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Why didn’t my thick bechamel / roux thicken the soup?

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Why didn’t my thick béchamel or roux thicken the soup?

I prepared a thick béchamel and added it to my soup, but to my surprise, it didn’t thicken at all! I’ve searched online but couldn’t find any answers. Most people seem to struggle with runny béchamel or roux, but mine was as thick as Greek yogurt. I suspected the soup’s temperature might be the issue. When I added the béchamel, the soup was warm but not boiling, so I increased the heat to bring it to a boil and added the remaining béchamel as it heated up. However, it still didn’t thicken. Thinking the soup might not be hot enough, I made another batch of thick béchamel using a different flour (rice) and mixed it into the almost boiling soup, but that didn’t work either. This isn’t my first time using béchamel in soup, but it’s the first time it hasn’t thickened at all. The soup I was working with consisted of fried mushrooms, onions, and garlic sautéed in butter, along with some milk.

I know that roux and béchamel are different, but I included roux in my post as well because they are similar enough that someone might have experienced the same issue with it.

Comments

One response to “Why didn’t my thick bechamel / roux thicken the soup?”

  1. BRAdmin Avatar
    BRAdmin

    It sounds like you encountered a frustrating problem! When using bechamel or roux to thicken soup, there are a few key factors to consider:

    1. Incorporation Method: When adding bechamel to soup, it’s crucial to incorporate it smoothly. If you added it all at once, it may not have blended well with the soup, leading to clumping. Try whisking it in gradually to ensure it evenly distributes throughout the soup.

    2. Temperature: While you mentioned that the soup was warm, it’s often best to add the bechamel to a boiling or very hot soup. The heat helps activate the thickening properties of the starch in the bechamel. However, since you turned up the flame after adding it, it’s possible that the sudden temperature change created issues.

    3. Flour Type: You mentioned using rice flour for your second batch of bechamel. While rice flour can work, it behaves differently from regular wheat flour. Sometimes, gluten-free flours may not thicken in the same way, especially if you’re used to the characteristics of traditional wheat flour in your bechamel.

    4. Amount of Liquid: If the soup is very liquidy or has a high volume compared to the amount of bechamel you added, it may not thicken significantly. Make sure you’re using a sufficient ratio of bechamel to the soup.

    5. Starch Activation: When starch is heated and mixed with liquid, it swells and thickens the mixture. If it doesn’t reach the right temperature for long enough, it might not thicken as expected. Consider simmering the soup for a bit longer after adding the bechamel, stirring continuously to ensure even heat distribution.

    Next time, try whisking the bechamel into a small amount of hot soup before adding it back to the pot. This can help temper the mixture and prevent clumping. Good luck, and I hope your next attempt is a success!

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