This One-ingredient Hack To Thicken Soups & Stews Also Makes Them More Flavorful (2024)
Justina Huddleston
Updated ·2 min read
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission.
We love all kinds of soups and stews, esepcially when we have crackers, rolls, or bread on the side for sopping up that flavorful broth. But sometimes we’re craving a really thick, stick-to-your-ribs meal. We want that broth to be luxurious, to warm us from the inside out, and to require the heartiest and crustiest artisan breads to scoop all the goodness from our bowl. So what to do if your meal doesn’t thicken up the way you’d like it to? Try this one-ingredient soup thickening hack: instant mashed potato flakes.
This soup-thickening hack couldn’t be easier. Unlike using flour, which requires either making a little roux before you start cooking or a beurre manié afterwards, or using a cornstarch slurry that can create a gloppy texture, the instant mashed potato flakes can simply be sprinkled into the finished dish. Stir and let sit for a minute or two so the potato flakes have a chance to hydrate, and boom — you’ve got a rich, thickened soup or stew, with no raw powdery flour or cornstarch flavor left behind, just a gentle hint of potato. It’s also gluten-free.
This hack is especially helpful for slow cooker and pressure cooker recipes. When you cook something in the oven or on the stove, moisture evaporates from the dish, resulting in broth or liquid that’s thicker by the end of cooking time. But when you make a meal in the slow cooker or pressure cooker, the moisture stays trapped in the cooker, which means the cooking liquids tend to stay thin. Enter instant mashed potato flakes. Add a spoonful of potato flakes at the end of cooking time, and it will thicken things right up. You can even use this trick with foods like roast beef or other slow cooked or pressure cooked meats that have flavorful juices that you want to turn into a gravy-like texture.
Once you have a box of mashed potato flakes in your pantry, you might be surprised at how many uses you find for them. You can use them to make gnocchi, dinner rolls, breading for fried meats, mashed potato candy (really!) and, of course, mashed potatoes.
Instant mashed potatoes! Simply add a spoonful or two of Essential Everday Instant Mashed Potatoes and stir well until the soup reaches your desired thickness. It's especially great for recipes made in an Instant Pot or slow cooker.
You can also use flour or cornflour to thicken a soup. Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer.
This soup-thickening hack couldn't be easier. Unlike using flour, which requires either making a little roux before you start cooking or a beurre manié afterwards, or using a cornstarch slurry that can create a gloppy texture, the instant mashed potato flakes can simply be sprinkled into the finished dish.
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.
You don't need to use commercial thickeners for foods, since soup and other foods can be easily thickened with powdered potatoes (used for instant mashed potatoes), rice cereal, tapioca, or Jell-O, for example.
The flour helps to thicken a stew as it cooks. Whisk a teaspoon of flour in a little cold water to make a slurry, then stir into the stew as it's cooking. Don't add dry flour directly to the stew as it may clump. After adding the slurry, bring the stew to boil.
A dash of vegetable stock thins down the creamy consistency of these soups and cuts through the fattiness of cheddar, Colby, and Monterey Jack. Finally, vegetable stock lends meat-free soups a delicious umami flavor, making them taste earthier and feel more sating once consumed.
Good news: Cornstarch is one of those baking staples that can last for years and doesn't really expire. If cornstarch does go bad, it's usually because moisture or pests have been able to get to it—and you'll notice it immediately. It may have an off taste or flavor (think sour or "funky"), or an off color.
Potato starch naturally thickens soups and stews and can be a gluten-free option if you're looking to make a gluten-free stew. Add cubed potatoes to the stew to absorb excess liquid, or add potato flakes, mashed potatoes, or a potato purée to thicken your stew.
Here's a hot tip for a soup thickener you've probably never thought of: frozen hash browns or leftover mashed potatoes. You can use these frozen favorites or leftover sides to quickly thicken creamy soups to create a heartier flavor and the perfect soup consistency.
We're happy to say you can use oats to thicken almost any soup if you use oat flour (or a food processor to grind up rolled oats or quick-cooking oats). Use about 1/3 cup of oats (before grinding) for each quart of liquid in the soup.
All-purpose flour: You can thicken sauces with all-purpose wheat flour. For every tablespoon of cornstarch, use three tablespoons of flour. Combine raw flour with cold water in a small bowl to form a paste, then add it into the sauce as it's simmering. Cooking the flour in the sauce will remove the flour taste.
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.
Cornstarch is the most common thickening agent used in the industry. It is mixed with water or juice and boiled to make fillings and to give a glossy semi-clear finish to products.
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.
Address: Apt. 994 8891 Orval Hill, Brittnyburgh, AZ 41023-0398
Phone: +26417467956738
Job: District Marketing Strategist
Hobby: Embroidery, Bodybuilding, Motor sports, Amateur radio, Wood carving, Whittling, Air sports
Introduction: My name is Prof. An Powlowski, I am a charming, helpful, attractive, good, graceful, thoughtful, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
