When you’re hankering for another taste of the magic served up at Dolly Parton’s Stampede, there’s perhaps nothing better than a bowl of cream of vegetable soup to tide you over. A definite fan favorite served during their dinner show, this soup promises to warm you up and satisfy your appetite until you can plan a trip back to Pigeon Forge. Although it might seem like a tall order, making your own version of their famous cream of vegetable soup is as easy as 25-pound apple pie. Here’s how to get the job done.
Ingredients
Before you get to cooking up your fresh pot of cream of vegetable soup, you’ll need to gather your ingredients.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 3 tablespoons margarine
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon corn syrup
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 cup canned mixed veggies
- 1-pint half-and-half
You will also need a couple of sprigs of fresh, chopped parsley to go over the top right before serving.
Step-by-Step Directions on Making Cream of Vegetable Soup
Once you have your ingredients, pull out your three-quart saucepan and a wooden spatula for stirring. Then, move through the following steps to create your cream of vegetable soup in just one pot.
1. Prep All Your Ingredients
If you want to breeze through the cooking process, practice the art of mise en place by reading through the recipe in full. Then, set up your workspace, get out your pan and spatula and then prepare your ingredients.
You’ll want to chop your parsley, open up and drain the can of veggies, and measure all the rest of the ingredients. That way, you can just pour each item right in as you move through the steps, keeping the process moving along at a steady pace.
2. Melt and Flavor the Margarine
To kick off your awesome cream of vegetable soup, put three tablespoons of margarine in the pot and put it over medium heat. Once the margarine melts, add ½ teaspoon each of garlic and onion powder. After mixing the spices and margarine together, pour in one teaspoon of corn syrup and mix. Simmer for one more minute before going on to the next step. Do not let the mixture brown.
3. Add Flour, Broth, and Veggies
The three tablespoons of flour go in next, allowing you to create a roux of sorts that helps thicken up the soup. You don’t want the mixture to brown, however, so it’s not a full roux. Instead, just let it simmer for a moment while you sprinkle in the salt and pepper.
Then, pour in the ½ cup of chicken broth, 1 ½ cups of water, and one cup of canned mixed veggies. Bring the broth up to a simmer and let it cook for about three minutes more.
4. Pour in the Half-and-Half
With the soup piping hot, it’s time to add in the creamy deliciousness. So, pour in the whole pint of half-and-half while stirring constantly. You won’t be able to step away during this time. Just keep stirring and stirring to keep the cream from scorching. You’re only done stirring once the cream of vegetable soup reaches your desired consistency.
5. Garnish and Serve
When your cream of vegetable soup reaches the perfect consistency, pull it off the heat and cover to keep the heat inside. Then, set your table and invite all your dinner guests to get seated. Then, you just need to serve up each bowl of soup and sprinkle a bit of parsley over the top as garnish. With that move, you create a picture-perfect replica of a fan favorite at Dolly Parton’s Stampede.
What to Serve with Your Soup
Once your soup is piping hot and ready to devour, it’s time to decide what to put alongside. You really cannot go wrong with a handful of oyster crackers or even a big slice of cornbread alongside your soup. But if you really want the authentic Dolly Parton’s Stampede experience, you need a hot homemade biscuit with plenty of butter. The biscuit is the perfect texture for dipping, allowing you to sop up every last bit of that flavorful broth.
Of course, you could always go all out by whipping up the whole Stampede four-course feast, although it’s quite an undertaking. If you’re game, just make sure you have all hands on deck and plenty of hungry bellies to feed once you’re all done with the preparations.
If you’re hard-pressed for time or just want to compare your dish to the real thing, you can grab Creamy Soup Mix from the Stampede website. The mix comes in 12-ounce bags, which whips up into eight one-cup servings. You just need to add your own canned vegetables to complete the mix, although you might just find that the recipe above wins you over instead.
