How To Thicken Gravy: 5 easy ways to thicken the gravy while making it healthier (2024)

Fond of thick restaurant-style dishes but fail to recreate them at home because the gravy refuses to thicken? Worry no more, as we bring to you 5 easy ways to increase the consistency of your gravy. With these easy tips, you can make the gravies thicker within minutes and replicate those rich restaurant-style dishes without any fuss. (image credits- istock)

The most common way of thickening gravies is by adding cornflour to them. Usually, cornflour is added to Chinese preparations like manchurian, chilli potato and other such food items which require a thick gravy. However, you can also add it to your Indian gravy preparations as well. All you need to do is add 2 tbsp of cornflour to a bowl. Now add ¼ cup water to the bowl and mix to prepare a slurry. Add this slurry to the gravy and mix well. Your gravy will thicken in less than a minute. You can also use refined flour in place of cornflour. Both cornflour and refined flour are not healthy options and are not advisable to use regularly. (image credits- istock)

To create a restaurant-like gravy dish, which is not only thick but also lip-smacking, let us create the tomato puree base which most chefs use. To create the base, first heat some oil in a pan. Add minced garlic and onions. Saute them for a few minutes. Now add chopped tomatoes, along with salt and mix well. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes. Stir them in between. Cook for 2 more minutes until the tomatoes turn mushy. Now let the mixture cool down a bit and blend it in a blender to form a paste. Your gravy base is now ready and you can use it to make any gravy-based dish of your choice. (image credits- istock)

Nut or seed paste is another interesting way of thickening the gravies. Just blend a handful of cashews or almonds to create a thick paste and add it to your gravy. This will not only give a thicker texture but will also make your dish richer. You can also grind some seeds like melon seeds, flax seeds or poppy seeds to create a paste that can increase the consistency of your gravy. (image credits- istock)

If you are a non-vegetarian, then a delicious way to make your gravy tastier is by adding an egg to make. Make sure you don’t add the egg directly into the gravy as it might get scrambled. Break open an egg into a bowl, add ½ cup gravy to it and whisk well to prepare a mixture. Now add this mixture back to the gravy and keep stirring continuously. Keep the flame medium-high and keep stirring until the egg mixture has been combined well. You will notice the gravy getting thicker instantly. Eggs are a rich source of protein and are a healthy option to make gravies thick. (image credits- istock)

Besan or gram flour is usually added to potato based dishes and gives a nice 'halwa wala taste' to the sabzi. Make sure you roast the gram flour first and then add it to ward off the raw smell. Besan is a healthy substitute for corn flour or refined flour to make gravies thicker.

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