Bring Lackluster Soup To Life With Unexpected Ingredients

On the list of what you should know before buying canned soup, first and foremost is the fact that, sometimes, the stuff is going to be bland no matter what brand you purchase. The soup on a grocery store shelf can only rarely compete with fresh product, but you can certainly revitalize it with some thoughtful additions. That was what Foodie discussed with food blogger and recipe developer Marissa Stevens of Pinch and Swirl: the common household ingredients that you can toss into boring soup to take it to flavortown. While canned soup is a common culprit in humdrum meals, these hacks work great for uninspired homemade soup as well. If it's in a pot, these "soup-er" add-ins will turbo-charge your lunch or dinner.

"A squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of pickle brine" will invigorate tired soup, Stevens says, referring to the classic maxim that a pop of acid is always great to finish a dish. You've also likely heard of upgrading canned soup with a Parmesan rind in the Italian fashion, which Stevens also approves of, but have you considered a spoon of miso? "I stir it in at the end so it doesn't boil," Stevens confides. Miso is a fermented ingredient with a powerful savory punch that works great in many soups. And these suggestions are just scratching the surface.

Looking for a boost to your beef- or mushroom-based soups? Stevens likes to add "a drizzle of soy sauce," although similarly umami-rich Worcestershire sauce would probably work as well! Feeling adventurous? Add big flavor with a schmear of anchovy paste: "just a dab early on gives you that same umami boost as fish sauce but melts in and disappears," Stevens says. You can also gussy up an uninspired broth with those garden herbs you've been keeping frozen for a rainy day. Stevens suggests scallions, but there's no need to stop there. Rosemary, thyme, and oregano are all classic soup ingredients that you can customize based on the flavor profiles you are aiming for.

And don't forget about one particular flavor powerhouse that should be in your pantry. "If you've got time to simmer," Stevens says, dried mushrooms will be "a big upgrade" to soup that is one-dimensional or lacking that punch of taste that you are craving. Similarly unconventional is celery seed, which is "tiny but weirdly effective, especially in soups that didn't start with sautéed veg," she tells us. Basically, there's absolutely no need to settle for soup that is bland or boring, especially not when you are bound to already have at least some of the ingredients you need to transform it and make it unforgettable.