Wondering how to tone down spicy soup. Well, it can happen!
If you’re not a die-hard fan of spiciness (just like I am) It can be frustrating to end up with a pot filled with overly spicy shrimp soup especially to spice it down!
You might feel like the world is ending since dinner starts at 15 minutes and you’ve got hungry guests coming over.
But before you go into panic mode, we’re here to tell you that there’s a way to fix your problem.
That’s right!
You can easily tone down a spicy soup, regardless of how hot it can be.
And in this article, we’re going to show you how.
So read on!
How to Tone Down Spicy Soup
You may be itching in your seat right now, dying to finally know the way to even out the spiced dish you accidentally made…
But before we get started, you need to know that there’s more than one method to do this,
So, you can properly pick out which would be best to pair up with your soup.
All you have to do is gather up a few secret ingredients…
and viola!
You’ll be able to set that bowl of perfectly seasoned and spicy shrimp soup at the dinner table with no problem.
(They won’t probably even notice you almost had a breakdown in the kitchen)
So, how exactly do we do it? Well, let’s find out!
Give It a Magical Sprinkle of Sugar
Alright, you may think that this is a bit weird since…
“Who puts sugar in their soup?
That would be the first thought that comes to your mind.
But in all honesty, there are several soup recipes that call for sugar in them. Creamy sugar snaps pea and Belgian onion soup are just some of the few examples.
So stop worrying about your soup getting a weird taste Because this is an ingredient that will go well with whatever soup you may be making.
Sugar can certainly be used to lessen a recipe’s spiciness.
Sweetening a dish that’s too spicy is a great way to balance out that spiciness without sabotaging the flavor of your soup.
You won’t need anything else since this little speck of white grain will do the trick.
It’s pretty easy to use too.
Just simply:
- Take a teaspoon of white or brown sugar (Depending on your taste)
- Carefully sprinkle it over your soup.
- Keep tasting, mixing, and adding sugar until you get the kind of spiciness you wanted.
Just be careful when adding sugar to your dish and…..
DON’T pour in a huge load thinking that it’ll save you more time compared to slowly sprinkling the sugar,
Because…
You might end up with a dish that tastes more like dessert than soup. However, If sugar isn’t your liking, then don’t feel bummed out!
We’ve still got a few tricks up our sleeve and that is…
Using Cornstarch To Lessen a Soup’s Spiciness
The second method you can give a try is:
Using starch or a starchy ingredient to even out a spicy soup.
Starch doesn’t actually make all the spiciness disappear into thin air, but it acts more like a sponge and absorbs it with its bland flavor.
Of course, we all know starch doesn’t normally taste like anything…
It’s not sweet, salty, bitter, or spicy (obviously)
This is why it’s a great absorbent for soup that makes your eyes water around the edges.
Here’s how to do it:
- Simply take half a cup of this powdery ingredient
- Carefully pour it over your pot of soup while turning the heat to the lowest setting.
- Gently stir your soup until the starch is fully dissolved.
The ingredient will absorb all that spiciness and set out its bland taste in replacement, making your soup less spicy than it was before.
However, just like with sugar you need to be careful.
Don’t go overboard with cornstarch since this can end up thickening your soup and be sure to also stir gradually to avoid clumps of it forming!
But if for some reason you just can’t simply find that starch in your kitchen you swear to God you should have, don’t throw a fit!
There’s still another secret ingredient that can make your dish reach that perfect spiciness
And that’s….
Diluting With Some Water or Broth
Now, this method is ideal for any type of soup, especially for chicken, pork, shrimp, or meat soup!
Water or broth is a relatively smart way to lessen the spiciness of your dish because it dilutes the soup efficiently, giving you a chance at a perfect dinner get-together.
However, you need to be cautious when pouring water into cooking vessels. This ingredient can easily make your soup lose flavor if you’re not careful.
Fortunately, diluting your soup with these two elements is pretty easy.
- Just take a cup of water or broth (your choice)
- Gently pour in small amounts of it into the pot that’s in a low-heat setting.
- Mix it all together and do some tasting in between, to make sure you don’t go overboard with diluting.
Now, talk about a total life-saver!
The Newly Found Kitchen Hacks
When it comes to making spicy soup, it’s really a relief to know that you’ve got some tricks on hand when things go south.
You finally know how to even out a soup’s spiciness using the 4 key ingredients:
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Water
- Broth
Gone are the days of constant panicking over too much-spiced soup, because…
We’ve fully got you covered!
However, if the soup isn’t your problem, and the thing you want to figure out fixing is chili,
Then we still have all you need to know right here.
Check out below for…
Chili Too Spicy, How To Make It Mild?
Whether you slop it on a hot dog or eat it with your favorite nacho chips, Spicy chili has become everybody’s comfort food all thanks to the mouth-watering combination of flavor it gives out.
However, not many of us are a fan of chili that seems to make you breathe out fire.
A chili that’s overly spiced-out can not only make your eyes tear up, but it’ll bring discomfort and health issues as well.
This is why it’s good to know how to even out a chili recipe’s spiciness. So, you won’t end up throwing out that wonderful chunk of goodness!
Here are the best ways to make your chili…
“Chill” out!
Take Some Potatoes
As surprising as it may seem, potatoes can actually lessen your chili’s spiciness.
Not only does it do that, but it can also boost up your recipe as well since, who doesn’t love good old potatoes, right?
Potatoes act like a sponge that absorbs all that chilliness spice, along with the chili’s liquid sauce.
Potato contains natural starch too, so it’s possible it may thicken your chili.
If you plan to use this marvelous ingredient in your dish, be sure you add in more liquid, so you don’t end up with a dried-up chili.
The process is quite easy to do:
Just chop off some potatoes and add them to your pot. Wait for a few minutes and start tasting the chili and check if it has toned down. Remove potatoes when done.
However, don’t throw out those potatoes when they have done their job. You may still use it as a mashed potato dish or make some spicy potato soup!
Now that’s done, let’s head on to the next part…
Use The Power of Dairy
Whether it’s cheese, sour cream, or yogurt, dairy can certainly tone down your spicy chili and even give it a funky boost in taste.
Using dairy in your chili is great for situations where you want to experiment with new recipes.
The ingredients found in dairy are known to calm a spicy dish all because of the creaminess and coolness it sets out.
If you’ve got some dairy in your fridge,
Bring it out and let’s start fixing’ up that chili!
For Cheese
Just take your cheese and grate it on top of your chili. Give it a good mix and add more until you reach the spicy preference of your taste buds.
For Sour Cream or Yogurt
Add 3 spoons full of the dairy ingredient into your chili and mix it together. If you still find the taste too much for you, add more until you’re satisfied!
Not only will you end up with chili that won’t make you feel like you’ve set your mouth on fire, but a superb dish that will surely make you and your loved ones wanting for more!
Spicy-Toning Chili Discovery
The days of not enjoying your chili due to its overwhelming spiciness are now gone!
You don’t have to horridly prepare a huge pitcher of water when eating your favorite chili hot dog because you now have the knowledge of how to make any spicy chili mild (yet still flavorful)
You’ve discovered that:
- Potatoes
- Sour cream
- Yogurt
- Cheese
Can all kick-off that spiciness from your chili and bring out the best in it
While still preserving its wonderful taste…
Now before you head out to try your new discoveries,
Let’s now have…
The Final Words
A spicy soup that’s making your head spin, or chili that makes you feel like your breath has caught fire, you now know how to tone down spicy soup.
Use cornstarch, sugar, water, and broth, as well as spicy chill, and finally achieve that taste you’ve always been aiming for.
Whenever you find yourself in a similar situation, just remember:
Don’t throw it out. Instead, take this guide out and give it another review!