The Simple Way To Improve Thick Canned Soups

While soup may be associated with chilly winter days, the dish is good for more than warming you up in the cold season. Alongside cookies and chicken nuggets, soup is a top contender for America's favorite comfort food. According to Business Wire, the Campbell Soup Company revealed in a survey that the U.S. turns to soup in times of turmoil. The brand found that 73% of respondents dipped into soup when they were feeling ill and that 43% of voters ate soup to help them cope with a breakup.

And canned soups are a convenient way for Americans to make a bowl of one of their all-time favorite dinners. However, some canned soups seem tastier than others. For example, while you may find that your tomato soup glides gracefully from its can into your pot, you may also discover that soups with a little more to their ingredient lists can suffer from, as Bon Appetit describes it, being "gloopy" (per Bon Appétit). But despite how it looks, you don't have to steer clear of your favorite chunky soup line when you're out grocery shopping. There is an easy trick to making a perfect pot of any kind of thick canned soup.

According to Bon Appétit, the secret to improving the quality of your thick canned soups is to make them thinner. At first, this may sound counterintuitive for preparing a can of what is supposed to be thick soup. However, Bon Appétit explains that taking your soup's thickness levels down a notch will lower its salt content (half a can of canned soup can have up to 700 milligrams of sodium via Eat This, Not That) and will also combat its clumpy consistency.

To thin your canned soup, Bon Appétit recommends throwing more water into the pot while you're heating it up on the stove. The outlet also noted that you could use a bit of low-sodium stock in place of water. By adding in either of these extra liquids, you will make your dinner less bulky and smoother.

If you really want to give your favorite canned food more flavor, the outlet suggests tossing in coconut milk or cream to enhance your thick soups' taste. But if you're more into spice than sugar, Taste of Home also recommends throwing in some extra seasoning to give your canned meal a kick. Once you've thinned your thick soup and added some tasty finishing touches, you'll be able to ease your stress and warm your heart with a serving of this beloved classic.