How to Thicken Soup with Eggs (2024)

FAQs

How do you thicken soup with an egg? ›

Add Eggs

To use egg yolks to thicken a soup, whisk the yolks on their own in a mixing bowl and slowly ladle in hot soup bit by bit, whisking constantly, until the mixture is hot to the touch.

Their ability to hold up to four times their weight in moisture makes eggs a good thickener for sauces, custards and curds. The proteins in eggs coagulate or set at different temperatures.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

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. Pro tip: Don't dump in the entire mixture at once.

Using Egg Yolks to Thicken Liquids

Beat the yolks until they appear consistently smooth and slightly frothy. Use 2 to 3 egg yolks per cup of liquid sauce you want to thicken. The more egg yolks you use, the thicker the resulting sauce will be.

One of my favorite ways to thicken a soup is with eggs! It is one of the lesser known ways to thicken soups that I love to use because it results in a rich flavor, silky texture, and a creaminess without adding cream!

To thicken a soup, stew, or sauce, leaving the lid uncovered is ideal. "It must be off, or semi-covered, if you are slowing down the reduction process," says Stephen Chavez, chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education.

Allowing your soup to simmer can help it thicken, since it will help some of the liquid evaporate away. This will work better if you've added a thickening agent, such as cornstarch.

Cornstarch. Cornstarch is the most common thickening agent used in the industry. It is mixed with water or juice and boiled to make fillings and to give a glossy semi-clear finish to products. Commercial cornstarch is made by soaking maize in water containing sulphur dioxide.

If it's too thick.

All you need to do is add more of the recipe's cooking liquid — such as wine, broth or cream.

How to thicken sauce with eggs? ›

Drop a yolk into the pan or pot just after it's come off the heat, so that it's hot but not boiling. Whisk or stir quickly to break the yolk. Progressively, the residual heat will cook the yolk as you mix it into the entire dish. Once it hits around 160 degrees, it should be glossy and thick.

Custard ice cream, creme brulée, lemon meringue pie. They all rely on egg yolks. Without them, custards melt too quickly, creme brulées are runny, and the pie filling wouldn't set. Egg yolks can thicken liquids.

Cornstarch: This is for thickening the soup base. One note here: you should use as much or as little cornstarch as you need to get the consistency of the soup to YOUR liking – if you prefer a thinner, runnier soup, use less cornstarch. If you prefer a thicker Egg Drop Soup, use more!

Adding eggs to soup can elevate the flavors, create a creamy texture, and provide an added nutritional boost. Whether you're a soup aficionado or a cooking newbie, here are some simple and tasty ways to incorporate eggs into your favorite soup recipes.

Crack the egg in a small bowl and season with a few additional drops of fish sauce and a pinch of Umami Stir-Fry Powder or salt. Whisk well with a fork. Remove the bone broth from the heat and stir the soup with a heat-proof spatula as you slowly pour in the whisked egg.

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.