5 Ways to Thicken Soup to Achieve the Perfect Consistency

A rich, hearty bowl of soup is a delight any time of year, but really hits the spot during the cooler months. A few pantry ingredients such as flour or cornstarch serve as excellent thickening agents to achieve the correct texture and consistency of soup. Sometimes you might come across terms such as roux or buerre manié, but these foreign-sounding ways to thicken soup shouldn't scare you away—they're actually easy to accomplish and use common pantry ingredients! Here are some tips on the thickening techniques you may run across as you search for soup recipes, plus a few different food thickeners you can use.

1. Roux

A roux (ROO) is a mixture of flour and fat—such as cooking oil, butter, or chicken fat—that is cooked, then used to thicken soup, sauce, or gravy. A common roux recipe calls for equal amounts of butter and flour cooked in a saucepan over medium heat until the flour is absorbed by the melted butter. A roux may be cooked longer to develop a darker color (as is used in Cajun gumbos) and a nuttier flavor. For best results, stir the roux as it cooks.

2. Flour or Cornstarch

When mixed with cool water and stirred into hot soup, these two common kitchen starches lend a heartier texture to the mix. Because of their flavor-masking properties, meaty soups are better for thickening with flour or cornstarch than delicate vegetable soups.

3. Pureeing Ingredients

Vegetable soups can get a big boost in flavor and body by pureeing a portion of the cooked vegetables and adding them back into the soup. Use a food processor for best results, and include some of the soup liquid to help the pureeing process along. Cooked rice can also be pureed and added to the pot as a soup thickener.

4. Beurre Manié

Pronounced BURR mahn-YAY, this paste is made by kneading together equal portions of flour and softened butter. Beurre manié can be added to hot soups, a little at a time, to make soups creamier. Though similar to a roux, beurre manié is not cooked. Add this thickening agent a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

5. Eggs

Occasionally, a soup recipe will call for beaten eggs as a thickening agent. Both whole eggs and yolks can be used. To avoid curdling the eggs, start by drizzling about ½ cup of the hot broth into the eggs, stirring vigorously while you pour. Then add the egg mixture to the soup and cook until thickened.

Don't settle for skimpy broth. Try a thick soup recipe that will warm you up on a chilly night. If these soups aren't thick enough for you naturally, try one of our suggested thickening tricks.