How To Thicken Split Pea Soup (2024)

FAQs

How To Thicken Split Pea Soup? ›

I decided to use cornstarch. I eyeballed about 2–3 tbsp of cornstarch to a small ramekin then enough water to remove any clumps or lumpiness. I heated the pot to a boil added the mixture then put back to a simmer. It thickened nicely after about 5 minutes simmering.

How to Thicken Split Pea Soup. The potato should make your split pea soup perfectly thick and creamy. However, if the soup is still too thin for your liking, you can thicken it up with full-fat cream (though it may alter the flavor a bit) or a cornstarch slurry.

The peas only need to be cooked until they are tender. But if you like a smoother, creamier texture, cook them longer until they soften and fall apart. If you like really silky soup, take the extra step of pureeing the peas once they have softened.

Soup Thickening Method: Cornstarch Slurry

I made a classic slurry by whisking cornstarch and hot broth until smooth in a small bowl. I drizzled it into the soup gradually, and brought it to a boil to fully activate, thicken, and cook out the starch flavor before adding more.

The ratio of flour to butter varies, but it's often 2-to-1—for most soups, ½ cup of flour and ¼ cup of butter should do it.

There are several options to thicken split pea soup. One popular choice is to add mashed potatoes. Simply boil and mash some potatoes separately, then stir them into the soup until well combined. Another alternative is to mix in some cooked rice or barley to help thicken the soup.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute.

Whether you soak or not, split peas should be rinsed, simply to remove dust or dirt. You can also soak them in water to pick them over for stones, but the chances of finding one are slim.

Cooking. Bring about 1.5 cups of water or broth to a boil for every cup of lentils or split peas.

Salt and pepper you can just stir in. Same goes for bouillion cubes/paste, though you'll want to mix them into a small amount of soup first to get them to dissolve well and then stir that into the rest of the soup. If you want to add real meat, you'll want to cook it a while longer to get the flavor into the soup.

How to thicken split pea soup without cornstarch? ›

Steam a large potato, peeled and cut into large chunks, over the stockpot for five to eight minutes or until the potatoes are tender and cooked through. Add the potatoes and soup to the blender and puree until the soup is smooth and creamy. The potatoes should further thicken the stock.

Add flour or cornflour

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. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

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.

However, when using flour as a gravy thickener, you must double the amount—use 2 tablespoons of flour per 1 cup of liquid. Use a whisk or wooden spoon to incorporate, stirring constantly until you thicken the gravy to the desired consistency.

Whisk in a bit of flour or starch.

Both flours and starches help thicken sauces effectively. However, if you add them directly into your soup, they will clump. Instead, whisk a small amount of soup into the starch or flour until it dissolves, then add the resulting mixture into the soup.

For a small amount of sauce use 1 tablespoon and for a large stew or soup use up to 4 tablespoons. Measure the all-purpose flour and add it to a small mixing bowl. Use a ladle or large spoon to add about 1 cup of hot cooking broth to the bowl with the flour.

Adding/mixing water in the soup makes the soup less thick. (discrepencies apply. You could use more vegetables/fruits/ingredients with water in them in your soup or just plain ol' pour in water, though ratio applies. Some ingredients have more water than others.

For a variation, add 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon and 3 tablespoons of white wine to the soup instead of the garam masala. No ham on hand? Fry up some bacon and crumble it on top of the soup. A pale ale or an Alsatian gewurztraminer teams well with the spicy soup.