Forget Flour! Sweet Potato Is The Soup Thickener You Need

When it comes to the task of thickening up soups and sauces, reaching for flour to make a simple roux is a popular choice. There are different types of flour that one can play around with to whip up a delicious soup, including the versatile chickpea flour. There is something special about ladling a rich, thick soup into a bowl; it evokes a completely different level of comfort, and is heartier and more satisfying than a liquid-heavy soup or stew. Plus, it makes for some fantastic dunking action with a thick cut of bread for a well-rounded dish.

However, did you know that sweet potatoes are also an excellent thickening agent for your soup? As a matter of fact, not using sweet potatoes as a soup thickener is among the list of mistakes that everyone makes when cooking sweet potatoes. Simply make a sweet potato puree by boiling or baking them until they're nice and soft, peeling off the skin, and blending the flesh until smooth. Then, stir it into your soup and let the unleashed starches work their thickening magic. The name of the game is starch, and sweet potatoes offer a plant-powered, gluten- and dairy-free option for making delicious stews throughout soup season. As the soup cooks, the starches from this root vegetable release into their surroundings, creating a thick, velvety result.

Furthermore, the natural sweetness from the sweet potato brings some balance to the other flavor profiles of the soup, cutting through any tangy, bitter, salty, or spicy notes. You can also experiment with other sweet potato varieties, like Japanese sweet potatoes, for nuanced and nutty flavors.

It's not only sweet potatoes' starches that can miraculously transform a watery soup into one with more substance and body. There truly is no shortage of ways to whip up thick and luscious soups without any dairy, meaning more folks can enjoy a creamy serving. For those who fancy a cheesy, umami kick, look no further than nutritional yeast to thicken up the soup. It's a great option to create plant-based versions of cheesy soups without sacrificing flavor. Another vegan staple that also delivers a hefty amount of plant protein is tofu. Not only can blending in tofu efficiently thicken up soup, but since the tofu itself has a relatively neutral flavor, it means it won't overpower the flavors of the other ingredients and allow them to shine. On the topic of protein, powdered peanut butter is also a fantastic ingredient to add, and it works especially well in West African-inspired soup recipes. Alternatively, a handy hack to avoid food waste while repurposing what would otherwise be tossed out is using stale bread as a thickening agent.

If you're seeking more vegetable-forward means to create rich soups, consider playing around with other starchy vegetables like pumpkins, squashes, or conventional white potatoes. Speaking of potatoes, you can also take a trick from Chef Jacques Pépin and use instant mashed potatoes to say goodbye to watery soups, once and for all. Ultimately, it all boils down to personal taste preferences. Take this soup season as an opportunity to get creative in the kitchen and prepare no shortage of delectable soups that will have your home smelling divine.