One Pot Easy Stovetop Vegetarian Taco Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I use to thicken taco soup? ›

If you want to thicken up your taco soup quickly, cornstarch or flour could be your best friends. Mix one tablespoon of cornstarch or flour with equal parts water in a small bowl until smooth.

Use fresh vegetables, high-quality meats or broth, and fresh herbs to add depth of flavor. Add acidity: A squeeze of lemon or lime juice, a dash of vinegar, or a splash of wine can brighten the flavors of a soup and make it taste more complex.

Add Something Creamy

Possibilities include cream, coconut milk, yogurt, or even pureed avocado. If you choose coconut milk, be aware that it will impart a sweet, coconut flavor, which might not be right for every soup. Yogurt will add tanginess.

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.

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl.

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.

A typical 12-serving taco seasoning mix recipe uses about 1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch. If you want to skip the cornstarch in your homemade seasoning to use it for other purposes, just sprinkle ⅓ to ½ teaspoon of cornstarch per pound of browned, spiced meat before adding ¾ cup of water and heat until thickened.

Can you thicken soup without cornstarch? ›

Flour can be used to thicken a soup because of the gluten and protein found in flour. Once wet, the gluten in the flour will expand and create a paste that will help to thicken your soup. In order to thicken a soup with flour, take a small portion of it, and mix in the flour until it is fully dissolved.