A food thickener is provided in the form of agglomerated instant starch, which contains a combination of one or more pregelatinized starches and a specific water-soluble food ingredient possessing specific surface active functionality. The pregelatinized starch component can be either modified or native, and the water-soluble coating agent comprises a member selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, 1-octenyl succinic anhydride treated gum arabic, 1-octenyl succinic anhydride treated starches, 1-octenyl succinic anhydride treated maltodextrins, 1-octenyl succinic anhydride treated dextrins, and mixtures of any two or more of these. This novel thickener is comprised of more than about 50% pregelatinized starch and at least about 0.01% of a water-soluble food ingredient possessing surface active functionality. The thickener is useful in foods to provide spoon-stir dispersibility without lumping and can exhibit high and virtually instant viscosity development with little or no after thickening and are stable to long periods of storage. The thickener provides a smooth appearance and texture with high sheen.