Pureeing

• You can create a gluten-free soup without added thickeners by pureeing the ingredients of the soup with some heavy cream. For this method, cook vegetables and any legumes or meat in broth in a large stock pot until tender. Remove half of the boiled soup and place it in a food processor or blender with a small amount of heavy cream. Process until smooth and blended, then replace the blended mixture back into the stock pot. Warm throughout and blend the chunky vegetables and meat back into the pureed blend. The result fully resembles a traditional cream soup without the gluten thickeners and actually contains more flavor.

Cooking It Down

• Cooking down the soup's ingredients until soft, then mixing them with the broth base, results in a creamy texture. Let most of the cooking liquid evaporate, stirring frequently to avoid having the ingredients stick to the bottom of the pan as the liquid evaporates. Once most of the liquid evaporates and the rest of the ingredients are tender, add heavy cream or sour cream and blend in the pan with a hand mixer or wire whisk.

Adding Thickeners

• Thickeners like xanthan gum or cornstarch that don't contain gluten add bulk to cream soups without compromising gluten sensitivities. Incorporate gluten-free thickeners by adding a small amount to cold milk, broth or water and mix until well incorporated. Add the entire mixture, or slurry, to the soup. Stir and heat until the cream soup reaches the desired consistency. Other gluten-free thickeners include arrowroot, guar gum and tapioca starch.

Warnings

• When using gluten-free alternative thickeners, always check the labels to make sure they are certified gluten-free. While a thickener may not contain wheat starch, its other ingredients may not be completely gluten-free. Some ingredients may be processed or packaged in plants that also process foods that contain gluten; this presents a risk for cross-contamination and may result in ingredients that aren't safe for celiac disease sufferers.