Cheesy Cornbread Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to thicken soup with corn meal? ›

In a medium stockpot, bring chicken broth to a simmer. Slowly stir in cornmeal and simmer, stirring often for about 30 minutes or until smooth with a creamy texture. This also makes a great soup-base for other soups. You can make it as thin or as thick as you like by adjusting the amount of cornmeal.

A common technique used in the Mediterranean, thickening soups with bread is an easy way to add texture and bulk – it turns a simple bowl of broth into a full meal. The best part about using bread as a thickener is that depending on how you use it, you can control the thickness of your soup.

Remove the pan from the heat and whisk the hot stock into the polenta 1 ladleful at a time, whisking well to keep the polenta smooth (fig. 6.1). Return the pan to the burner and cook over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until the polenta thickens the broth and is soft but firm to the tooth, about 20 minutes (fig.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

It's important to note that cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. If you need to substitute cornstarch to thicken liquid in a recipe that calls for ¼ cup (four tablespoons) flour, you only need two tablespoons cornstarch.

Cornmeal is one of our go-to thickening agents for chili. Unlike all-purpose flour, this Southern pantry staple adds a subtle earthy flavor to the chili in addition to thickening it up. You can use white or yellow cornmeal that is fine to medium-grain.

Add flour or cornflour

You can also use flour or cornflour to thicken a soup. Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer.

Chunkier soups, like black bean or lentil, tend to lean thick—and, it must be said, gloopy. To thin them out (and dial down the intense salinity), add more water or low-sodium stock while they're heating. (If you overdo it, don't stress: Continue simmering until the liquid has reduced to your desired consistency.)

Does butter thicken soup? ›

Make Roux for thicker soup (Butter and flour)

Butter and flour are in all sorts of recipes from pies, bread, and even soups. Traditional dairy butter is used to thicken sauces, and when combined with flour, you get what's known as Roux. Roux is easy to make and will instantly give you a flavorful and thicker soup.

Masa harina is a fine, powdery meal sold in grocery stores and Mexican markets. It is made from field corn, but is not the same thing as cornmeal or corn flour and cannot be used as such. It makes a perfect thickener for soups and stews, especially if you want to add enchilada flavor.

Masa harina is an especially effective thickener, so start with a small amount — say, 1 tablespoon each water and masa harina per 3 cups of chili. It can take a few moments for masa harina to work its magic, so let the chili simmer, stirring often, for about five minutes, and then check its consistency.