No one likes a watery stew or a soupy stir fry — which is why knowing how to thicken sauces, soups and stews is key to kitchen success. Learning how to thicken your meals helps to adjust recipes to suit your tastes, and turn too-watery dishes into something delicious.
And you’ve got a few options for thickening sauces and other liquids. Read on for five of our fave strategies — plus, recipes to try ‘em in.
Make a roux
Need a rich, delectable sauce? Start with a roux. A roux is a mix of equal parts flour and fat cooked into a paste, that adds both richness and texture to the ultimate dish. It’s often used as a base for creamy sauces, like the cheese sauce in this Herbed White Cheddar Mac and Cheese, and it’s also a critical part of the base for gumbo.
- Pro tip: Making a roux is one of the first steps in a recipe, so it’s a great way to start making the perfect sauce, soup or stew. However, you should not use a roux to thicken recipes that are too thin.
Add a cornstarch slurry
If you need to adjust the thickness of a recipe during or at the end of cooking, cornstarch is your best friend.
Mixing equal parts cornstarch and water — or milk, for creamy soups — can thicken up virtually any recipe. Simply add the slurry to hot liquid and stir until well-blended, then cook a few minutes longer until thickened. Start with 1 to 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch, and make additional slurry as needed.
This technique makes an excellent stir fry sauce, so you can make better-than-takeout Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry. It also works great in stews and curries.
Stir in another starch
Adding starchy foods — like rice, beans, lentils, pasta or other grains — also helps thicken up your recipes. These foods absorb liquid as they cook, reducing the amount of excess water in the dish. Plus, they’ll soak up all the delicious flavour from your sauce or stock: A true win-win!
Get out your blender
If your recipe already contains some starchy ingredients, like carrots, squash or potatoes, simply blending some of the recipe can help thicken up your dish. To do it, blend a portion of your recipe — 1 to 2 cups — then stir the remaining portion back into the soup.
This technique is perfect when you don’t have other thickeners on hand or simply don’t want to add more to the dish. It also works when making lentils and beans, since you can blend a portion of the recipe to create a flavorful sauce.
Add a dash of dairy
Finally, try using dairy to add creaminess to your dishes. Thick dairy products, such as heavy dream, sour cream, yogurt or labneh, all add a rich mouth-feel to your recipe for a thicker, richer dish. If you’d rather avoid higher-fat dairy, try blending a better-for-you option, like cottage cheese, and adding it to your meal.
- Pro tip: Some dairy products can become grainy as they cook, so add dairy thickeners in the final moments of cooking for the best results.
Refine your skills with these top soup, stew, and sauce recipes
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Hello, autumn! This blended soup is just rich enough for chilly nights, thanks to pureed squash.
Club House Chili
Warm up with this hearty chili, featuring rich ground beef, creamy kidney beans and plenty of seasoning.
Electric Pressure Cooker Beef Stew
It’s here: The ideal stew for busy weeknights. Get dinner on the table in under an hour with just 15 minutes of active prep.
