The Flavor-Bomb Salt That Takes Canned Soup To The Next Level

The average foodie would probably agree that canned soup is a pantry staple. But, old reliable "pantry staple" might not be the first words that come to mind when you hear "truffle salt." While this intense artisanal product is certainly fancy, it's also wildly versatile — and it can give your go-to canned soups the depth of flavor they've been missing.

If you've never worked with it before, truffle salt is sea salt infused with pieces of real truffles. The salt absorbs the intense fragrance of the ground truffles, making for major flavor and natural salty-savory harmony. The result is a funky, earthy aroma, not unlike mushrooms but more savory and dark. Just as black truffles have a stronger, more pungent truffle flavor compared to white truffles, black truffle salt is a bolder seasoning ingredient than white truffle sea salt. Part of truffles' notoriously steep price point comes from the fungus's limited shelf life. But, thankfully for this luxury spice item, the salt acts as a natural preservative, creating a long-lasting shelf life and making that truffle flavor stretch further.

Truffle salt is best used as a flavorful finishing salt, not as a cooking salt, making it a one-step tool for taking canned soup to the next level. Simply sprinkle it over bowls of warmed soup right before serving — and keep in mind that a little goes a long way with this bold, pungent ingredient. Just a pinch will get the job done.

Many canned soups have fairly high sodium contents on their own, so take care not to overdo it on the saltiness. Black truffle salt would work best alongside blander pureed varieties like butternut squash, coconut cashew, pumpkin, or roasted red pepper soups. It'd also perform well on any canned vegetable soups labeled as low-sodium. Amy's Kitchen (our favorite canned soup brand) makes an organic hearty French country vegetable soup that would be scrumptious with a little black truffle salt. Or, for an unforgettable canned tomato soup, garnish the bowl with a pinch of black truffle salt, a drizzle of high-quality olive oil, and cracked white pepper.

We sprinkle black truffle salt on everything from scrambled eggs to fresh green salads. It gives instant funky-umami flair to any lackluster dish, and even foodies who don't like mushrooms can be diehard truffle fans if they like a strong earthy garlic taste. Although, if pungent truffle flavor isn't your thing, this canned soup upgrade tip might not be for you.

Truffle salt can be purchased from specialty gourmet grocers and a variety of online retailers. Selezione Tartufi black truffle sea salt made in Italy is a solid option ($24.80 via Amazon), as is the fine-grain TRUFF black truffle salt ($14.99 via Amazon) that made Oprah's favorite things list in 2022. Since just a pinch of the stuff goes such a long way, foodies can feel a little better about the price tag.