How to Thicken Potato Soup: In this article, I will show you the most common ways of thickening your soup to create a creamy texture. Many people find it difficult to eat a bowl of thick soup so they add extra ingredients such as flour or breadcrumbs to make their soup thicker.
Best ways to Thicken Potato Soup
Cream
The first way you can try is by adding cream which is often used for its richness but also gives out a rich taste that many people like. Cream is not always easy to come by so if you don’t have any cream then you could use milk instead. Milk can be used to thicken soups without giving them a very strong flavour because milk is naturally sweet.
It has been said that if you want to add a lot of cream to your soup then you should reduce the amount of other ingredients in the recipe because otherwise, you may end up with a soup too rich in cream. This is why it’s important to balance everything when making soup.
Stock
Another simple way to thicken your soup is by using stock. You can either buy store-bought stock or you can make some from scratch. If you do make your own stock then you can easily control the salt content and other flavours that go into it. Stock is also a great way to give your soup more depth of flavour as well as adding another layer of protein.
There are many different stocks available on the market. The ones that tend to be easier to work with are chicken, vegetable and beef stock. Chicken stock tends to be a bit thinner than other types of stock but still offers a good quality.
Vegetable stock is made from vegetables that have been cooked down until all the water has evaporated leaving the meaty bits behind. These types of stocks can be quite concentrated which means that they can be added straight to your soup without having to dilute them.
Beef stock can sometimes get quite salty as they cook but it’s usually fine to add to your soup once it’s diluted anyway.
Roux
If you are looking for something really easy to make then try making a roux. A roux is basically a mixture of fat and flour that helps make gravy and sauces thick. When using a roux to thicken your soup you need to heat the roux before adding it to the soup. This is what makes it thicken.
Once it reaches this stage the roux needs to be left to cool down before adding it to the soup. As soon as it hits the hot liquid it will begin to dissolve and thicken the soup. Some people use cornstarch instead of a roux but the results are pretty much the same.
Starch
Another way to thicken your soup is by adding starch. Starchy foods include rice, beans, pasta and potatoes. When cooking these starchy items you need to make sure that they are soft enough so that they absorb the surrounding liquid.
You can achieve this by boiling them in plenty of water for 10 minutes or simmering them in a saucepan for around 10 minutes. This method works best for soups where you want to make the soup smooth and creamy. If you’d prefer a chunkier soup then you’ll need to use a different method of thickening.
Common acids
One of the best ways to thicken your soup is by using an acid. An acid will help break down the proteins found in food so that they will become soluble in water. Common acids used to thicken soup are vinegar, lemon juice, and tomato paste. The main thing to remember is that whatever acid you choose to use must be added at the last minute after the soup has already started to boil.
Egg yolks
Egg yolks are high in protein which means they help boost the overall volume of your soup. They contain lecithin which is actually a healthy fat and helps with emulsification (breaking down).
To add egg yolks to your soup you need to whisk them into the soup just before serving. Be careful not to overmix your soup or you risk curdling.
Adding egg yolks to your soup isn’t the only way to thicken it. There are numerous other ways to thicken your soup including using breadcrumbs, flour and cream cheese.
All these methods are similar in the sense that they involve the addition of other ingredients and they all have the potential to make your soup too thick.
Conclusion
Many people believe that adding ingredients to their soup will make it tastier and improve its nutritional value. It’s true that adding ingredients to your soup does increase its flavour and make it healthier but you should try to balance the healthiness of your soup with the taste.
Remember that you can always adjust the flavour of your soup by adding more seasoning or spices. You can also replace some of the ingredients with fresh vegetables.
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