Filé (sassafras powder) would work - it's a thickening agent used in gumbo. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filé_powder
You could also try adding a slurry of cold water and a teaspoon or two of corn starch - this is how sauces are often thickened in Chinese and other Asian cuisines, and it adds little to no flavor but gives liquids a good body. Or a slurry of a little cold water and tapioca (manioc) flour.
Also, gluten-filled water from cooking pasta will thicken the soup a bit. But not as much as a roux, filé, or flour-based slurry.
Otherwise, all the veggie and potato based answer above are great ideas!
like Anitalectric suggests, grate a starchy vegetable into the soup. I love a meaty winter squash like kabocha or kuri for this purpose. Also could separately steam a potato or the squash, mash it really smooth with a little oil and stir it into the soup.
Tradionally a cream soup would be thickened by just reducing the cream to a thicker state. But, people have been cheating on this for cost and health reasons to a point where a veloute is now an acceptable base for a cream soup.
I also will use a handful of red lentils. When they cook they end up melting into what ever you're making. Great for gravies, stews, soups, etc. Besides, it gets a bit more nutrition into you!
grate a sweet potato right in there. With a few minutes cooking it will "melt" right into the broth and not only thicken, but flavor the soup. Learned this lil' trick in Puerto Rico :)
my brother-in-law is a vegetarian. doesn't eat butter so no roux for him. he adds cream of wheat to soup or refried beans etc as a thickener. just a small amount will do the trick-a few tbsp to start. doesn't affect the taste or have a noticeable textural additive other than thickening (what i mean is, no cereal texture is noticeable).
A roux would be lovely. You could also add a potato or two and if you puree, the potato acts as a ticketing agent. I love pursed soups, actually all soups, and often cook them no matter what the weather.
Yes, a roux would make a nice velvety soup. For general reference, an ounce of butter and an ounce of flour will thicken a quart of milk, or milk-cream mixture. Also, you could scoop out some - not all - of your nicely cooked vegetables, puree them and add them back into the soup. Your soup sounds wonderful.
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You could also try adding a slurry of cold water and a teaspoon or two of corn starch - this is how sauces are often thickened in Chinese and other Asian cuisines, and it adds little to no flavor but gives liquids a good body. Or a slurry of a little cold water and tapioca (manioc) flour.
Also, gluten-filled water from cooking pasta will thicken the soup a bit. But not as much as a roux, filé, or flour-based slurry.
Otherwise, all the veggie and potato based answer above are great ideas!
Thanks guys!