🥣 How to Thicken a Soup or Stew (Without Ruining It!)
There’s nothing more comforting than a big pot of soup or stew simmering away on the stove. But sometimes, even after all that love and simmer time, it just … isn’t quite thick enough. Maybe your beef stew is too brothy or your chowder feels more like soup than “stick-to-your-ribs” cozy. Don’t panic! You don’t need fancy ingredients or a culinary degree – just a few simple tricks to help you get that perfect consistency.
Let’s dive into my favorite ways to thicken soups and stews – tried, true, and tested in the Perugini kitchen many, many times!
1. Simmer It Longer
Sometimes, patience is the best thickener. Remove the lid and let your soup or stew simmer gently to let the liquid reduce. It concentrates the flavors, too – so not only does it get thicker, it gets better.
🕐 Pro tip: Stir occasionally so you don’t scorch the bottom (been there… wrote a whole blog post about it!).
2. Use a Flour or Cornstarch Slurry
The classic method!
- Flour slurry: Mix 2 tablespoons of flour with about ¼ cup of cold water until smooth. Stir it into your simmering soup a little at a time.
- Cornstarch slurry: Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Stir into the pot and simmer a few minutes until thickened.
✅ Best for: Beef stews, chicken soups, or anything with a gravy-like consistency.
3. Mash or Puree Some of the Soup
For veggie or bean-based soups, this works like magic. Use an immersion blender to blend part of it – or scoop out a cup, blend it in a regular blender, and pour it back in. You’ll get natural thickness without adding flour or starch.
✅ Best for: Split pea soup, potato chowder, lentil soup.
4. Add Instant Mashed Potatoes or Potato Flakes
This is one of my “lazy but brilliant” tricks. A small handful of instant potato flakes will thicken soup instantly – no lumps, no waiting.
✅ Best for: Chowders, creamy soups, or even a brothy stew that just needs a little body.
5. Add a Roux
A roux is just a fancy word for flour cooked in fat (like butter or oil). It’s the base for many sauces and gravies – and it works beautifully in soups and stews, too.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan, whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour, and cook for a minute until golden. Whisk it into your hot soup slowly and watch the magic happen.
✅ Best for: Creamy soups and hearty stews.
6. Add Cream, Coconut Milk, or Cheese
Sometimes you want creamy, not starchy. A splash of heavy cream, half-and-half, or coconut milk can add thickness and richness. Cheese will also do the trick – grated Parmesan, cheddar, or even cream cheese melts in beautifully.
✅ Best for: Corn chowder, clam chowder, creamy tomato soup, or broccoli cheddar soup.
7. Add a Thickening Ingredient
A few pantry MVPs can naturally thicken soups and stews:
- Cooked rice or quinoa (they’ll absorb broth)
- Rolled oats (blend in beautifully with no flavor change)
- Puréed beans (great for protein and fiber)
- Bread crumbs (especially in tomato-based soups)
✅ Best for: Rustic stews and veggie soups.
8. Add Tomato Paste
Tomato paste thickens and deepens flavor – especially in beef stew, chili, or minestrone. Stir in a tablespoon or two and simmer. It adds body and richness in one swoop.
✅ Best for: Any tomato-based dish or stew.
🥄 Final Thoughts
The key to thickening a soup or stew is to match the method to the dish. Creamy soups love dairy. Rustic soups love blended veggies or beans. Brothy stews adore a little flour magic. And remember – soups will always thicken a bit more as they cool.
So don’t stress if your soup starts out thin. You’ve got options … and they’re delicious ones!
