One Pot Easy Stovetop Vegetarian Taco Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do I thicken up my taco soup? ›

The best item to thicken a soup is some sort of starch, whether from flour, cornstarch, arrowroot, or even a lot of potatoes. If it is a powder, mix it with cold water and stir to make a smooth, lump-free paste, and stir constantly as you add it to the soup. A little goes a long way!

Beans are not only a great addition to taco soup for their taste but also for their thickening properties. Mash a portion of the beans with a fork or potato masher and then add them back to the soup. The mashed beans will act as a natural thickening agent, making your taco soup heartier and more substantial.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

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

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.

Wheat Flour

Most households already have plain flour in their kitchens, which makes it an easy swap for cornflour in many recipes. The natural starches in wheat can be used to thicken soups and sauces. There's a reason every luxurious macaroni cheese sauce starts with flour.

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.

A handful of uncooked rice. That's all folks, just a handful of white rice. Any kind will do: jasmine, basmati, short grain, long grain. When added to a brothy (or watery, even) soup, and left to simmer for 20-30 minutes, the rice breaks down, releasing its starch and thickening the liquid that it's cooking in.

Sweet Defeats Heat

Adding something sweet to a too-spicy dish is another great way to reduce spiciness. A sprinkle of sugar or honey should do the trick.

Does adding potatoes reduce spices? ›

Bulk up the Recipe to Dilute the Spice

Protein can help thin out the spicy ingredients as long as they haven't been preseasoned with the same heat-building ingredients. Starches like potatoes, rice, pasta, and bread work to soak up and diffuse spiciness without adding distinct flavors that may alter the recipe.

"Use fresh or dried basil in tomato-based recipes or fresh parsley to add freshness to clear broth soups," says Sofia Norton, RD. You can also go with more heat and spices. "Ground paprika, turmeric, nutmeg, ground ginger, and other powdered spices add a touch of color and spiciness to broths," she says.

Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples

Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it's ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients. Some freshly cracked pepper helps, too!

A squeeze of lemon or lime juice or a little vinegar can help cut through spiciness. Acidic foods tone down the spiciness in foods and can add some flavor, making this a good trick for seafood dishes or creamy soups and chowders.

Incorporate Cornstarch

Cornstarch is another popular thickening agent that can be easily added to your chicken tortilla soup. Mix cornstarch with a small amount of water to create a slurry.

Stir equal parts cornstarch and water or another liquid together until smooth; typically about 1 tablespoon cornstarch is recommended for 1 cup of liquid, but this can vary based on how thick your sauce is to begin with and what your desired texture is. Step 2: Stir and cook.