80 velveting recipes

Pumpkin and avocado oil soup blends pumpkin, fennel and potato into a silky pureed soup, with buttery avocado oil standing in for butter. A light, velvety vegan starter finished with a drizzle of oil.

Veal paprika simmered in white wine with mushrooms, onion, and sour cream over buttered noodles. A Hungarian-inspired comfort dish with a rich, velvety sauce.

Ochsenschwanzsuppe, a classic German oxtail soup simmered for 5 hours with vegetables, thickened with browned flour and butter, and finished with Madeira wine. Deep, beefy, and velvety.

Tomato cheese soup made with oven-roasted tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, fresh herbs, and cream cheese stirred in for a velvety, rich finish.

Rich, velvety crab Newberg in a sherry-laced cream sauce with egg yolks and a cayenne bite. This classic seafood dish comes together in just 20 minutes using the microwave.

Classic chilled vichyssoise made with leeks, potatoes, and cream, puréed until velvety smooth and garnished with fresh chives. The quintessential cold summer soup.

Creamy shrimp curry with mango chutney, clam juice, and a splash of heavy cream for a rich, velvety sauce. Quick sautéed shrimp spooned over rice makes this a 35-minute weeknight dinner with serious comfort food appeal.

Wild black duck browned in butter, then braised low and slow with white wine, thyme, basil, and onions until fork-tender. A splash of cream at the end builds a velvety pan gravy. Hunter's kitchen at its finest.

Creamy pinto bean soup pureed smooth with chile, onion, and light cream, garnished with toasted pine nuts, cilantro, and chives. From-scratch beans cooked until velvety.

Cream cheese and leek soup blended silky smooth with sour cream, chicken broth, and butter-softened vegetables. A rich, velvety soup that comes together in under 45 minutes.

Shrimp and sea scallops sautéed with tomatoes, mushrooms, and garlic in a velvety paprika cream sauce. A gorgeous skillet dinner ready in just 20 minutes.

Classic double-crust chicken pot pie with a velvety thyme cream sauce, tender chicken, peas, carrots, and pearl onions. Golden, flaky, and baked until bubbling.

Turbot fillets gently poached in milk infused with anise-scented Pernod, then napped with a velvety egg yolk sauce. This elegant French-style fish dish needs just a handful of ingredients and an hour of your time.

Creamy curried zucchini soup blended smooth with no cream needed. Curry powder and cinnamon spice up five cups of zucchini into a velvety, low-calorie soup.

Velvety pureed avocado soup simmered with cumin, coriander, and garlic, then studded with brined green peppercorns for a sharp, peppery bite. Creamy, savory, and completely unexpected.

Rich, velvety chicken liver pate with a warm curry kick, blended smooth with hard-boiled eggs and sealed under a golden layer of melted butter. A stunning make-ahead appetizer that's ready in minutes and improves overnight.