Some soups and stews require just the right consistency to create the perfect flavor and fortunately there are a few simple ways of achieving this.
Cornstarch, pureed vegetables, and roux are among the most commonly used ingredients for thickening soups and stews. Each has their own distinct benefits and works to thicken soups in different ways. Cornstarch, for example, is often added to small amounts of liquid such as cold water, chicken stock, or white wine and whisked together and added to the soup, which is then simmered and allowed to thicken.
For more flavor, vegetables like mashed potatoes are ideal for thickening soups. Leftover rice is another simple ingredient that will add bulk to soups and stews. Vegetables and meats can be pureed together or processed together in the blender and then added to a variety of soups.
Perhaps the most often relied upon substance for thickening soups is none other than roux, a classic thickener made from a combination of flour and fats. Flour is often used all by itself for thickening soups as sprinkling just a tablespoon or so of it on top of soups and then stirring while simmering is enough to achieve the desired consistency.
Flour roux added to creamy soups that contain bits of cheese can help prevent the cheese from breaking down or separating and clumping together. However, if even more flavor or thickness is needed for soups and especially stews, make a roux from clarified butter or oil and flour that are blended together in a saucepan until browned. Roux can be nearly all white in color or a deep, dark chocolate brown color.
