One Pot Easy Stovetop Vegetarian Taco Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you thicken taco soup? ›

If you're looking to upgrade your taco soup into a rich, creamy meal, you could turn to tried-and-true thickeners like cream cheese, heavy cream, flour, or corn starch.

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.

To Store: Store soup in the refrigerator for 3-4 days after making. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. To Freeze: Allow creamy taco soup to cool completely. Place in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

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!

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.

Flour Slurry

Combine equal parts of flour and cold water in a cup. Mix it until it's smooth and stir it into the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer for 5 minutes. A general rule is use 2 tsp (3 grams) of flour to thicken 1 L (34 fl oz) of liquid.

Cornstarch needs heat (in the ballpark of 203°F) in order for “starch gelatinization”—that is, the scientific process in which starch granules swell and absorb water—to occur. In other words, if you don't heat your cornstarch to a high enough temperature, your mixture will never thicken.

Food should not be at room temperature for more than two hours. Shallow containers or small amounts of hot food can be placed directly in the refrigerator or rapidly chilled in an ice or cold water bath before refrigerating.

Is 5 day old soup ok to eat? ›

Most soups can only last in a refrigerator for 3 to 4 days until they risk going bad, so make sure you place your cooled vegetable soup promptly in the freezer before this point. Make sure your soup lasts well by placing it in an airtight freezer-safe container.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), soups and stews containing meat and vegetables will be safe to eat for three to four days if refrigerated. The Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety (CFS) recommends setting your fridge temperature at 4 degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit) or below.

If you're looking to upgrade your taco soup into a rich, creamy meal, you could turn to tried-and-true thickeners like cream cheese, heavy cream, flour, or corn starch.

Second, you can add some crushed corn chips – tortilla chips work well, as do salty Fritos. The chips will soak up liquid and become soft, thickening the chili and adding flavor without being noticeable.

Whisk a teaspoon of flour in a little cold water to make a slurry, then stir into the stew as it's cooking. Don't add dry flour directly to the stew as it may clump. After adding the slurry, bring the stew to boil. This will cook out the flour taste and allow the starch to swell.

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with every 1/4 cup cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to your sauce over medium heat, and continue to stir and cook until you've reached your desired consistency. Test with a spoon.

Masa harina is an especially effective thickener, so start with a small amount — say, 1 tablespoon each water and masa harina per 3 cups of chili. It can take a few moments for masa harina to work its magic, so let the chili simmer, stirring often, for about five minutes, and then check its consistency.