Mistakenly Thin Out Your Soup Broth? Thicken It Up With Aquafaba (2024)
allen foster
·2-min read
Mistakes happen in the kitchen. Sometimes we're preoccupied. Forgetting to remove a dish from the oven might not be a redeemable oopsie. However, adding too much liquid to your soup, broth, or stock isn't an unfixable offense. In fact, there are several ways to thicken up your soup. You can add rice, bread, potatoes, beans, flour, cornstarch, and more. One method that has become increasingly popular is using aquafaba.
Aquafaba is the wondrous ingredient that has become more prevalent over the last decade. Since it can be used as a substitute for egg whites, vegans love the stuff. Aquafaba is the starchy liquid that beans have been cooked in. That viscous fluid you find when you open a can of chickpeas is aquafaba.
Because of its high starch content, aquafaba is a natural thickening agent. If your soup, broth, or stock is too watery, simply pour in the aquafaba and let it simmer. After just a few minutes, you will see aquafaba work its magic as your recipe thickens.
The reason aquafaba works so well is because it is a starchy liquid. A starch is very good at absorbing water and other liquids. When you heat liquids, the molecules become agitated and move around rapidly. When they collide with starch, the starch absorbs the water to thicken any recipe that contains water. This makes aquafaba a highly versatile thickening agent that can be used in soups, broths, and stocks.
While aquafaba can technically be made from other legumes, chickpeas create the starchiest results. They are also the most neutral tasting. These two traits combine to make chickpeas the go-to aquafaba legume.
The easiest way to get aquafaba is to pour it from a can of chickpeas. However, you can also make it from scratch. To do this, simmer the leftover liquid in your pot after cooking chickpeas. In about 30 to 45 minutes, it will thicken and turn yellow. If not used immediately, it can be stored for up to five days in the refrigerator. Frozen aquafaba, on the other hand, can last several months.
Because of its high starch content, aquafaba is a natural thickening agent. If your soup, broth, or stock is too watery, simply pour in the aquafaba and let it simmer. After just a few minutes, you will see aquafaba work its magic as your recipe thickens.
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.
Some cans may differ, though, so if your aquafaba is excessively watery, you can reduce the liquid slightly on the stove until it thickens, then let cool before whipping. Use cream of tartar.
Aquafaba is gaining popularity as an egg white substitute, especially among vegans who have found that the bean water can be used as an emulsifying, foaming, binding, gelatinizing and thickening agent.
As a rule of thumb, dissolve 2 parts cold water and 1 part cornstarch.Add the slurry to your sauce as it simmers in the slow cooker. Cornstarch is always a good way to thicken a sauce or soup but personally I would recommend going a different route as the cornstarch slurry may change the flavor of the meal.
To thin the soup out, simply add more water. To make it creamier, add some milk, cream or coconut milk. A dollop of yogurt or sour cream are also good additions as you blend the soup together.
If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool. Add a few tablespoons of flour or cornstarch to the bowl and whisk until it's blended smooth. Next, bring the soup to a simmer and add the mixture back to the pot.
It will deflate over time and go almost back to liquid, but by simply re-whipping it again later (3 and 4 times even!) it will whip back up to perfectly beautiful, stiff, glossy meringue just like it was the first time.
This makes aquafaba a highly versatile thickening agent that can be used in soups, broths, and stocks. While aquafaba can technically be made from other legumes, chickpeas create the starchiest results. They are also the most neutral tasting.
Aquafaba should be of a similar consistency to egg whites to be a proper vegan egg replacement. This is why it's a good idea to try several brands and see which one works best – the more gelatinous the aquafaba, the better the result. If the bean liquid is too thin, you can cook it down to thicken it.
Important: If mayonnaise doesn't thicken: 1- Start the process by using a small amount of the thin or broken mayonnaise and emulsify with the remaining oil. 2- Add alternately the remaining mixture that has not thicken and oil. 3- Use more oil than the recipe calls for if necessary.
Aquafaba is the liquid that is leftover from when you cook dried beans. Or the liquid in a can of beans. The aquafaba adds extra minerals to the broth and can really add more depth to it.
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. Be careful of the ratio of the ingredients you use in a soup for both thickness AND flavor.)
Aquafaba is the starchy liquid that beans have been cooked in. That viscous fluid you find when you open a can of chickpeas is aquafaba. Because of its high sta...
Also other people have mentioned, this is an amazing vegan egg replacer (aquafaba). I've made meringue, brioche, sponge, Hokkaido milk bread and other bakes...
You've made a soup, followed the recipe, used all the right ingredients, and it still seems thin and watery? Luckily for home chefs, there are several ways.
Ok, this may be a little obvious, but just adding water is going to make your soup go a little further. If you stick to a 50/50 ratio between water and whatever flavoured liquid you're using in your soup (be it tomatoes, a stock type, or a cream), you're unlikely to dilute it to the point of making it unpalatable.
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.
Cornstarch is a great option as it is a natural thickening agent, but you'll want to be careful about how much you use. Start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked together with cold water to create a slurry. Then, gradually add the slurry to the soup, letting it boil for one to two minutes before adding more.
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