The 1-Ingredient Upgrade for Better Soups (It's My Favorite Italian Staple)

As someone who's perpetually cold, I always have a weekly pot of soup simmering on the stove during the colder months. Since soups have to play a lot of roles in my house—family-friendly, doable on a weeknight, act like a warm hug, provide a comforting, cozy meal, fill my children up so they're not asking for a snack before I've even finished my first bowl (you get the drift)—they have to have sustenance and staying power.

For that reason, I tend to make soups with meat, noodles, or other heavy ingredients that "stick to your ribs" and keep everybody satisfied. So when I learned about Jacques Pépin's genius polenta trick, I knew I had to give it a try.

The "polenta procedure," as I've been jokingly calling it, is a simple technique of adding polenta to soup to thicken it. It transforms brothy soup into a hearty, satisfying meal. Like my desire for a warm hug on a cold day, Pépin's tip of adding polenta to soup is like giving your soup a cozy sweater, making it thicker and more comforting for you.

How To Try Jacques Pépin's Clever Polenta Trick

The beauty of his trick is that it's ridiculously simple. In his kale soup recipe, he whisks one-third cup of polenta into one cup of cold water in a bowl until smooth. Mixing it separately is a small but crucial step that keeps the polenta from clumping once it's added to the soup.

When the polenta mixture is smooth, he adds it directly to the simmering soup and lets it cook, along with the other ingredients, for 15 to 20 minutes. As it cooks, the polenta gradually softens and thickens the broth, adding a subtle corn-like sweetness and a fuller, richer mouthfeel that's deeply satisfying.

If you're worried about it being gritty, it's genuinely not! It just provides more of a "rustic charm."

Polenta-fy Anything

Since discovering this trick, I'll be polenta-fying all my favorite soups. I've already added it to a pot of minestrone, which turned this rustic soup from what we consider a side dish into a filling meal. The polenta perfectly complemented the beans and veggies, creating a hearty Italian-inspired dinner.

I can see myself using this trick for many more soups and stews. When I'm feeling under the weather, adding polenta instead of noodles to a chicken soup would be a nice way to make the broth more substantial and easier to swallow with a sore throat.

A touch of polenta in tomato soup would add body and likely cut through the acidity, minimizing the need for sugar and giving it a grilled cheese sandwich in soup form vibe. And while I love daal and other lentil-based dishes, lentil soups often feel boring to me. Adding polenta would change that, making it feel creamy and indulgent without a drop of dairy.

This trick can work with almost any brothy soup. The key to success is to mix the polenta on the side before adding it to the soup and using cold water, stock, or broth to prevent clumping. Last I checked, fishing out lumps is not an enjoyable dinner time activity for anyone!

The "polenta procedure" is a simple, nutritious, fast, and easy soup upgrade that'll help keep my family full and satisfied all winter. And (fingers crossed) it should mitigate the perpetual post-meal kid question, "Can I have a snack?"