How do you thicken white chowder?

White chowder is a creamy, hearty soup that is popular in New England. It is made with vegetables like potatoes, corn, and onions simmered in a broth thickened with milk or cream. While delicious on its own, sometimes white chowder can turn out too thin and watery. Luckily, there are a few easy ways to thicken up white chowder to achieve the ideal rich, creamy texture.

Table of Contents

Use a Roux

One of the most common and effective ways to thicken white chowder is to use a roux. A roux is a mixture of equal parts fat (usually butter) and flour that is cooked into a paste. The roux helps thicken liquids through a process called gelatinization. When the starch granules from the flour are heated, they absorb liquid and swell up, resulting in a thicker consistency.

To use a roux, first melt 2-3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in an equal amount of all-purpose flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. The mixture will become smooth and take on a pale, golden color. Slowly whisk in a ladle or two of the chowder liquid to form a thick paste. Then, stir the roux mixture back into the full pot of chowder. Simmer for 5-10 minutes to allow the soup to thicken up to your desired consistency. The longer the roux simmers, the thicker the chowder will become.

Roux Tips

Make sure to cook the flour sufficiently in the melted butter – this cooks off the raw flour taste and helps thicken the liquid.
For a thicker chowder, you can increase the amount of roux you use. However, don’t overdo it as too much roux can make the texture pasty.

Adding roux at the end of cooking prevents over-thickening from extensive simmering. But roux added too late may not have enough time to fully thicken.

Use Cornstarch or Flour

For a quick and easy way to thicken white chowder, you can stir in some cornstarch or flour directly to the simmering pot. This eliminates having to first make a roux. The starch particles will swell and help thicken the surrounding liquid. Cornstarch and flour can be used interchangeably here.

To use this method:

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch or flour with 2 tablespoons of cold water or milk to form a smooth slurry.
Pour the slurry mixture into the simmering chowder, while continuously stirring.
Allow the chowder to simmer for 5-10 minutes to fully thicken. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

The slurry helps prevent clumping when you add the cornstarch/flour directly to the hot liquid. Just be careful not to simmer too long once thickened, as this can cause the soup to become gluey in texture.

Cornstarch vs. Flour

	Cornstarch	All-Purpose Flour
Thickening Power	Twice as powerful as flour	Less thickening power than cornstarch
Texture	Smooth, gel-like consistency	Slightly grainy texture
Flavor	Neutral taste	Imparts a raw flour flavor

Simmer the Chowder

Simply allowing your white chowder to simmer uncovered for a longer period of time can naturally thicken up the soup. Evaporation will cause some of the liquid to reduce, resulting in a thicker consistency.

To use this method:

Bring the chowder to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15-45 minutes until reduced and thickened to your desired texture.
You may need to add a bit more milk or cream towards the end to balance out the evaporated liquid.

The longer the chowder simmers, the thicker it will become. Be careful not to overcook, as this can cause curdling of the dairy. Keep the heat gentle and stir frequently for the best results.

Simmering Tips

Avoid letting the chowder come to a rolling boil, as high heat can break the dairy.
Replace any evaporated milk or cream with fresh dairy to maintain creamy richness.

If chowder becomes too thick, thin it out with additional broth or milk.

Use Potato Flakes

Instant potato flakes are an easy way to add stability and thickness to white chowder and other creamy soups. Potato flakes contain starch that can help bind liquid. The flakes also create silkiness and extra body.

To use:

In a small bowl, whisk 1-3 tablespoons of instant potato flakes with 2 tablespoons milk or water.
Stir the potato flake slurry into the simmering chowder a little at a time until desired consistency is reached.
Allow to simmer 5 minutes for potato flakes to fully hydrate.

Start with just 1 tablespoon of potato flakes first to avoid over-thickening the chowder. Whisk the flakes into a slurry first to prevent clumping. You can always add more as needed. Using potato flakes balances the starchiness from flour or cornstarch.

More Tips for Using Potato Flakes

Better than fresh potatoes at thickening, as more starch is extracted during processing.
Choose instant flakes over granules, which don’t blend as smoothly.

For convenience, potato flakes allow thickening without peeling/cooking fresh potatoes.

Puree Some of the Chowder

Another way to add thickness to chowder is by pureeing a portion of the soup. This releases starch and body from the vegetables, creating a creamier liquid.

To puree:

Remove 2-3 cups of chowder and transfer to a blender or food processor.
Puree until completely smooth, at least 1-2 minutes.
Return the pureed chowder to the pot and stir to combine.

Simmer for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

Focus on pureeing potato and onion pieces to release the most starch and thickness. You can puree as much or as little chowder as you want based on your desired consistency. Just a small amount of puree will create noticeable thickness.

Pureeing Tips

Let hot liquid cool slightly before blending to prevent splattering.

For totally smooth texture, strain puree through a fine mesh sieve.
Avoid pureeing all the chowder, as this gives an unappetizing color and texture.

Add Cream Cheese

For an ultra creamy chowder, stir in a few ounces of cream cheese. The high-fat cream cheese melts into the broth, making it silkier and richer. Just a little goes a long way towards thickening.

To use cream cheese:

Dice 2-4 ounces cream cheese into 1/2 inch cubes.
Add the cubes directly to the simmering chowder.

Stir frequently until cream cheese fully melts and incorporates, 3-5 minutes.

Look for bricks of cream cheese, not the soft, spreadable type. Cutting into cubes first prevents the cream cheese from clumping. For convenience, the cream cheese cubes can also be added right at the end after turning off the heat and still thicken effectively.

Cream Cheese Tips

Start with just a couple ounces, as cream cheese is very rich.

Neufchatel cheese works too and has fewer calories and less fat.
Can soften tangy cream cheese first by letting it warm to room temp before adding.

Add Dairy

One of the easiest ways to thicken and enrich white chowder is by adding extra dairy. Milk, half and half, heavy cream will all help create a thicker, creamier consistency. The natural fat and emulsifiers in dairy products help create richness.

To use:

After initial cooking, assess chowder thickness and creaminess.
Gradually stir in additional milk, cream or half and half until desired texture is reached.

Aim for around 1 extra cup of dairy, adding slowly and tasting as you go.
Briefly simmer to heat through without curdling.

When adding more dairy, opt for heavy products like heavy cream over milk to maximize thickness. But don’t overdo it as too much dairy fat can separate. Go for whole milk over low-fat for the best texture.

Tips for Adding Dairy

Add dairy at end of cooking so it doesn’t over-reduce with extended simmering.
Too much dairy can mute other flavors – fat coats the palate.
For delicacy, drizzle in additional cream vs. dumping to prevent curdling.

Conclusion

White chowder is easy to thicken up with simple techniques like roux, flour, cornstarch, potato flakes, pureeing, and extra dairy. Balancing different starch sources creates great viscosity and body. Simmering and reducing the chowder concentrates flavors for even more richness. Just be careful not to overdo the thickening agents or overcook the soup, which can lead to unpleasant textures. Follow these tips and you’ll have perfect rich and creamy white chowder in no time.