How to Thicken Sauces with Cornflour

The humble cornflour (cornstarch) has always been a staple in my kitchen, and I really don't know where I'd be without it sometimes! It's an unassuming white powder, reminiscent of talc (and yes you can use it as a natural talc - I do!) that I recommend always having in your cupboards. 

It's a simple, cheap and gluten free and way to thicken sauces, stews, gravies and more. 

If you're cooking a disk like a curry or a chili and it's a little bit too watery and you don't have time to reduce the sauce any further, then cornflour is here to save the day.

The way to use it is incredibly simple - mix 1-2 tsp cornflour with a dash of cold water and mix together to form a thin paste that looks a bit like single cream. 

It also makes your sauces a little lighter in colour and creamier, but without all the calories of actual cream!

Here are three simple ways to thicken your sauces.

Adding cornflour to a pan on the hob

Bring your dish, sauce or  gravy to a simmer, and add the cornflour mixture, stirring constantly for a minute or two until it's fully combined. 

The sauce will start to thicken immediately, and you must stir it constantly at first to make sure you don't get any lumps.

The sauce will continue to thicken for a minute or two, and you may notice that the sauce becomes more solid when cooled.

Remember that heat is key to helping the cornflour do it's job, so make sure you heat the sauce or gravy until it's simmering/ bubbling to provoke the thickening action.

Thickening gravy in the microwave

There's nothing more annoying that making a lovely gravy but it not being thick enough! Whilst I really like the commercial instant gravies, sometimes they aren't thick enough for my liking and adding more granules can make them excessively salty and overpowering. 

Cornflour to the rescue again!

Add 1 tsp of cornflour to a tbsp water approx and mix together. Add to the gravy and stir thoroughly.

Pop your microwave proof gravy boat or jug into the microwave for 1 minute and check to see if it's adequately thick. Repeat with 30 second intervals stirring between each one, until it reaches the desired consistency.

Also works with custard!

Thickening sauces for a casserole or pie

This is another useful way you can use cornflour. Some recipes  for casseroles or pies that are cooked in the oven include a tablespoon of wheat flour to make a casserole thicker but that's really no good if you can't eat wheat! 

Dissolve 1-2 tsp cornflour in 1-2 tbsp water and add to the (ideally) cold liquids in your casserole or pie before pouring them into the tin or dish. The cornflour will thicken the sauce very nicely. You may need to experiment to get the exact consistency you want. 

Tips

- Always mix your cornflour with water before use - adding the dry powder to a sauce is a recipe for lumps!

- Less is more - Start out with 1-2 tsps of cornflour & see if that is adequate for your needs. You can always add more if it doesn't thicken your sauce enough.

- Sauce too thick? We all get a bit overenthusiastic with the cornflour sometimes, especially me when I'm in a hurry! Add a little hot water from the kettle to thin it back down a bit.

- Always use cold water when you're mixing up the cornflour paste. Add hot water and it will turn into a useless, gelatinous lump!