Here’s the simple math that will save your soup: use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch for every 1 cup of liquid. That’s it. That’s the magic number for a medium-thick, luscious soup.
If you’re making a thick gravy or a chowder that should practically stand up and salute you? Bump it up to 2 tablespoons per cup. But for a standard vegetable or chicken soup, stick with one. Your spoon will thank you.
And please, for the love of all that is holy, don’t dump the cornstarch straight into the hot pot. You’ll get lumpy chalk bombs. Make a slurry first.
How to Make a Slurry (It’s Easy, Promise)
Take your measured cornstarch in a small bowl. Add an equal amount of cold water—about 2 tablespoons of water for 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Whisk it with a fork until it looks like milky, opaque glue.
Now, pour that slurry into your simmering soup while stirring constantly. Don’t stop stirring! It thickens fast, and you want it even, not like a sad, isolated pudding island. Watch it transform in about 30 seconds.
PPT - Soups PowerPoint Presentation, free download - ID:5349206
If you add it and the soup is still too thin? Make a second, smaller slurry and try again. There’s no shame in a second round. We’re all learning here.
