Easy Ways to Thicken Sauce, Gravy, Soups, and Stews in a Slow Cooker

How To Thicken Sauce In a Slow Cooker

There are a variety of ways to fix watery crockpot sauce while retaining great flavor.

Thicken with Flour

1. For each cup of medium-thick sauce, use two tablespoons of all-purpose flour or your favorite flour blend, like gluten-free flour or even chickpea flour, blended with one-fourth cup of cold water as a thickening agent.
2. To avoid lumps, thoroughly combine in the water. Cook and stir over medium heat until the sauce is bubbling and thickened after adding the flour and water mixture.
3. Turn your slow cooker on high, then stir in a few tablespoons of the cooked flour mixture. Whisk and allow to simmer and thicken. If it is not thick enough, repeat with a few more tablespoons.

I find it helpful to use a gravy whisk so lumps are broken apart.

Thicken with Cornstarch

For each cup of medium-thick sauce, add one tablespoon of cornstarch to two tablespoon of cold water or cold milk. (a cornstarch slurry).

I like to use a gravy shaker, this helps form a lump-free slurry.

Pour the cornstarch and water ingredients into your sauce after thoroughly combining them. Stirring and cooking at medium heat until bubbling and thickened.

Thicken Without Cornstarch or Flour

To thicken your sauce naturally, scoop out a portion of the cooked vegetables and liquid into a separate container. Use an immersion blender to puree them until smooth, then pour the mixture back into the slow cooker. Starchy vegetables like potatoes, winter squash, or carrots work beautifully for this. As you stir everything together, the sauce will thicken up and gain a richer, creamier texture without any added thickeners.

How To Thicken BBQ Sauce In a Crock Pot

• To thicken BBQ sauce like my Bacon and Whiskey BBQ Sauce, without any thickening agents, you can simply cook it down on low heat until it’s reduced substantially. This will help concentrate the flavors and make a thicker sauce.
• You can also simmer tomato paste with the BBQ sauce; this will give it a slightly more gelatinous texture and an even richer flavor.
• For a quicker fix, mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with one tablespoon of cold water and then whisk it into the sauce and bring it to a boil. This method would work great with Southern Crock Pot Country Style Ribs.

How To Thicken Tomato Sauce

• Adding a few tablespoons of tomato paste to the sauce while cooking or adding some sugar or honey to balance out the acidity can help thicken tomato sauces.
• You can also mash up some cooked potatoes and whisk them into the sauce; this will add body and flavor as well as a bit of thickness.
• For thinner sauces, you can use one tablespoon of cornstarch blended with one tablespoon of cold water (a cornstarch slurry) and then add it to the sauce while stirring continuously.

How To Thicken Gravy In a Crock Pot

Thicken Gravy with Flour

• To thicken gravy with flour: For each cup of liquid, use two tablespoons of flour blended with one-fourth cup of cold water.
• Mix the flour and water together in a small bowl until thoroughly combined. Pour into your gravy after stirring it over medium-high heat until it’s bubbling and thickened.
• You could also try adding in some gravy granules until your reach the perfect consistency.

Thicken Gravy with Cornstarch

1. For each cup of liquid, add one tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with one tablespoon of cold water (a cornstarch slurry).
2. Pour the mixture into your gravy after stirring it over medium heat until it’s bubbling and thickened.

How To Thicken Slow Cooker Gravy Without Flour

If you’d rather not use flour, don’t worry. There are a few simple tricks that will give you rich, smooth gravy right in your slow cooker.

• Use cornstarch or arrowroot powder: Mix one tablespoon of cornstarch (or arrowroot if you need a gluten-free option) with one tablespoon of cold water. Whisk the slurry into the hot gravy and cook on high for about 15 to 30 minutes until it thickens up nicely.
• Blend in some veggies: Scoop out a bit of the cooked vegetables and liquid, then blend them until smooth. Pour that mixture back into the slow cooker and stir. Potatoes, carrots, and onions work great for this and add a little extra flavor too.
• Let it simmer uncovered: Turn your slow cooker on high and take off the lid. Let it cook for about 20 to 30 minutes so the steam can escape and the sauce can reduce naturally.
• Add a splash of cream or sour cream: This one’s my favorite for creamy gravies. Start with a tablespoon or two and stir until it reaches the texture you like.

Pro Tip: If your gravy still feels a little thin after thickening, let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. As it cools slightly, the starches settle and the texture naturally thickens, giving you that perfect, velvety spoonful every time.

Each of these tricks will give you thick, flavorful gravy without flour, and they’re just as handy for sauces and soups too.

How To Thicken Soups and Stews

Creamy Soups

• This Creamy Crock Pot Chicken Corn Soup is considered a cream soup. To thicken creamy dairy-based soups, you can add a mixture of cornstarch and water. Use one tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with one tablespoon of cold water (a cornstarch slurry) for every cup of liquid in the soup. Add the slurry to the soup while stirring continuously until it thickens.
• You can also add heavy cream to the soup to achieve a thicker consistency.
• Additionally, adding root vegetables like potatoes can provide natural thickening.

Broth-Based Soups

• To thicken soup with a roux, start by melting butter in a pan over medium heat. Add an equal amount of flour to the melted butter, stirring constantly to form a smooth paste. Cook the roux for a few minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste. Then, gradually ladle in small amounts of the hot soup into the roux, stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Once the roux and soup mixture is smooth, pour it back into the soup pot and stir well. Let the soup simmer for a few minutes until it reaches the desired thickness.
• Adding a starch such as pasta or crushed tortilla chips can effectively thicken your soup or stew. The starch in these ingredients absorbs liquid and helps to create a thicker consistency. When using pasta, it’s important to cook it directly in the soup or stew, allowing the noodles to release starch as they cook, thus contributing to the overall thickening. Crushed tortilla chips can be added directly to the soup, as they will disintegrate and disperse starch, aiding in thickening the liquid. Both pasta and tortilla chips also add texture and flavor to the dish.

How To Thicken Chili

Red Chili

• Some simple suggestions are adding a can of beans. You can then blend some of the beans, or you can even add refried beans. Also, if there is too much liquid in your chili, you can try adding some more meat, like ground beef, to absorb the excess liquid and thicken it up.
• You can also thicken the chili by adding a mixture of equal parts cornstarch and water at the end of cooking. Use two tablespoons of this mixture for every cup of liquid in your chili.
• Stir in some mix-ins like cheddar cheese and corn chips.
• Blend a tablespoon of masa flour and cold water together, then cook in the chilies for 5 to 10 minutes to help thicken them. This is a star ingredient in my readers’ favorite Texas Chili Recipe.

For more easy ways to thicken slow cooker chili, be sure to read through 17 Quick Ways to Thicken Chili.