1,487 thickener recipes

Soutzouki, the traditional Greek grape-and-walnut candy. A chewy grape-juice gel thickened with pectin, studded with whole walnuts and rolled into a log to slice. Naturally fruit-sweet, no candy thermometer needed.

Fruit tzimmes with mixed dried fruits, brown rice, and honey, thickened with a traditional einbren roux and broiled until golden. A warm Jewish holiday dessert.

Rich fish chowder with five pounds of fish simmered in fish stock, thickened with a butter roux, and finished with cream and Monterey Jack cheese for a velvety, hearty bowl.

Vegetable gumbo is a lighter, meatless take on the Cajun classic: the holy trinity simmered with okra, corn, tomatoes and paprika, thickened naturally by the okra. No roux, no meat, just hearty vegetable comfort.

Vegetarian potato corn chowder with carrots, celery, tomatoes, and herbs, thickened by mashing some of the potatoes back into the broth. Hearty, creamy, and dairy-free.

Tender stewing beef braised in beef broth and soy sauce with green peas and diced pimentos, thickened with cornstarch and served over rice. An Asian-inspired twist on classic beef stew.

Pepper steak for two with thin-sliced round steak, green bell peppers, and tomato simmered in a soy-ginger sauce thickened with cornstarch. Served over hot rice for a complete weeknight dinner.

Creamy salmon chowder with tender potatoes, herbs, and melted Monterey Jack. This comforting soup balances flaky canned salmon with aromatic thyme and dill in a velvety roux-thickened broth.

Fettuccine Uzie tosses shrimp and sea scallops in a buttery cream sauce with shallots and garlic. The pasta starch thickens the sauce naturally for a silky, rich finish.

Annie Mae Jones' ham and white bean soup, a simple old-fashioned recipe that uses a leftover ham bone, white beans, and a few aromatics. Thickened with mashed beans the traditional way, no roux or cream required.

A no-bean Texas-style beef chili with cubed chuck, beer, jalapeños, and masa for thickening. Slow-simmered for 2 hours until fork-tender with bold cumin and chili powder heat.

Glazed carrots in a sweet orange juice and raisin sauce thickened with cornstarch. A bright, naturally sweet side dish with no butter or cream needed.

Fresh ripe tomatoes stewed with scallions, green pepper, dill, and basil, thickened with cornmeal and enriched with sunflower seed butter. Diabetic-friendly and naturally vegan.

Oma Pantke's gruene bohnen-eintopf: a traditional German one-pot stew of simmered stewing beef, green beans, and mashed potatoes thickened right in the pot. Grandmother's comfort cooking for six.

A competition-style Texas chili with coarse-ground beef chuck, no beans, and a bold spice blend of cumin, oregano, woodruff, and pequin chilis. Simmered for hours and thickened with corn flour.

Joe Cooper's chili is a classic Texas bowl of red: three pounds of beef simmered with dried chiles, garlic, cumin, oregano, and a hint of cocoa. No beans, no tomatoes, just deep beef-and-chile flavor thickened with cornmeal and flour.