How to Make a Slurry to Thicken Sauces, Soups, and More
We’ve all been there, making a stew, a stovetop gravy, or pan sauce and as the end of the cooking process approaches, realizing the consistency isn’t quite what we were after. What to do? A sprinkle of flour can help, but might result in lumps. You could always try cooking for longer until the liquid has reduced, but that could also result in the dish being too salty. The answer is a simple technique that’s great to have up your sleeve when you need to thicken something quickly — the slurry.
What is a Slurry?
Often, we think of thickening soups and sauces with a roux, which is a mix of flour and fat added toward the start of cooking. Think of a slurry as almost the opposite of a roux. A roux is cooked, uses fat, and is added at the beginning of cooking.
A slurry, on the other hand, is a mixture of liquid and starch that is stirred into soups, stews, gravies, and sauces to thicken their consistency. It’s uncooked, needs no fat, and can be added at any point in cooking process (though usually it’s added towards the end of cooking). Unlike a roux, you don’t need to start with a slurry.
Cornstarch vs Flour
A slurry is made of starch and liquid. Depending on what you’re cooking you can use either all-purpose flour or cornstarch.
- Flour. Stirring flour into a slurry can thicken sauces without the risk of adding any floury lumps. Using flour will result in an opaque slurry that can lighten the color of the dish it’s stirred into.
- Cornstarch. A slurry made with cornstarch can give dishes a more silky texture and glossy appearance, and tends not to affect the color as dramatically as a flour slurry. Cornstarch has more thickening power than flour, so it’s best to start with less cornstarch in the slurry — you can always add more if necessary to achieve the desired consistency.
Recipes to Try that Use a Slurry
How to Make A Slurry
A slurry is an easy way to get a thicker, more luxurious sauce.
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 to 4 tablespoons
all-purpose flour or cornstarch
- 1 cup
hot cooking broth or water
Instructions
How to Make a Slurry with Flour
Depending on the amount of food you're cooking and how thick you'd like it to be, use 1 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour. 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. Immediately stir the mixture with a whisk until it is completely combined.
Slowly pour the slurry into the pot while the stew is hot while whisking. Continue stirring the stew until the mixture starts to thicken.
How to Make a Slurry with Cornstarch
Depending on the amount of food you're cooking and how thick you'd like it to be, use 1 to 4 tablespoons cornstarch. For a small amount of sauce use 1 tablespoon and for a large stew or soup use up to 4 tablespoons.
Measure the cornstarch 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 cornstarch. Immediately stir the mixture with a whisk until it is completely combined.
Slowly pour the slurry into the pot while the stew is hot while whisking. Continue stirring the stew until the mixture starts to thicken.