How to thicken broths and soups (2024)

Arrowroot powder, also known as arrowroot starch and arrowroot flour, is a tuber native to Indonesia and is similar to a sweet potato.

It can serve as a paleo-friendly thickener in powdered form that also boosts carbohydrates for energy.

Research indicates it may also support your immune system. Add the arrowroot powder one tablespoon at a time once your soup or broth has already cooked until you have the desired thickness. You do not want to cook with the arrowroot because it breaks down very quickly, compared to starch, and will make your soup feel sticky.

Avocados are well-known as a healthy source of fat, promoting healthy skin, hair and nails and improves satiety.

It can also add a very distinct flavor to your soups and broths, making it an excellent fit for vegetable blends or other dishes with an earthy palette.

Use a ripened avocado, blend it with a portion of your broth, and then combine it with your soup or broth for a nice creamy texture.

Nuts are rich in proteins, lipids, and minerals that help promote good health.

A quick and easy paleo-friendly way to add more thickness to your soups is to grind down 1-2 cups of nuts. Use cashews, peanuts, almonds, or any other nuts that you have at home.

Almond flour is also a commonly available substitute that you can find in almost any grocery store today.

Adding nuts to your broths or soups will add great flavor and release the nuts' fatty oils, proteins, and aroma to your recipe.

While this classic fruit-derived snack is often found in children's lunchboxes, it's also a healthy way to add a nice kick of sweetness to any soup or broth.

Applesauce is especially lovely for those hearty autumn soups and gumbo blends.

Make homemade applesauce from scratch, or pick up applesauce (no added sugar option) from your local grocer.

Also known as garbanzo beans, chickpeas are a protein-rich, gluten-free source of carbohydrates.

A staple of South Asian and Greek cuisine, chickpea flour is an excellent thickener because it has a naturally creamy feel that adds a smooth yet rich texture to soups.

You can also use regular chickpeas instead of the flour.
Mash your cooked or canned chickpeas into a paste before adding them to your broth or soup.

Eggs are often served together with dairy products like milk and cheese, but eggs themselves are not a dairy product.

Specifically, egg yolks are a great thickening agent to add texture and body to your soups.

Beat your eggs in a bowl, with one cup of your warm broth or soup to keep from curdling.
Once you've beaten the eggs and soup together, add it to your pot so the eggs can cook.

Manufactured primarily from the “kernel” – the coconut's inner pulpy shell – coconut milk is a valuable source of proteins and amino acids.

It also has a smooth texture that can be great for creamy types of soup or broth dishes.

Once your soup is nearly ready to serve, stir in coconut milk until you have the desired consistency.

Allow the coconut milk and the soup to sit for at least 3-5 minutes so the flavors and aromas can come together.

Coconut milk is also a great option to add to a bowl of soup when you may have accidentally added too much spice (ex: hot sauce, cayenne pepper) thanks to its fatty and creamy consistency.

Use heavy cream as a keto-friendly thickening option for your soups and broths.

Heavy cream has more fat than regular whole milk, so you can add it to your soup recipes without worrying about it curdling.

Plus, you can whip heavy cream into what looks like whipped cream very quickly, and then add it to your soup.

Like almond flour, almond butter contains some beneficial proteins and lipids that are great for the keto diet.

Almond butter is a versatile thickening agent used in everything from soup blends to baked goods.

It also has a slightly sweet taste, which is excellent for soups with a sweeter taste like pumpkin and carrot soup and coconut-based soups.

Milk has often been an easy choice to thicken soups and broths for several reasons: You usually have some in your kitchen, it's easy to find some at your local grocer, and it's cheap.

Choose high-fat organic milk without hormones and other additives to thicken your soup.

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.

You can do this by melting butter in a saucepan and slowly mixing in flour until you get the consistency you want, then add your Roux to your soup.

Starch typically comes from wheat-based plants and is the most common carbohydrate in the world.

In food, it is used as a thickening agent for baked goods and corn and wheat-based dishes.

You'll find dozens of different starch varieties, including corn, tapioca, and others, at almost any local grocer or online food store.

While soy was considered an early alternative to beef and chicken, it is commonly associated with genetic processing and alterations.

A study showed that 90% of soy products in the United States were genetically altered.

Soy also has phytoestrogens, which act like the hormonal estrogen in the human body and can cause problems for those with sensitivities.

If you want to add some thickness and sweetness, use natural thickeners instead of the highly processed, sweet, thickener corn syrup.

It's found in almost every kind of processed food because of how cheap it is to produce and its effectiveness at making liquids thicker.