Canned soup may be a little lacklustre on its own, but did you know you can use canned soup to make mouth watering recipes? From using tasty garnishes to boost their flavour, to fully transforming a can of soup into a meal, canned soup hacks are plentiful and awesome. You can bulk up your canned soups with add-ins that make them more nutritious, satisfying and delicious. Plus, through adding proteins and grains, you can transform them into meals in their own right! Check out these simple recipes with canned soup that actually taste good.
10 Canned Soup Hacks
1. Make Tomato Soup Into Chilli
Canned tomato soup on its own isn’t much of a meal, but add in some veggies and protein and you have a filling bowl of chilli! Create a chilli-like consistency by adding diced tomatoes, black beans, bell peppers, corn and spices. Top it with sour cream and avocado for a scrumptious dinner the whole family will love!
2. Load It Up with Fibre and Protein
There’s not a lot of protein and fibre in canned soups, especially ones that are made up of single vegetables like tomato, butternut squash, carrot and broccoli. These soups are a great base for adding fibre and protein. Use protein add-ins like cooked turkey sausage, rotisserie chicken or leftover steak. Wild rice, quinoa and lentils are great fibre sources to add to soups to pack in some serious nutrients!
3. Use Milk Instead of Water for Tomato Soup
Using milk instead of water for canned tomato soup is a major flavour booster. It makes the soup richer, creamier and oh, so delicious. If you’ve never tried this hack, you’re in for a serious treat. The directions on the can say to fill the can up with water and add it to the soup, so instead, use your choice of milk product for a delicious twist!
4. Transform Chicken Noodle Soup Into Ramen
Elevate a can of classic chicken noodle soup into a delectable bowl of ramen! Add in fresh veggies like carrots and scallions, soft boiled eggs, and top it with cilantro, fresh ginger, sriracha and sesame seeds.
5. Use Mushroom Soup for Beef Stroganoff
Beef stroganoff is a dinner staple. It’s delicious and easy to make with a can of cream of mushroom soup. Use all the fixings beef stroganoff typically calls for and add cream of mushroom soup to make it extra mushroom heavy and tasty! It’s a quick and easy spin on the original and tastes just as great!
6. Pasta for the Win
Load up your soups with pasta to create satiating meals that are much more filling than a can of soup of its own. Tortellini and ravioli are popular pastas to use in soups like minestrone and vegetable. Smaller pastas such as orzo and stelline are best for brothy soups. Pasta adds a nice texture to the finished dish and will leave you feeling satisfied!
7. Add Herbs for Zest
Fresh herbs such as basil, parsley and thyme are a great way to add interest and flavour to your canned soups! Whether you get them from the grocery store or grow them in your backyard, herbs are the perfect finishing addition for soup! Add basil in tomato soup, parsley in carrot soup, and thyme in lentil soup and prepare for a boost of awesome flavour coming through.
8. Grilled Cheese Croutons for Tomato Soup
Grilled cheese croutons are pretty much the most epic add-in there is for canned tomato soup. If you’re like me, grilled cheese and Campbell’s tomato soup was a lunch staple for you growing up. I absolutely love this twist on it! Check out this grilled cheese crouton recipe and add them to your canned tomato soup for a delicious treat!
9. Add in Leafy Greens
Adding leafy greens to canned soup is an awesome way to boost the flavour as well as nutrients of your soup. Many greens turn silky and soft in soup when it heats up, adding richness and texture to your final meal. Spinach, chopped kale and microgreens are some great options!
10. Create a Mexican Fiesta with Black Bean Soup
Black bean soup is rather basic on its own. Spice it up with all your favourite nacho toppings from cheese to avocado to fresh tomato. Add spices such as cumin, chilli powder and smoked paprika for bold flavour and add fresh lime juice for some zest!
30 Recipes with Canned Soup
1. Classic Chicken Casserole | Tasting Table
2. Chicken Ramen Noodle Bowls | Eating Well
3. Waffle Fry Pot Pie | Delish
4. Tomato Soup Spice Cake | Taste and Tell
5. Beef Stroganoff Casserole | Spicy Southern Kitchen
6. Crock Pot Chicken Dumplings | Delish
7. Curried Butternut Squash Soup | Eating Well
8. Tuna Noodle Skillet Casserole | I Wash You Dry
9. Crockpot Cheesy Ravioli | Life in the Loft House
10. Mexican Tater Topped Casserole | Jo Cooks
11. Chicken Pot Pie Crescent Bread | Wine and Glue
12. Crockpot Swedish Meatballs | The Spruce Eats
13. Instant Pot Meatloaf with Roasted Potatoes | Campbell’s
14. Chicken Tortilla Pie | Spicy Southern Kitchen
15. Loaded Black Bean Nacho Soup | Eating Well
16. Easy Sloppy Joes | Taste and Tell
17. King Ranch Mac and Cheese | Life in the Loft House
18. 20-Minute Pork Chop Rice | Call Me PMC
19. Chicken Spaghetti Casserole | Cookies and Cups
20. Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Casserole | Delish
21. Ziti Chicken Casserole | The Spruce Eats
22. Italian Ground Beef Casserole | CD Kitchen
23. Bacon and Corn Chowder | My Food and Family
24. Chicken Parmesan Risotto | CD Kitchen
25. Shepherd’s Pie | Campbell’s
26. Crockpot Chicken Supreme | The Spruce Eats
27. Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu | My Food and Family
28. Tomato Soup Pasta Bake | Australia’s Best Recipes
29. Gravy Baked Pork Chops | CD Kitchen
30. Meatball Stew En Casserole | The Spruce Eats
There are so many ways to spruce up canned soups and use them for delicious meals! Try our hacks and recipes the next time you want to get creative with canned soup!