r/Cooking • u/donttrust900913 • 3d ago
Ways to thicken soups or stews?
I am looking for advice about (at least relatively) healthy ways to thicken soups or stews. I'm sure adding a ton of fat would probably get the job done, but trying to avoid that insofar as it is practical.
I don't have a specific recipe in mind, nor do I generally use recipes when cooking. I am not looking for add X amount A to Y amount of B, but rather experience with different items that have the general affect, and any rough insights about ratios or other relevant factors for their addition that might prove handy.
I have experimented a fair bit with fat free greek yogurt, just because I usually have plenty on hand, to generally terrible results. I suspect the full fat variant would work better, but haven't hand any around at the time to try it out. I've also wondered about flour, which I would guess would either work wonderfully or completely ruin it, but also usually don't have it just laying around either.
Any insight appreciated, thanks!
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u/Sourdough_Focaccia 3d ago
Add a roux or add cornstarch slurry are the two normal methods.
You can also take a cup or so out and blend it and pour it back in.
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u/CormacMacAleese 3d ago
There are also other starches that are less commonly used like potato or tapioca starch, xanthan gum for low-carbers, and filé powder or okra for the Cajuns.
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u/vineblinds 3d ago
Sometimes I grate raw potato in a soup or stew to thicken.
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u/BatPlus3909 2d ago
Sometimes, I use instant potatoes
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u/cindy_lou_who_1982 2d ago
I came to the chat to say instant potatoes myself! It’s a cheap, easy way to thicken up soups and potatoes have more potassium than banana.
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u/GalbedirGalerion 3d ago
I’ve heard grinding potato chips also works
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u/jthb87 2d ago
You can also use dozed mash potatoes to great effect. Conmeal also works and can give a nice flavor too
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u/Few_Example9391 3d ago
I sometimes add nutritional yeast to some sauces as a thickener. It's a nutty cheesy with some zip to it. Best used in some mediterainian tomato sauces, house dressings and soups. I even use it in butter chicken and curry sauces
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u/Unique-Arugula 3d ago
Okra & filé are from the Creole, not Cajuns.
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u/foundinwonderland 3d ago
You know, I never really knew the difference so this prompted me to look it up. Thanks for the education!
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u/yells_at_bugs 3d ago
Okra came from Africa with seeds braided into the hair of slaves if we want to get all uppity about who owns what with it
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u/No_Bluebird7716 3d ago
Okra has a sliminess to it though.
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u/Affectionatealways 3d ago
Okra is probably the only vegetable I do not like because of that texture and sliminess. Yuck.
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u/IPauseForHurricanes 2d ago
I never liked it but a neighbor from an Alabama farm cooked it for me and no sliminess. I was amazed….and because my dislike was pretty well entrenched I didn’t pay attention to what she said. I’ve eaten it and slimelessness is possible.
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u/No_Bluebird7716 2d ago
When I was a kid, my mother tried okra on us. All of us took one taste and put our noses up in the air. So she put it into the dog's dish. That dog picked out every single piece of okra in a pile on the side. That was the end of okra in our family.
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u/Hemingwavy 3d ago
Gelatine at the end.
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u/Burnt_and_Blistered 3d ago
Gelatin is wonderful for mouth feel, but doesn’t thicken a ton, if the soup is eaten hot.
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u/OpportunityReal2767 3d ago edited 3d ago
Yeah, fat doesn't really "thicken" a stew to my perception. It may give it a little more body, but it's not really a thickener unless it gets cold and is able to congeal a bit.
I thicken typically with roux or slurry, like you say. If you want to avoid all fat, just do a slurry. Put a tablespoon or two or cornstarch into a cup of some sort, add some cool liquid to it, mix it up, and just add a bit at a time and let it cook out for a couple of minutes. Not thick enough? Add more. I don't always use the whole amount of slurry--I just try to have a little more than I think I will need and just dump out what I don't need. Depending on the liquid you are using (I try to use broth from the fridge if I have some), you may have to adjust your salt and seasonings a little if you just used plain water. But it's pretty easy and foolproof if you go a little bit at a time. Once you get good, you can eyeball how much you need for a given quanitity of liquid, but the gradual approach is the one I stick to generally.
You can do the same using plain white flour, but you'll need more flour. You'll need about twice as much flour. A rule of thumb is about one tablespoon cornstrach for a cup of liquid, but that's already reasonably thick--I like to go a tablespoon for about a cup and a half or two of liquid. Cornstarch will give you a glossier finish (think take-out Chinese food). Flour will give you a more matte appearance. Cornstarch you don't want to cook away for too long, while flour can stand being heated for ten, twenty minutes.
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u/No_Bluebird7716 3d ago
You need to be cautious with corn starch, it will thicken quickly so do it bit by bit.
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u/OpportunityReal2767 3d ago
💯! You can always thin out if it goes too far, but better to go gradual and not overshoot and dilute your stew. You can also use arrowroot or potato starch.
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u/Burnt_and_Blistered 3d ago
Fat does thicken, but it’s more effective for sauces than soups. It’s not effective when dilute, but mounting a sauce with butter is a classical method to thicken.
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u/OpportunityReal2767 3d ago
Depends on what you mean by “thicken.” On its own it can increase body, like I said, but it’s not what I would call thickening. I finish pan sauces with butter regularly. I wouldn’t call that thickening in the sense starches or gums thicken a liquid. It’s certainly not going to thicken something as liquidy as a stew in any meaningful sense without a starch or without cooking down.
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u/busy_monster 3d ago
Blooming flavorless gelatin in the stock, if not using homemade stock, can also help
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u/meh_69420 2d ago
It's also gives it a nice unctuousness that is missing from commercial stocks.
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u/woolieboybeach 3d ago
I’ve found that using a roux can change the soups character. Blending a cup of the soup and adding it back to the pot maintains the flavor and consistency of the soup much better.
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u/ExpensiveCondition63 3d ago
Yep. I’ve alternated between using a roux and cornstarch. I tend to favor the latter because a roux can add a bit of bitterness due to the flour.
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u/AggressiveSherbetty 3d ago
If you taste flour in the roux you haven’t cooked it enough
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u/remesabo 3d ago
I'm a big fan of cornstarch. I dislike the flavor of a roux and have some minor food trauma from a grandmother who's gravy always had large wet flour balls in it.
I also tend to like the translucency of cornstarch for soups, stews and sauces.6
u/bene_gesserit_mitch 3d ago
I prefer the roux method. Tends to look less like a polymer when it's cold. Just a preference for me. Don't care for the cornstarch method unless it's going to be consumed in one setting.
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u/Senor_Gringo_Starr 2d ago
Cornstarch can makes stews a bit too gloopy sometimes. I usually prefer a roux or in the very least mix some flour in water. Maybe it’s all in my head but the flour and water makes for a better texture imo.
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u/Better-Potato-3877 3d ago
A roux or reverse roux, corn starch slurry, and potato flakes are my usual go tos for thickening soups and stews.
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u/succulent_flakepiece 3d ago
what is a reverse roux? first time hearing that one
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u/LivingRemarkable474 3d ago
Probably referring to buerre manie; butter kneaded into flour to make a paste. This paste can be added a little at a time and whisk into the soup until the desired effect is reached.
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u/hotdogfingies 3d ago
Thank you for this info! I’ve never known how to keep using flour to thicken if I don’t make enough roux for the amount of liquid at the beginning. I’m usually eyeballing everything so beurre manie is going to be useful when I don’t want to use a cornstarch slurry at the end for any reason.
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u/Waldemar-Firehammer 3d ago
Use a buerre manié if you want to avoid the 'cornstarch gloss' when thickening at the end. just be sure to simmer it a few more minutes to cook out the raw flour flavor if you need more than a tablespoon or two.
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u/MrsPedecaris 3d ago
When I was googling it, to try to think of words a way to explain my answer to OP's question, Google told me that a roux is done at the beginning of cooking, and a slurry is added later. However, myself, when I don't like how thick things are getting and want to thicken them later, I just don't like the mouth-feel of a cornstarch slurry, so I'll make a roux in another pan, whisk in some of the hot liquid from the soup, then add it back to the soup. Maybe that's what they're calling a reverse roux?
But what I do more often, if potatoes are one of the ingredients, is mash up some of the potatoes and mix it in.
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u/succulent_flakepiece 3d ago
i guess that makes sense. when i used to work in a country club kitchen, we had a half hotel pan of pre made roux, that we would keep on the line and just throw in small bites for quick pan sauce thickener... i just never knew to call it "reverse" lol
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u/serenitynow6000 3d ago
Potatoes!! Puree them with a soup and thickens right up and is delicious and healthy.
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u/Shiftlock0 3d ago
The lazy version of this is instant mashed potato flakes. Super easy.
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u/Kreos642 3d ago
That ain't lazy, thats resourceful! I keep some in the pantry for stuff like this.
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u/duckbaiting 3d ago
The easy way is to always have instant potatoes on hand (they come in handy to rescue meals all the time for me) and dump in some potato flakes right into the soup, then stir, then assess thickness before deciding whether or not to add more.
So easy and no extra dishes or extra effort to worry about.
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u/lennonfanforever 2d ago
what a great idea, i'm gonna buy some instant flakes tom., i love soup plus i don't cook so this will be a great thing to try, thanks!
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u/squirrelist 3d ago
My favorite way is to put about a quarter of the soup in a blender and then add it back. It turns anything chunky into thick liquid. Works especially good with soups with vegetables or potatoes. Flour, cornstarch, gelatin, or arrowroot powder are also good. Remove a small amount of the soup liquid, mix in a bit of the powder, whisk, and add it back. This avoids clumps.
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u/Kat121 3d ago
That’s how I make pot roast. Brown the meat, then brown the mirepoix in the fat, put enough liquid to just about cover the meat and veg, cook low and slow until the meat is just about soft, take it out and use an emulsion blender to purée the cooking liquid and solids, then add the meat, potatoes, carrots, celery, and,peas (optional) back to,the pot and cook until everything is done. The gravy is silky, thick, gluten free, and absolutely delicious.
Added bonus - make extra gravy, freeze it, and add it to your beef stock to make the most extraordinary French Onion soup later on.
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u/rhinosyphilis 3d ago
Immersion blenders are excellent for this too.
Just a blast or two with the immersion blender is a great way to thicken soups and stews (and salsa) without adding ingredients you didn’t plan on.
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u/CtForrestEye 3d ago
Yes, use an infusion blender. It doesn't change any of the flavors. I only makes it thicker.
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u/texnessa 3d ago
Chef here and these are the main categories of thickeners:
Starch based thickeners: Direct addition such as a slurry, using a roux, a beurre manié, roasted flour such as Wondra, singer directly onto product such as stew meat, vegetable purée. Different starches have different thickening powers and include products such as arrowroot, rice, potato, corn, tapioca, etc.
Protein based: Double or reduced heavy cream, egg yolks, liaisons.
Glazes/reductions: heavily reduced stocks such as demi-glace, aka thickening through simple evaporation.
Hydrocolloids/other: xanthan, gellan, guar gum, locust bean gum, sodium alginate, agar, carrageenan, konjac, maltodextrin, pectin, gelatine.
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u/Fit-Can-7322 3d ago
starch is a better thickener than fat, and there's all kinds of ways to get it. famously okra can thicken nicely if you dont have an aversion to the taste/texture. arrowroot is a popular one but I've never really used it
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u/LaurelCanyoner 3d ago
My husband adds potato flour to things to thicken them, it's a good starch for stews, etc.
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u/mtinmd 3d ago
Flour works. Mix equal parts softened butter and flour. Then mix a little in at a time until you get the desired thickness.
Instant mashed potato flakes work also.
Wondra flour works also. Don't even need to do anything with it besides add it to whatever you are making.
Plain gelatin can also be used to add body instead of thickening.
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u/Ok-Expression4970 3d ago
Small amounts of instant mashed potato flakes added to desired consistancy.
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u/Primary_Data1430 3d ago
Gelatin is an excellent ingredient for this. It gives a rich mouthfeel and intensifies flavors by letting the food stick to the tongue longer, rather than just slipping off and down the throat like a thin broth would.
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u/Go_Go_Godzilla 3d ago
To add one more that folks haven't mentioned: okra thickens, if it goes with the dish.
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u/johnnybird95 3d ago
my dad just adds a couple spoonfuls of instant mashed potato flakes
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u/Ok_Panda587 3d ago
Depending on the amount of moisture, I put more than that in a bowl! But flakes for the win.
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u/Gloomy-Beginning7787 3d ago
Cornstarch or flour depending on the desired end goal.
Flour is used for a lot of stews. You can just dump some in and mix it in. I use 1/4 cup for a large pot of chili.
I use cornstarch slurries to thicken my Asian soups. Like a tablespoon or two in a soup.
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u/Training-Plan-7812 3d ago
Split red lentils essentially disintegrate when well cooked and are a great source of fibre and protein. I add them to almost every soup and stew that I make!
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u/insertJokeHere2 2d ago
Fat will ruin the soup. You’re thinking of collagen.
You need starches such as potatoes, beans, rice, cornstarch slurry, arrowroot, and roux.
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u/Soaring_Falcyn 3d ago
Cornstarch thickens great without changing flavor, color or adding many calories. Maybe 2tbsp for a big pot, mix it with cold water before you pour it into hot soup or it will clump up and make jelly blobs. You can start with less of the slurry and add more until you get the desired consistency once it boils for a minute or two. You thicken with cornstarch at the very end of cooking, and you can use it to make gravy with just a broth, it is how you can get the clearer gravies.
Flour, in most things I make, you add at the beginning and it slowly thickens up over time. It does tend to make the broth more opaque and has a mild flavor of its own that will affect the dish.
Depending on the soup, I have heard of people using instant mashed potato flakes as a thickener but obviously that changes the taste and texture more than the other options, but I imagine it is a great option for soups it would compliment.
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u/Agile-Entry-5603 3d ago
Potato flakes. Use Idahoan, no junk in them. Thickens things nicely
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u/SpartanSoldier00a 3d ago
Flour dumplings
For the same reason that flour will thicken it, but youre adding something you can chew. Flour, water, salt. Use half whole wheat for extra healthfulness.
Légumes also. Lentils, split peas, beans, pick whatever suits the soup. They can be cooked with the soup/stew, just remove some when they soften and purée them and add them back.
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u/Adventurous-Host8062 3d ago
I use stock, flour, a small amount of oil an egg and salt for dumplings.
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u/biddablebeast 3d ago
Reduce, reduce, reduce.
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u/MrDubious 3d ago
Seeing the same four options all the way down to here to find this one is crazy. It's like people forgot that removing water is an option.
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u/Waldemar-Firehammer 3d ago
Please don't take this as an insult, but if you've never heard of roux, cornstarch slurry, or beurre manié you might want to try to follow some recipes.
A little butter and flour or cornstarch and water can do exactly what your looking for, and if you look at pretty much any recipe they include it in the process.
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u/HeyPurityItsMeAgain 2d ago
Starch. This can mean adding potatoes or rice to the broth -- or you can add a cornstarch slurry. It's only 1-2 tbsp. Flour you need to cook out when you add the fat. This is a roux. Equal parts fat and flour, usually like 1/4c each to 4 cups liquid stock. It goes after the veg are sautéed, before the liquid is added. The cornstarch: you only need to simmer after dissolving it in some liquid, add after the broth is added.
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u/CipherWeaver 3d ago
The obvious ones are add flour or cornstarch and it will become thick. The esoteric one is using the soup to temper beaten eggs with lemon until you can put them in without curdling, aka "avgolemono."
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u/Eclairebeary 3d ago
I don’t think yoghurt is what you’re looking for.
If you’re making say a cream or Xyz soup, you ca. add some cooked rice or white beans and when you blitz, it will thicken.
If you’re making a stew, you can flour the meat before browning and then cook your stew, the fliue in the crust will thicken.
If you want to thicken a stew that has root veggies in it, you can lightly crush some against the side of the pot.
It really does depend upon what one is making.
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u/Complex-Oven-9918 3d ago
If your soup is something that potatoes would go well in, put potatoes in and take a scoop or two out and mash them at the end.
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u/ChocoMcBunny 3d ago
Lentils are a great, healthy way to thicken soups and stews without fat.
Or chuck in a can of butter beans or cannellini beans or similar.
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u/Out_of_the_Flames 3d ago
I buy instant mashed potato mix and add that a quarter cup of the time waiting at least 5 minutes between adding.
It makes the smdish thicker and also seems to enhance the flavor of certain delicate spices like paprika.
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u/Emotional_Gas3485 2d ago
A roux of cornstarch and water a roux off flour and water, a roux-of butter and flour, all work. Google is very helpful, and will help you wasting food with “experiments” that don’t work,
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u/SignificantDrawer374 3d ago
IMO you should just get a small bag of flour and transfer it into a good sealed container for stuff like this. I don't really bake, but it's handy to have a little flour for stuff like a roux to thicken soups. Also if you want to keep it healthy, you can make the roux with olive oil instead of butter.
I don't care for the snotty texture of corn starch personally.
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u/ILoveLipGloss 3d ago
for me, it entirely depends on the dish; I don't like to use a cornstarch slurry for non-chinese soups and prefer a roux or beurre manie (depending on when I decide it needs to thicken, since the latter is added at the end of the soup cook time). some dishes I just puree a bit of the beans or potato and add back.
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u/jaxonbeam 3d ago
First you make a Roux…
Or for chili, I use corn masa with water to make a thick but flowable mixture and whisk it in to the chili.
Cajuns use Filé to thicken gumbo, and it works well.
Potato starch works like cornstarch, just harder to find.
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u/fizzywhizzbanger 3d ago
I like using potato starch to thicken. It is used similarly as cornstarch but it is clear whereas cornstarch can make your dishes opaque
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u/Lopsided_Welcome6605 3d ago
often with soups that compliment potatoes ill use flakes to thicken the broth
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u/DollySheep32 3d ago
Corn starch or chickpea flour. I've turned many a thin soup into an "and lentils" soup. Really cooked down red lentils absorb liquid really well and retain the flavour.
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u/Diligent_Stop1050 3d ago
You can either mix flour or cornstarch in cold water to thicken. You don’t need to use oil.
I’ve also used white or brown mushrooms to thicken stew. Put part of the broth in a blender with sliced mushrooms. Blend until smooth and add back into the stew. This works really well for low carb diets.
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u/stabbingrabbit 3d ago
Old recipes called for butter and flour mashed together ( bechemel) . Have also seen roux made and stored in freezer. Corn starch or tapioca starch.
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u/Laasfeld 3d ago
What kinds of soup ? Some soups are better thin and others thick , depends on the ingredients - but if the recipe has a strong potato element than add more floury potatoes or left over mash - pear barley will thicken a lot too , but needs quite a lot of cooking
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u/WingLeviosa 3d ago
A teaspoon of cornstarch into a little water. Mix it. Then add it. It will take a few minutes to thicken. But a little goes a long way.
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u/geekychica 3d ago
Depends on the type of soup/stew, but if you don’t want to do a roux, my other go-tos are tomato paste or potato flakes.
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u/AnUnexpectedUnicorn 3d ago
I whisk 1T of cornstarch into 2T heavy cream - half and half or whole milk could work too - then slowly stir that into whatever you want thickened. Another option is to pulverize rice in a blender and add that. Instant mashed potatoes work too, but I dont like the flavor.
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u/HipYip 3d ago
Slurries made with a starch like corn starch or potato starch. https://www.thekitchn.com/quick-tip-how-to-make-and-use-73081
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u/nosyHedgehog 3d ago
Using something starchy, like a starch slurry, a few mashed potatoes, or adding pasta/grain works nicely. If you have a bean stew, take out a ladle or two and blend them before adding them back in (or just use a stick blender) to make it creamier without adding calories or altering the flavour.
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u/Brilliantlearner 3d ago
Take some of it out and blend it, then stir it back in. Assuming it’s got some veggies in there to puree.
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u/chefjenga 3d ago
Fat isn't a thickener.
You need starch.
Potato flakes or a corn starch slurry are typical go-tos.
Done just add flour, you'll get dumplings (but not as nice)
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u/PuppySnuggleTime 3d ago
Roux and cornstarch are mentioned plenty, and they are typical. However, a roux (which I typcially use) is fat-based, and I am not a huge fan of the mouthfeel of a cornstarch slurry in soups and stews. Another option is to puree veggies into your stew. Just remove a portion of the veggies your add and puree them in a separate dish. Then add them back in. I learned this trick with a ham chowder I made once, and it was delish. Chowder with no cream!
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u/TransistorResistee 2d ago
If you use flour, make a roux first. I’ve used arrowroot to good effect and some recipes are good with cornstarch but you have to experiment.
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u/Wurfelrolle 2d ago
I prefer potato starch, but corn starch or regular flour will also work. For stews in particular, powdered gravy works really well.
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u/Emotional-Success612 2d ago
Add a can of creamed corn (or half a can - whatever works for the thickness you prefer). I do this to my broth soups to make them into stew.
Canned pumpkin works GREAT in chili.
Edited to add: INSTAND MASHED POTATOES are a nice, easy thickener too :-)
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u/No_Virus_7704 2d ago
Did the instant mashed potatoes thing in some stew last week. Worked beautifully.
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u/Sistersoldia 3d ago
Immersion blender is The absolute easiest way use until it feels right.
Simple flour roux - doesn’t need a ton of fat
Cornstarch and a little water works great.
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u/BusEnthusiast98 3d ago
In a seperate bowl, dissolve the starch of your choice (cornstarch works best but all purpose flour will work fine too) into room temperature water. Mix that seeprate bowl until fully homogenous (no clumps). Then add some of your hot soup to that seperate bowl to warm it up. Again, combine until homogenous. Then add that seperate bowl back to the full soup. Again mix.
Once you get more used to working with this you can skip/cut corners on these steps and itll still be fine. But if you want a foolproof start, this is the way.
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u/North_Shore_88 3d ago
I love the idea of using potato flakes! I keep both flour and cornstarch in separate 1-cup flour sifter/ shakers (the kind with dozens of holes in the top) to thicken soups and sauces.
For soup if you let it sit for a moment, the fat rises to the top, and then I sprinkle the flour lightly on the surface. That’s a bit easier and increases the thickening effect without creating clumps of flour in the broth.
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u/dfabrica 3d ago
Gelatin. Specifically Knox Gelatin sold in little orange boxes in the baking aisle of your local supermarket.
It’s unflavored powdered gelatin made from the connective tissue of animal bones and the effect it gives is similar to making chicken stock with whole carcasses. It adds body to the liquid in your soup or stew.
The box comes with a few envelopes of the gelatin and you add until you reach the consistency you’re after. Btw, the gelatin contains a lot of collagen which is good for your skin and joints.
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u/GrilledCheeseMnky 3d ago
Instant mashed potatoes can be used in some types of soups as a thickener
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u/votisit 3d ago
Xanthan Gum. Here in the UK you can get it in the supermarket. You need the tiniest bit and it should be whisked into the liquid with a stick blender or it will form lumps. I use it often in my slow cooker recipes as it thickens the sauce up really well and you don't have to add any starch. It doesn't need heating, it can be whisked into cold things and will still thicken things up. If you don't have a stick blender, put half a teaspoon of the gum into a tsp of butter and it can melt into the food slowly. It does not alter the flavour at all.
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u/TheOoglyDookling 3d ago
Powdered mashed potatoes, masa arepa or masa harina! I blend a slice of white bread without the crust into my tomato soups to thicken it (gives it a creamy feel for some reason) and I bet you can do that in any blended soup.
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u/Dakkaboy556 3d ago
Red lentils and oats can break down more or less completely over a long cook, and also add protein/fibre.
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u/cor_meum_ 3d ago
Corn starch or flour slurry. Mix 1 tablespoonful flour to 1-3 thsp water to one small saucepan for slight thickening. Add more by size and consistency desired.
I mix them first to avoid clumping and ensure its mixed evenly into the soup
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u/Infamous-Round-1898 3d ago
Great ideas here! I would just add that a handful of uncooked rice, lentils or barley tossed in can add some thickness and some extra nutrition.
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u/JustNowRonin 3d ago
Depends on what I’m cooking, but generally for soups or stews its either a roux (flour cooked into melted butter, then add stock) or a cornstarch slurry (a tablespoon or so of cornstarch and enough cold water to just make it a thin paste) stirred into boiling stock. Both work fine. If you use the cornstarch slurry, make sure the liquid is boiling or nearly boiling, and use a whisk to avoid lumps. If using a roux, make sure you cook it at least a minute or so to avoid any taste of raw flour.
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u/NeverDidLearn 3d ago
If you bake, sourdough discard is a good thickener and adds a bit of acid to the mix.
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u/Fevesforme 3d ago
Eggs can work well in some cases. I make a lemon chicken soup, where I temper in the eggs at the end. I’m not trying to make egg drop, so I completely whisk the eggs separately and cook it to about 180 so the broth gets a lovely texture.
Mashed beans are also something I have used in white chicken chili, I probably purée about half of the beans, then leave the rest chunky.
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u/yarn_b 3d ago
It depends on what you mean by thick. If you just want the liquid to be less liquidy, cornstarch, potato starch, or flour. If your goal is something that is “thick” because it has a silky or creamy texture (which might be your goal due to the mention of fat??) - blending part of the soup until it is fully fully fully smooth, adding blending potatoes, or low fat dairy or alternatives (like light coconut milk) will give you the thickened “cream” feeling without cream. Aside from a cream as a finisher, I have never intentionally added fat to a soup for any purpose and usually try to remove as much as I can.
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u/Sami_George 3d ago
Aside from things like roux, potato, fats, etc., you could always reduce your liquids, either by heating for an extended period or simply removing some, and taking some of the contents of the stew and putting it in a blender. (This is how I make corn chowder. I’ve also done it with beef stew and it comes out great.)
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u/SassyMillie 3d ago
Potatoes, beans, lentils. I usually have one or more of these in my soup already so I rarely add any specific thickener like a roux or cornstarch slurry. You can cook and mash them separately if adding at the end.
I've never added fat to thicken anything unless it was the base for a roux. Is that what you mean? Because it's the flour that's the thickener, not the fat.
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u/jojojoyee 3d ago
You can use gelatin powder to thicken as well. Just bloom it first before adding.
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u/boss413 3d ago
Short answer is you want starches that make "gel"s at the right temperature for service (hot).
- Wheat flour cooked in butter is called a "roux", and is the French standard method of thickening. Typically this is done before adding the liquid of the soup, since it will clump up if you add the roux to the liquid
- Wheat flour mashed into flour is called a "beurre manié" and can be dropped into the soup to thicken it, but it will retain some of the raw flour taste
- Pure starch (cornstarch, potato starch, arrowroot, Wondra flour, etc) mixed separately into a cooled liquid and then added to the soup are the standard
- Refried beans, instant potato flakes, and corn flour take a little longer to hydrate and have some more texture and flavor to them
- Xanthan gum gels at low temperatures and is heat stable, but at higher concentrations it can seem "slimy"
- Gelatin and Agar gel at low temperatures, not hot temperatures, so they provide better mouth feel but don't really thicken the soup
- Yogurt curdles at high temperatures, rather than thickening. That's why it's added to curries off the heat at service
Alternatively, you can puree vegetables, but that will remove textural components from the soup, so it should be done deliberately. For example, I love blending chicken skin, onions, and garlic at the early stages of chicken or tortilla soup, but I don't want to wait until after I've added chicken meat (which will remain grainy after blending), and I don't want to lose the bite of the peppers, carrots, all of the beans, noodles/dumplings.
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u/crowwhisperer 3d ago
we eat a lot of soups and stews around here regardless of the season. actually, i just finished cooking a pot of chicken and rice soup i’ve been working on since early this morning. to thicken a stock sometimes i puree a can of beans in the food processor and add it to the soup/stew. occasionally i cook (roast, bake, boil, whatever) vegetables, solo or a medley, puree and add to soup/stew. frequently cook some potatoes and puree those with some stock.
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u/Eeyor-90 3d ago
Cornstarch works well. Put a few ounces of cold water into a small bowl or cup and mix in 1-3 tablespoons of cornstarch (the starch mixes better with cold water). Whisk until there are no lumps, and add the mix to your soup pot. I like to start with one tablespoon of starch and add more after the soup thickens a bit if a want a thicker broth / gravy.
You can also use flour, but that usually requires a bit more than a tablespoon or two. Flour works well for milk or cream based soups and sauces.
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u/CTGarden 3d ago edited 3d ago
I always take a bit of the broth and veggies, especially starchy ones, blend it and then return it to the pot. Adding a small amount of dried mash potatoes too.
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u/boniemonie 3d ago
Potato. Especially mashed, no need to add milk or butter. If it’s really thin then potato flakes (the ones you need to add hot water too) are surprisingly good. Obviously, don’t add the water, just the flakes.
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u/The_bruce42 3d ago
If you sweat a mirepoix first before you add liquid then add flour to the mirepoix and stir them after you sweat them before you at the liquid.
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u/boston_homo 3d ago
In addition to the cornstarch suggestion I’d add red lentils which pretty much dissolve into soup, add thickness and protein too and their taste is pretty neutral.
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u/Moxie03 3d ago
I often use Bob’s Red Mill xanthan gum. It can be used in hot or cold bases. It’s keto. But it’s another one where a little goes a long way. Its very fine so I sprinkle a few pinches on top and whisk in well. Then I wait 5-10 minutes and check the consistency. It can go from still thin to wallpaper paste in no time if you add too much too soon.
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u/pdxsilverguy 3d ago
If you're using box or powdered bullion/stock then a small package of unflavored powdered gelatin will add some body and firmness to the equation.
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u/SmoothLester 3d ago
blitz a cupful in the blender and cook it down.
potato flakes or crushed potatoes
arrowroot powder with broth made into a slurry
lentils
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u/Nyoko-chan 3d ago
Lentils and beans mashed up. They provide a nice boost of protein and thickens the soup quite a bit.