Spice Up Any Canned Soup With A Swirl Of Chili Crisp

With so many interesting chili crisp options out there, we can only assume that you have tested out your fair share of new renditions. Consequently, if your collection seems to be growing larger, but your ideas for how to put the condiment to use are dwindling, don't panic. Beyond topping noodles, dumplings, and pizzas, chili crisp is also an easy way to elevate boring bowls of canned soup.

What makes it such a good addition? Chili crisp bursts with spice and umami. Wonderfully fragrant, it's the product of frying chili flakes and other tasty add-ins until they're perfectly crunchy before mixing them with oil. To maximize flavor and texture, recipes often include an array of strong ingredients, from fiery Sichuan peppercorns to earthy mushroom powder, preserved black beans to punchy garlic, or even dried seaweed and warm spices. Given the condiment's tremendous depth, it's no wonder that it makes a delightful finishing touch to any dish — so why should store-bought soup be an exception? 

A swirl of chili crisp delivers an instant wow factor to lackluster soups. Improving aesthetics with its vibrant red-amber hue, it also adds much-needed textural variety. But most notably, it boosts flavor. Spicy, funky, and fatty, the sauce provides complexity that one-dimensional soup so frequently lacks, which is why using it to revamp canned soup is a no-brainer.

The good news is that chili crisp can be coupled up with nearly any canned soup. It's guaranteed to give all of your favorite soups, stews, bisques, and chowders a more varied profile. Since chili crisp fares just as well in a bland and brothy vegetable soup as it does in a dull, creamy tomato soup, you can think of the condiment as the ultimate soup-enhancing ingredient.

Naturally, there are certain canned soups that work especially well with a dash of chili crisp. For instance, the sauce can really amplify the savoriness within chicken noodle soup or beef stew. In contrast, its zesty and umami-driven quality can help balance bowls of honey butternut squash soup or super sweet corn bisque. Similarly, the sharp heat of the chili crisp — especially in extra-spicy varieties — can benefit cream-of-anything soups by counteracting some of the dairy-rich decadence.

Not sure how much chili crisp to use? For the perfect swirl, a spoonful provides just the right amount of flavor and aesthetic value to any bowl. If you're looking for more intensity, however, consider adding the condiment directly to the canned soup as it heats. Otherwise, you might want to use chili crisp in conjunction with other toppings — mix the condiment with sour cream, chopped herbs, or even nuts before using it to garnish. Whatever you decide, your canned soup will never be the same!