Is your soup too thin and watery?
Wondering how you might thicken it?
The creamiest, dreamiest soup or stew is just a few short steps away.
Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Weve all been there.
Disappointed, you wonder, “how can I thicken this soup to make it creamy?”
What Makes a Soup or Stew Thick and Creamy?
Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Think back to the creamiest soups you’ve tasted.
What ingredients thickened these dishes?
Some recipes add in thickeners like cream or flour.
Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Others rely on techniques, like pureeing or mashing, to change the consistency of the soup.
Depending on the use case, you will need to find the most suitable thickener for your liking.
6 Ways to Thicken Soups or Stews
1.
Avgolemono soup.Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel
The most straightforward way to thicken soup is to puree the vegetables.
Starchy vegetables in particular offer the most creaminess.
Try with corn, parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, or yams.
Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Blend half (for a chunkier texture) or all of the vegetables and liquid together.
Mash beans, lentils, rice, or bread.
Mashing beans, lentils, rice, or bread is a great way to add body to your soup.
Alternatively, blend half or all of the soup for a smoother texture.
With bread, I recommend removing the crusts and adding cubes of the soft interior into the soup.
you’re free to also puree the soup for a homogenous texture.
Dairy products lend a lovely velvety texture to your dish.
In addition, dairy mellows the soup’s flavor, effectively balancing a punchy dish.
Yogurt and buttermilk provide a bright, tangy contrast.
Unfortunately, dairy curdles liquids when added improperly.
To mitigate this risk,stick to higher-fat content products,such as cream or creme fraiche.
Tempering also reduces curdling.
Then, whisk the dairy mixture into the soup at low heat.
To add cream to soup:Slowly whisk the cream into the soup at low or medium-low heat.
Coconut milk is an excellent dairy-free alternative, but keep in mind high temperatures will cause it to curdle.
Otherwise, you will need to temper the dairy, then add to the soup on low heat.
Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel
4. you’re able to also thicken liquids with eggs, typical withavgolemono, a creamy lemon soup.
Slowly whisk egg mixture into soup; do not let it boil, or it will curdle.
Whisk in a bit of flour or starch.
Both flours and starches help thicken sauces effectively.
However, if you add them directly into your soup, they will clump.
This mixture is also known as a “slurry.”
After incorporating the slurry into the soup, let the liquid boil for a minute to thicken.
Note that boiling for too long can cause the mixture to thin out again.
Another way to thicken soup is through aroux, like in cooking gumbo.
A roux is a cooked paste created from flour and fat.
A similar method, called abeurre manie, involves kneading flour and butter until a paste forms.
The paste is then slowly incorporated and whisked into a soup.
A roux often (but not always) needs to be incorporated into a cold liquid to prevent clumping.
Blend in some silken tofu.
Silken tofu is a great dairy-free alternative with a relatively neutral flavor.
Blend the silken tofu with the soup base until smooth.
Equipment Recommendations
Many thickeners require you to whisk, mash or puree ingredients.
A whisk can help smoothly mix starches and flours into a soup.
For blending, the right equipment depends on the consistency you’re looking for.
For the smoothest texture, use a countertop blender.
Note that blending hot foods in a countertop blender can be dangerous, so you should take proper precautions.
First, verify to cool the liquid slightly before adding it to the blender.
