think the following would be ideal because they require less cooking time. If you do choose to use a noodle that takes longer to cook, please adjust the recipe accordingly!
- Egg noodles (are my #1 choice)
- Penne
- Fusilli
- Farfalle
- Elbow macaroni
- Gemelli
- Ziti
VEGETABLES AND HERBS USED:
Like I’ve mentioned above, this is a very forgiving recipe. I like to use carrots, onions, celery, garlic and frozen peas in my soup because the flavor profiles and textures just WORK so perfectly together in my opinion. The former three are the perfect trio, kind of like ginger, garlic and scallions in the Chinese cuisine (IYKYK), but please feel free to get creative and use other preferred vegetables. Zucchini and potatoes sound kind of good in a creamy soup as well, don’t they?
Similarly, I like garnishing the finished product with pieces of thyme. Not only for presentation purposes, but the aroma of thyme is so unique that I personally think it brings the soup up a notch. You can opt for other herbs in Italian seasoning, like parsley and oregano, if you wish, or even consider omitting herbs if you want to keep flavors simple and perhaps, less mature for your little ones!
If you tried my recipe, don’t forget to leave me a comment below and/or subscribe to my YouTube channel and tag me @rackoflam on your photos, using hashtag #rackoflam on social media!
Easy Creamy Pasta Soup Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven or large nonstick pot
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 5 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 100 g uncooked egg noodles
- 12-14 pieces cooked frozen shrimp
- ½ cup frozen peas
- thyme optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil and melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or nonstick pot over medium high heat.
- Add the diced onions, carrots, celery and crushed garlic cloves and stir for 8-10 minutes
- Add the sea salt and all purpose flour, then immediately stir until ingredients are evenly coated with the vegetables.
- Add chicken stock and heavy cream, then stir briefly and bring the mixture to a slight boil (bubbles forming around the rim).
- Add the egg noodles and cook for 3 minutes shy of package instructions
- Add the frozen shrimp and frozen peas and cook for 2-3 minutes or until ingredients are all cooked to your liking.
- Garnish with optional thyme or other herbs and enjoy!
Video
Notes
PRODUCTS USED IN VIDEO:
- Nonstick Pot – https://amzn.to/3Nb4Ucs
- Pasta Bowls – https://amzn.to/3N8qflF
