How to Make a Cornstarch Slurry

Is your gravy, sauce, or soup a little thin and need to thicken it up? Whisk up a cornstarch slurry in a hurry and make a glossy, thick sauce or stew!

What is a slurry?

Have you heard the term slurry before and wonder what it means? It’s a cooking technique that is easy to use and can save you cooking time in certain recipes. Making you a professional home cook!

It’s a simple combination of a liquid, usually water or broth, and cornstarch that is added to liquid that is cooking. Typically 1 part cornstarch to 2 parts water. Sometimes equal parts are used.

You can also make one with flour or potato starch which is popular in Japanese cooking.

What is the purpose of a cornstarch slurry?

The purpose of a slurry is to thicken soups or other liquids that is too thin without the time needed to reduce the volume. Cornstarch is like a sponge and absorbs the liquid around it.

This is great when you need to thicken up sauces and gravies.

Think of it as a miracle mixture that will help you make smotth sauce or add it to pan drippings and make a delicious gravy for mashed potatoes.

Cornstarch thickens in a way that makes a great thickening agent for fruit fillings like this apple pie filling and cherry pie filling.

Ingredients Needed

Cornstarch – Also known as corn flour. It is very silky and powdery.

Water – This is the easiest thing to mix with it but you can also use broth or juice. Some prefer cold water but I like to use warm water as I find it mixes better.

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How to make a cornstarch slurry

First: Measure out the cornstarch and water. You need a 2:1 ratio water to cornstarch. The perfect ratio of liquid to starch is 2:1 but if you are more seasoned, you can use equal parts.

Second: Whisk together until smooth.

Third: Pour into your dish and stir. Continue to heat until it reaches the desired consistency.

Be sure to use a cornstarch slurry when you are near the end of the cooking process. If you cook a sauce thickened with cornstarch too long after it is added, the cornstarch can break down and you will end up with a loose sauce again.

For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.

What is the difference between a slurry and a roux?

Depending on the recipe, some directions call for making a roux. A roux is a combination of fat and flour that are cooked in a pan before adding the rest of the liquid.

Roux is used as a thickening agent in the beginning of the recipe typically, where as a slurry is used to finish a sauce. This sweet and sour sauce is a great example.

I prefer a roux when making gumbo or gravy as you can brown the flour mixture and get a deep color and extra flavor.

What is better to thicken with, flour or cornstarch slurry?

It all depends on the recipe. A flour thickener needs longer to cook and will make the dish opaque.

A cornstarch slurry delivers results much faster and keeps any soups or sauces clearer. I use one in this Chicken Stir Fry recipe.

Don’t get too eager and toss a tablespoon of cornstarch into the soup thinking you don’t need to mix it with hot liquid first. It will just lump up.

Tips for No Leftovers

• Add the liquid to the dry cornstarch to keep lumps down.
• Whisk the ingredients together until smooth to avoid lumps. If you have some you can always strain it through a sieve if needed.
• Add the cornstarch slurry a small amount at a time to allow the sauce to thicken. You don’t want to overdo it.
• Whisk Constantly once added to the sauce to ensure even mixing and thickening.
• You can also use arrowroot powder or tapioca starch.

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Whether you are making special stew or if you need to thicken up a sauce at the last minute, a cornstarch slurry is the kitchen technique you need to make professional style recipes!

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