There's nothing more inviting than a big pot of soup simmering on the stove. From seafood chowders to creamy bisques, soup makes the perfect appetizer or main course. But sometimes a recipe doesn't go quite as planned, and you're left with a soup that's not the right consistency. Here, learn how to thicken up soup by using additions like cornstarch, beans and other easy solutions.
Cornstarch is a great option as it is a natural thickening agent, but you'll want to be careful about how much you use. Start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked together with cold water to create a slurry. Then, gradually add the slurry to the soup, letting it boil for one to two minutes before adding more. This method allows you to adjust accordingly as the soup is being thickened (you might not need the entire slurry or you might need more, depending on the viscosity of the soup and the texture you're aiming for). You can also substitute potato starch or rice starch for the cornstarch.
If you don't have cornstarch handy, flour is a similar alternative that can be used to thicken soup (for a gluten-free option, you can also use arrowroot flour). There are a few ways to incorporate flour into soup, which work to avoid clumping and the raw taste of flour. First, you can create a slurry by whisking 2 tablespoons of flour with cold water and adding it gradually to the soup.
Another method of using flour to thicken soup is by making a roux on the stovetop. A roux, which is a mixture of fat and flour, is often used as a base for sauces and is an easy way to add starch. If you're looking for an alternative, you can also make a beurre manié, which is a mixture of flour and butter rubbed together to create a dough or paste. With both methods, you'll want to add them to the soup bit by bit to gauge the soup's thickness.
How to Thicken Soup with Dairy
Another option for thickening soup is by using dairy like sour cream or yogurt. Start with a small dollop and stir before checking the consistency and adding more. We recommend using plain yogurt so you don't alter the taste of the soup. You can also use cream if you prefer.
How to Thicken Soup with Rice, Bread, Potatoes or Beans
Foods like rice, bread, potatoes and beans are naturally high in starches, which, when broken down, act as a thickening agent. With rice, the grains will break down into the soup as it's simmered and stirred, releasing the starches and thickening the soup.
Aside from rice, you can also use bread, potatoes or beans, according to Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD. Killeen says, "When stirred into soup, stale bread, mashed beans and mashed potatoes cook down to create a creamy, rich texture, all without adding cream. It's also a great way to use up leftovers." If you don't have these ingredients on hand, you could also try using tortillas as a thickener, like in this Chicken Enchilada Soup.
How to Thicken Soup by Blending It
One easy way to thicken soup is by blending it—or part of it, at least. If your soup is packed with vegetables, you can blend part of it to change the texture. The blended vegetables will help thicken the consistency of the soup. To do this, take half of the soup, add it to a blender and blend until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids; you can also use an immersion blender). Return the blended portion to the soup and stir before eating.
Cornstarch is a great option as it is a natural thickening agent, but you'll want to be careful about how much you use. Start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked together with cold water to create a slurry.Then, gradually add the slurry to the soup, letting it boil for one to two minutes before adding more.
Add a can of lentils or cannellini beans, mashing about half before you mix it in.Add 1/2 cup rice or pasta per 4 cups of liquid, providing just enough time for it to cook before serving (typically about 20 minutes for rice or 10-12 minutes for pasta).
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.
Many home cooks find themselves wondering how to thicken a soup, and there are a few different ways: cooking the soup longer to remove excess liquid, blending some of the solid ingredients of the soup, or using food scraps like bread or potatoes to thicken the soup, but if you don't have time to wait, you can use a ...
cooking sauce or soup. Arrowroot starch thickens very quickly and it is unnecessary to bring the mixture to a boil for it to work. Cornstarch, on the other hand, requires heating the mix- ture to a boil to fully thicken the mixture and to avoid any “starchy” taste or texture in the fin- ished product.
In other words, if you don't heat your cornstarch to a high enough temperature, your mixture will never thicken. But once your liquid has boiled, lower the heat and don't return it to a simmer—you'll risk destroying the starch molecules and ending up with a thin mixture yet again.
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.
The main uses for cornstarch in Chinese cooking are: Marinating meats to create a velvety texture after stir-frying. Dredging foods prior to deep-frying to achieve a perfectly crispy result. Magically thickening soups, gravies, and stir-fry sauces.
For each cup of liquid, you want to thicken, start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a small bowl. Add an equal amount of cold liquid and stir until smooth paste forms.
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.
Remember that some soups will thicken on their own as they sit and cool; the ingredients may continue to absorb liquid, so yours might just need another day to reach perfect consistency.
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.
The two kinds of thick soups are cream and pureed soups. Most pureed soups are thickened by the vegetable being pureed. The starches in the pureed vegetable aids in the thickening of the soup. Cream soups tend to have a roux.
Introduction: My name is Dean Jakubowski Ret, I am a enthusiastic, friendly, homely, handsome, zealous, brainy, elegant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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