FAQs
Starch it up with potatoes
What is the best thickener for soup? ›
Add Flour Or Cornstarch
You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.
Is it better to thicken soup with flour or cornstarch? ›
It's important to note that cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. If you need to substitute cornstarch to thicken liquid in a recipe that calls for ¼ cup (four tablespoons) flour, you only need two tablespoons cornstarch.
How to thicken soup without changing flavor? ›
Cornstarch, or corn flour, can be used to thicken soup through its high starch content. Cornstarch is a great thickener for soup because only a little bit is needed to significantly thicken a soup, and it will not affect the flavor profile of the soup.
What are the 5 different ways to thicken sauces? ›
7 Ways to Thicken up a Sauce
- Flour. If being gluten-free isn't a concern, adding flour is a fantastic way to thicken dairy-based sauces, thick soups and gravies. ...
- Cornstarch or arrowroot. ...
- Tomato paste. ...
- Reduce the liquid. ...
- Swirl in a pat of butter. ...
- Add an egg yolk. ...
- Puree some vegetables.
What is the 4 other thickening agents for soup? ›
- Cornstarch. Cornstarch is the most common thickening agent used in the industry. ...
- Pre-gelatinized Starches. Pre-gelatinized starches are mixed with sugar and then added to the water or juice. ...
- Arrowroot. ...
- Agar-Agar. ...
- Algin (Sodium Alginate) ...
- Gelatin. ...
- Gum Arabic or Acacia. ...
- Gum Tragacanth.
What is the best way to thin a soup that is too thick? ›
Add more liquid: The simplest solution is to add more liquid, such as water, broth, or milk. Start by adding a small amount and gradually add more until you reach the desired consistency. Use a blender: If you have a blender, you can puree the soup in batches, adding more liquid as needed.
How to make thick soup at home? ›
Whisking beurre manié (butter-flour paste) into simmering soup is the best way to thicken an otherwise too-watery soup. Add bits of the paste gradually and simmer to cook out any raw flour taste. The broth will be velvety smooth, rich, and thick.
What is the healthiest thickening agent? ›
Easy-to-access alternatives are wheat flour, arrowroot flour, and rice flour. These are good alternatives to cornstarch because they are more nutritious and contain fewer carbohydrates and calories. Xanthan and guar gum are much stronger thickeners than cornstarch, but they can be harder to obtain and use.
What 2 ingredients are used to thicken the soup? ›
The most classic and surefire way to thicken a broth-based soup is with a cornstarch slurry. Whisk together equal parts cornstarch (or arrowroot) and water or broth, then whisk it into the pot of soup. A good ratio to get to a pleasant thickness without your soup tasting goopy or heavy is one tablespoon.
A handful of uncooked rice. That's all folks, just a handful of white rice. Any kind will do: jasmine, basmati, short grain, long grain. When added to a brothy (or watery, even) soup, and left to simmer for 20-30 minutes, the rice breaks down, releasing its starch and thickening the liquid that it's cooking in.
What can I use instead of cornstarch to thicken soup? ›
5 Best Cornstarch Substitutes
- All-Purpose Flour. Yep, that's right — all-purpose flour is a very stable thickener. ...
- Arrowroot Powder. If you happen to have this starch on hand, you're in luck: It has the same thickening power as cornstarch, and it creates a beautiful, shiny sauce. ...
- Potato Starch. ...
- Rice Flour. ...
- Tapioca Starch.
How to fix soup that is too watery? ›
Mash beans, lentils, rice, or bread.
Rice, lentils, and beans release a lot of starch and naturally thicken soups simply from simmering, but you can also mash half the cooked rice/lentils/beans before adding to the soup for a simple way to thicken your dish.
What is the healthiest way to thicken soup? ›
The absolute healthiest way to thicken soup is by using a traditionally made bone broth powder like the one from Bluebird Provisions.
- Oat Flour, Quinoa Flour or Chickpea Flour.
- Applesauce or Mashed Bananas.
- Eggs.
How do you thicken soup without milk or cream? ›
- Nut/seed butters– For the right soup, a couple of big spoonfuls of peanut, almond or cashew butter thicken and add a great depth of flavor. ...
- Mashed potatoes – It's a great way to use up leftovers too! ...
- Cooked, blended veggies– Just like the mashed potatoes, give them a blender whirl.
What are thick soups thickened with? ›
What are Thick Soups? Thick soups are soups that are thickened using flour, corn-starch, cream, vegetables, gelatines and other ingredients. Depending on how you thicken a soup, you can get different textures and flavours. For example, a potage of boiled meat and vegetables results in a thick, mushy soup.
Can you use egg to thicken soup? ›
Occasionally, a soup recipe will call for beaten eggs as a thickening agent. Both whole eggs and yolks can be used. To avoid curdling the eggs, start by drizzling about ½ cup of the hot broth into the eggs, stirring vigorously while you pour. Then add the egg mixture to the soup and cook until thickened.
What can I use instead of thickening agent in soup? ›
There are a bunch of ways to thicken a soup without using raw flour or roux.
- purée a portion of the soup in a blender then add it back to the pot.
- mix a bit of cornstarch with water. ...
- add chopped up potatoes to the soup. ...
- add puréed beans or mashed potatoes to the soup. ...
- there's also the Italian tradition of ribollita.
Does milk make soup thicker? ›
To thicken soup, try adding a dash of cream or a spoonful of yogurt. Or, you can add coconut milk for a vegan-friendly option. If you want to give the soup a creamy, savory flavor, try stirring in some beaten eggs to thicken it. You can also add starches, like chunks of bread, oats, or flour, to thicken a hardy soup.