FAQs
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.
How can I thicken watery soup? ›
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 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 do you thin a soup that is too thick? ›
Adding/mixing water in the soup makes the soup less thick. (discrepencies apply. You could use more vegetables/fruits/ingredients with water in them in your soup or just plain ol' pour in water, though ratio applies. Some ingredients have more water than others.
Can you thicken soup without flour? ›
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.
Does soup thicken as it cools? ›
Does soup thicken as it cools? Soup that contains some amount of starch, whether it be potatoes, rice, pasta, or an added thickener like cornstarch or flour will definitely thicken once it cools.
How do you fix bland watery soup? ›
If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl.
Why is my soup not thickening? ›
If it tastes perfect at the end of the cooking time but it's a little thin, there are several fixes you can try. If your soup doesn't taste strong enough, the first thing you should do is boil it to drive off some of the water. This will strengthen the flavour and thicken the soup.
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.
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.
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.
How long does it take for soup to thicken? ›
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.
How much cornstarch to thicken 4 cups of soup? ›
If you're cooking hot liquids like sauces, stock or broth, 1 tablespoon of corn starch per cup of liquid will give you a thin to medium consistency that's appropriate for soups or very thin sauces. 2 tablespoons per cup will give you a thicker, more gravy-like consistency.
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 changing taste? ›
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.
How to thicken crockpot soup? ›
Add a slurry at the end.
A slurry is a mixture of flour and water, whisked together until smooth and added towards the end of cooking; it's a super-simple way to thicken any soup. For slow cooker soups, add your slurry with at least 30 minutes of cook time left so that the raw flour can cook and thicken the soup.
Do you thicken soup with or without lid? ›
Cooking a soup, stew, or sauce uncovered allows water to evaporate, so if your goal is to reduce a sauce or thicken a soup, skip the lid. The longer you cook your dish, the more water that will evaporate and the thicker the liquid becomes—that means the flavors become more concentrated, too.
Is cornstarch or flour better for thickening soup? ›
Is it okay to use flour instead of corn starch as a thickening agent in a sauce? Sure, but it's best to cook the flour in the fat a little. Corn starch can be stirred into water and added later. If you use flour, melt the fat or make sure it's warm, then stir in your flour.
What can thicken instead of flour? ›
Cornstarch can be subbed in for wheat flour at a 1:2 ratio. Because it's a durable thickener, you only need half the amount of cornstarch to create the same effect. Also, adding cornstarch to a gluten free recipe is a great way to add softness and texture to baked goods while keeping them grain free!
It can be various things that cause your soup to thicken in the cold refrigerator. Starches found in a roux used to thicken or found in noodles or beans will make it get much thicker. A good homemade meat broth will have proteins that congeal as they cool, just like gelatin.
Does milk thicken or thin soup? ›
Dairy is used to create a creamy, silky, decadent texture in soup. But it's also used as a thickening agent. So the right substitution will depend on your ultimate goal – creamy versus thickening.
Can you add water to soup to make it less thick? ›
To thin the soup out, simply add more water. To make it creamier, add some milk, cream or coconut milk.
Can you add water to soup if it's too thick? ›
Add extra water as it cooks if the soup seems too thick. 5) Add ingredients that don't need much cooking time such as canned beans, diced cooked meats, shellfish, pasta or cooked rice; about a cup of such addition usually suffices.
Why does my soup turn watery? ›
However, sometimes too much water is accidentally added or the slow cooker fails to evaporate enough water during the cooking process, leaving the sauce or soup a little runnier than you'd like.
How do you thicken water for broth? ›
Use an alternative thickening agent.
- For arrowroot powder, mix 2-3 tablespoons (16-24 g) with the same amount of water. ...
- For potato starch, mix 1 tablespoon of starch (10 g) with 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of water. ...
- For tapioca powder, stir in a teaspoon of starch (2.5 g) at a time until broth reaches desired consistency.
How do you thicken watery food? ›
To avoid this, make a slurry of cornstarch and cool water to add to your dish. Use 1 tablespoon cool water for 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Mix them together until dissolved and smooth. Add the slurry to the simmering liquid a little at at time, stirring until it thickens.