Why Is Food Burning or Sticking in My Morphy Richards Soup Maker?

If food is burning, scorching or sticking to the base of your Morphy Richards Soup Maker, this is often related to the ingredients used, liquid quantities, preparation method or cooking conditions.

Morphy Richards user manuals explain that certain foods containing starches and sugars can burn when placed directly against the heated base of the jug.

This can occur during normal cooking and does not automatically indicate a fault with the appliance. However, persistent or excessive burning may require further investigation.

What Causes Food to Burn in a Soup Maker?

Several factors can contribute to food burning or sticking:

Insufficient water or stock.
Solid ingredients resting directly against the heated base.
Filling below the minimum or above the maximum level.
A high proportion of solid ingredients compared with liquid.
Ingredients containing natural sugars or starches.
Thick or concentrated ingredients settling against the base.
Using certain oils or cooking fats at unsuitable temperatures.
Adding dairy products or thickening agents too early.
Burnt-on food or residue remaining from previous cooking cycles.

Ingredients containing starches and sugars can settle against the heated base and catch during cooking, particularly if there is insufficient liquid.

Can Tomatoes Cause Food to Burn?

Yes. Tomatoes contain natural sugars and solids that may stick or burn when exposed directly to the heated base.

Extra care may be needed when using:

Fresh tomatoes.
Tinned chopped or peeled tomatoes.
Passata.
Tomato purée.
Concentrated tomato sauces.

Thick or concentrated tomato products, particularly purée and passata, may be more likely to settle against the heated base.

To help prevent burning when using tomatoes:

Add approximately half a cup of water or stock before adding tomato ingredients, where appropriate for your model.
Avoid placing concentrated tomato products directly against the heated base.
Dilute thick tomato products with sufficient water or stock.
Follow the ingredient quantities in your recipe.
Ensure the contents remain within the minimum and maximum filling levels.

Fresh tomatoes naturally contain water, but additional liquid may still be required depending on your recipe.

How Can I Prevent Food Burning or Sticking?

1. Add Water or Stock Before Solid Ingredients

Morphy Richards soup maker operating instructions recommend adding approximately half a cup of water or stock to the jug before adding solid ingredients.

This helps create a layer of liquid between the ingredients and the heated base, reducing the likelihood of foods containing starches and sugars sticking or burning.

Add the remaining liquid according to your recipe, ensuring the contents remain within the permitted filling levels.

What If My Recipe Says to Add Ingredients Before Liquid?

Some recipes, including those featured in Morphy Richards user manuals, may list or instruct ingredients to be added in a different order.

These recipes are provided as cooking guidance, and the preparation method may need to be adjusted depending on the ingredients used.

To help reduce the risk of food sticking or burning, we recommend adding approximately half a cup of water or stock before adding solid ingredients, as advised in our soup maker operating and troubleshooting instructions.

You can then add the remaining liquid according to your recipe.

This is particularly helpful when using ingredients containing natural sugars or starches, such as potatoes, rice, tomatoes and other thick or concentrated ingredients.

Following a recipe supplied in a Morphy Richards user manual does not necessarily prevent food from sticking, as cooking results can vary depending on the ingredients and quantities used.

2. Follow the Minimum and Maximum Filling Levels

Always ensure the contents remain between the minimum and maximum filling levels marked on your soup maker.

Do not fill below the minimum level.
Do not exceed the maximum level.
Ensure there is sufficient liquid for the ingredients being used.
Avoid overloading the jug with solid ingredients.

Insufficient liquid can contribute to food sticking, burning or interrupted cooking programmes.

3. Prepare Ingredients Correctly

Cut vegetables and other solid ingredients into suitably sized pieces, following the recommendations in your user manual.

Take extra care with dense or starchy ingredients, including:

Potatoes.
Rice.
Lentils and split peas.
Carrots, parsnips and other root vegetables.
Flour, cornflour and other thickening agents.

These ingredients can absorb liquid, release starch or cause the mixture to thicken during cooking.

Follow the recommended recipe quantities and avoid using excessive amounts of thick or concentrated ingredients.

4. Check the Type and Quantity of Oil Used

If your recipe requires oil or cooking fat, use an appropriate type and quantity for the cooking method.

Common cooking oils include:

Vegetable oil.
Sunflower oil.
Rapeseed oil.
Refined olive oil.

Some oils and fats, including butter, cooking sprays and certain unrefined oils, may smoke, leave residue or behave differently when exposed to higher cooking temperatures.

If your soup maker has a sauté function, follow the operating instructions for your specific model and avoid using excessive amounts of oil.

Adding more oil will not necessarily prevent food from burning or sticking.

5. Take Care with Dairy and Thickening Ingredients

Milk, cream, cheese, flour and other thickening ingredients may stick or catch during prolonged heating.

Follow the recipe or user manual for guidance on when to add these ingredients.

Where appropriate, dairy ingredients may be added towards the end of cooking rather than at the beginning.

Why Did My Soup Maker Stop When Food Burned?

Some Morphy Richards Soup Makers contain thermal protection designed to interrupt operation if excessive temperatures are detected.

If ingredients become too thick or stick to the heated base, this may contribute to overheating or interruption of a cooking programme.

However, an interrupted programme does not necessarily confirm that thermal protection has activated.

If your soup maker stops unexpectedly, allow it to cool and follow the relevant troubleshooting instructions.

Soup Maker Cutting Out During Cycle – Troubleshooting

How Do I Clean Burnt Food from the Base?

Morphy Richards user manuals recommend soaking burnt-on food to help remove it without damaging the appliance.

Switch off and unplug the soup maker.
Allow the appliance to cool before cleaning.
Add hot, soapy water to the jug.
Leave the burnt-on food to soak for approximately 15 minutes.
Gently remove the residue using a suitable sponge cleaning pad, following your model's cleaning instructions.
Rinse and dry the appropriate components thoroughly before using the appliance again.

Important cleaning precautions:

Do not use metal scouring pads, as these can scratch the base.
Do not use sharp metal utensils to scrape away burnt food.
Never immerse electrical components in water.
Take care around the blades, as they are sharp.
Ensure electrical connections are completely dry before operating the appliance again.

If food remains attached, repeat the soaking process rather than attempting to forcefully scrape it away.

Does Burning Mean My Soup Maker Is Faulty?

Not necessarily.

As explained in Morphy Richards user manuals, certain foods containing starches and sugars may burn when placed directly against the heated base.

Burning may be influenced by:

The ingredients used.
Liquid quantities.
Ingredient preparation.
The order in which ingredients are added.
The selected cooking programme.
Residue remaining on the heating surface.

However, persistent or excessive burning despite following the recommended operating instructions may require further investigation.

The presence of burnt food alone does not confirm whether an appliance is faulty.

What If Food Continues to Burn or Stick?

If you've followed the troubleshooting advice and food continues to burn or stick excessively, please contact our Customer Support team.

To help us investigate and avoid unnecessary delays, please provide:

Model number: The model and serial numbers shown on the rating label underneath your soup maker.
Recipe and quantities: The full recipe used, including all ingredients and the approximate quantities of solid ingredients and liquid.
Preparation method: The order in which the ingredients and liquid were added, along with the programme or function selected.
Oil or cooking fat: The type and approximate quantity used, such as vegetable oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, olive oil, butter or cooking spray.
Tomato-based ingredients: If applicable, whether you used fresh tomatoes, tinned tomatoes, passata or tomato purée, and at which stage they were added.
Cleaning and maintenance: How the soup maker is cleaned and maintained, including how frequently.
Troubleshooting attempted: The steps already completed and whether these made any difference.
Photographs: Where possible, clear images showing the burnt food and the cleaned base of the appliance.

Providing this information will help us assess the cooking conditions, identify possible causes and determine whether further product investigation is required.

Summary – How to Reduce Food Burning in Your Soup Maker

Certain ingredients, particularly those containing starches and sugars, may burn if placed directly against the heated base of a soup maker.

To reduce the likelihood of food sticking or burning:

Add approximately half a cup of water or stock before solid ingredients, where recommended for your model.
Follow the correct minimum and maximum filling levels.
Use sufficient liquid for the ingredients being cooked.
Take extra care with tomatoes, starchy foods and thick sauces.
Use suitable cooking oils and fats in appropriate quantities.
Follow your model's operating and cleaning instructions.
Remove burnt-on residue before the next use.

If burning continues despite following this guidance, please contact Customer Support with details of your recipe, preparation method and troubleshooting already attempted.