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.
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 ...
Chunkier soups, like black bean or lentil, tend to lean thick—and, it must be said, gloopy. To thin them out (and dial down the intense salinity), add more water or low-sodium stock while they're heating. (If you overdo it, don't stress: Continue simmering until the liquid has reduced to your desired consistency.)
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 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.
One way to thicken a stew without flour is to add some cooked rice or quinoa. Another option is to puree some of the vegetables in the stew to thicken it. To thicken a stew without flour, some recipes call for using a thickener such as arrowroot starch or almond flour.
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.
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. ...
Turn up the setting to a medium heat setting because the cornstarch mixture will thicken the best when it is lightly boiling. Using too much heat, however, can thin out and break down the sauce. If you are only cooking the cornstarch mixture, you should pour it in a pan and turn it to medium heat.
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.
About this method: One of the most common ways to thicken sauces and soups is with a starch-based slurry, and cornstarch is a popular choice. Cornstarch is flavorless, easy to mix up, and versatile, which makes it a go-to pantry ingredient.
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.
Adding starchy foods like rice, potatoes, pasta, and beans can also help thicken up a soup while adding texture and body. As they cook, they release starches, creating a thicker consistency. Beans and potatoes are an especially great choice for making creamy, dairy-free vegetarian or vegan soups.
Ok, this may be a little obvious, but just adding water is going to make your soup go a little further. If you stick to a 50/50 ratio between water and whatever flavoured liquid you're using in your soup (be it tomatoes, a stock type, or a cream), you're unlikely to dilute it to the point of making it unpalatable.
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.
Both whole milk and fat free will work, though you'll get a richer soup with whole milk. Spoon it into the soup near the end, and let it simmer for a few minutes to thicken. Yogurt will change the flavor of your soup more dramatically than cream, as it is much tangier.
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