Why Is Food Burning or Sticking in My Soup Maker?
If food is burning or sticking to the base of your Morphy Richards Soup Maker, it is usually related to the recipe, ingredient preparation, liquid levels or the order in which ingredients have been added, rather than a fault with the appliance.
Morphy Richards Soup Makers have a thermal safety sensor in the base. If ingredients become too thick, stick to the heating plate or stop circulating correctly, the appliance may automatically switch off to prevent overheating and protect its internal components.
This is a normal safety feature and does not necessarily mean that your Soup Maker is faulty.
🔎 Why Does Food Burn in a Soup Maker?
Food is more likely to burn or stick to the base if:
- Insufficient liquid has been added
- Solid ingredients are added before the liquid
- The Soup Maker is filled below the minimum line or above the maximum line
- Too many solid ingredients are used
- Ingredients have been cut into pieces that are too large
- Starchy ingredients such as potatoes, lentils, split peas or rice are used without enough liquid
- Tomato purée, passata or tinned tomatoes sit directly on the heating plate
- Butter, cooking spray or an unsuitable oil is used
- Milk, cream, cheese or flour is added too early
- Burnt-on food or residue remains on the heating plate from a previous use
Ingredients containing natural sugars, starches or concentrated solids can settle against the heated base and catch if they are not properly suspended in enough liquid.
🍅 Can Tomatoes Cause Food to Burn?
Tomatoes contain natural sugars and solids that can catch when exposed directly to the heated base. The risk can be greater with thick or concentrated tomato products, including:
- Tomato purée
- Passata
- Tinned chopped or peeled tomatoes
- Concentrated tomato sauces
When using tomato-based ingredients:
- Add some hot stock or water to the jug first
- Avoid placing tomato purée, passata or tinned tomatoes directly onto the heating plate
- Dilute thick tomato products with sufficient stock or water
- Stir the ingredients briefly before starting the programme
- Make sure the contents remain between the minimum and maximum fill lines
- Follow the quantities and ingredient order stated in your recipe
Fresh tomatoes generally contain more water, but enough additional liquid must still be included for the ingredients to circulate properly.
✅ How to Prevent Food Burning or Sticking
1️⃣ Add Hot Liquid First
Add at least half a cup of hot stock or water to the jug before adding solid ingredients, unless your model’s instructions or an approved recipe advise otherwise.
This creates a layer of liquid over the heating plate and helps prevent heavier ingredients from sitting directly on the base.
2️⃣ Maintain the Correct Fill Levels
- Do not fill below the minimum line
- Do not exceed the maximum line
- Make sure there is enough liquid for the ingredients to circulate
- Avoid filling the jug with too many solid ingredients
Too little liquid is one of the most common causes of burning, sticking and mid-cycle cut-outs.
3️⃣ Prepare Ingredients Correctly
Cut solid ingredients into small, evenly sized pieces. Large pieces, particularly dense root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, parsnips and pumpkin, may take longer to cook and are more likely to settle against the base.
Very dense root vegetables can be parboiled before being added if required.
4️⃣ Take Care with Starchy or Thick Ingredients
Extra care should be taken when using:
- Potatoes
- Lentils
- Split peas
- Rice
- Flour or cornflour
- Tomato purée
- Passata
- Tinned tomatoes
- Other thick sauces or purées
When using these ingredients:
- Add sufficient stock or water
- Do not place them directly onto the heating plate
- Stir briefly before starting the programme
- Premix flour or other thickening agents with liquid where required
- Follow the recipe quantities and method carefully
5️⃣ Use the Correct Type of Oil
If your recipe requires oil, use only a small amount. We recommend an oil suitable for higher-temperature cooking, such as:
- Refined rapeseed oil
- Sunflower oil
- Standard vegetable oil
- Refined or “light” olive oil
If using the sauté function, add only enough oil to lightly coat the base and stir the ingredients regularly.
Some oils and fats begin to smoke, break down or leave residue more easily at higher temperatures. For best results, avoid using the following with the sauté function:
- Butter
- Cooking sprays
- Cold-pressed or unrefined oils
- Flaxseed oil
- Walnut oil
- Toasted sesame oil
- Extra virgin olive oil during higher-temperature sautéing
Oil is optional for many soup recipes and should only be added where required. Using more oil will not necessarily prevent food from burning.
6️⃣ Add Dairy Ingredients Later
Milk, cream and cheese can thicken or catch when heated for too long. Unless your approved recipe states otherwise, add dairy ingredients after the cooking cycle and use the Blend function briefly to combine them.
⚠️ Why Did My Soup Maker Stop Mid-Cycle?
If your Soup Maker stopped during a programme, the thermal safety sensor may have detected that the base was becoming too hot because ingredients had thickened, stopped circulating or stuck to the heating plate.
The safety cut-out is designed to:
- Prevent overheating
- Protect the appliance’s internal components
- Reduce the risk of further burning
Allow the appliance to cool completely and clean the heating plate thoroughly before using it again.
🧼 How to Clean Burnt Food from a Soup Maker
Before cleaning, switch off and unplug the appliance and allow it to cool completely.
- Add a few drops of washing-up liquid.
- Fill the jug with boiling water up to at least the minimum line.
- Leave it to soak for approximately 15 minutes.
- Run the Blend/Clean function for a few seconds.
- Empty the jug and rinse it thoroughly.
- If any marks remain, gently clean the heating plate in circular motions using a non-scratch scouring pad.
Please remember:
- Take care around the blades, as they are sharp
- Do not use metal scouring pads or abrasive cleaning products
- Never immerse the appliance or its electrical components in water
- Make sure all electrical connections are completely dry before the next use
Even a thin layer of burnt-on food can cause further sticking or activate the thermal safety cut-out, so the heating plate must be completely clean before testing the appliance.
🧪 How to Test Your Soup Maker
Once the base is completely clean:
- Fill the Soup Maker with water only, just above the minimum line.
- Select the Smooth programme.
- Allow the full cycle to run.
If the programme completes successfully, this confirms that the Soup Maker is operating as expected. The previous burning or cut-out was likely caused by the ingredients, liquid level, preparation method or residue on the base.
If the base is completely clean but the appliance still stops or fails during the water-only Smooth cycle, please contact our Customer Support team so that we can investigate further.
✔ Key Takeaway
Food burning or sticking to the base of a Morphy Richards Soup Maker is usually caused by insufficient liquid, ingredient preparation, thick or concentrated ingredients, unsuitable oils or residue on the heating plate.
For the best results:
- Add hot liquid before solid ingredients
- Keep the contents between the minimum and maximum lines
- Use sufficient liquid
- Take extra care with tomatoes and starchy ingredients
- Use only a small amount of refined cooking oil where required
- Keep the heating plate completely clean
- Follow the recipe quantities and ingredient order carefully
These steps will help prevent food from catching and keep your Soup Maker working effectively.