7 Easy Ways to Make Any Pot of Soup Better (2024)

Soup is soul food, satisfying and warming on a cold day or night. Sometimes, though, you make a pot of soup that's good and fine, but maybe you wish it were a little bit... better. Maybe you want to take this soup to the next level and give it something extra to improve the taste, texture, or complexity of flavor.

Here are a few tips to take you beyond the recipe and make all your soups sing.

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1. Brown or Sear the Meat

If you are adding meat to a soup, sear or brown it in a sauté pan before you add it to the soup. This adds a deeper savory flavor to the whole soup. This trick is especially useful for things like chicken and sausage, which can sometimes get bland and rubbery while floating in a brothy soup.

2. Roast the the Veggies

Similar to searing meat, try roasting your vegetables before adding them to the soup. This gives them a little bit of char and concentrates their flavor, giving the soup a more complex taste.

Try making an easy roasted root vegetable soup with squash, potatoes, carrots, and any other vegetables you like. Roast them for half the amount of time you normally would then mix them into a warm pot of broth. Add some beans or leftover meat from another meal to round it out.

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3. Mix up the Texture

Mash or puree some vegetables in your soup to give it a creamy texture while still having some chunky bits, or puree the whole thing for a silky-smooth experience. If your ingredients won't puree easily (like a beef stew), then try pureeing some white beans and mixing them in.

4. Use Homemade Stock Whenever Possible

It’s possible to develop flavors as you go with just water and whatever ingredients you are using, but if you have it handy, use homemade stock. This gives you a jump on the flavor-building process.

5. Put Your Cheese Rinds to Work

When you’re down to the last nub of that block of Parmesan, Pecorino, or other hard cheese, freeze it and toss a rind or two in the pot next time you’re making soup. They will soften and add extra nutty flavor to the recipe. Remove from the soup before serving.

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6. Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples

Got a soup that tastes a little bland and unexciting? Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it’s ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients. Some freshly cracked pepper helps, too!

7. Add Fresh Herbs or Dairy When Serving

Fresh herbs like parsley, basil, and cilantro lose their flavor quickly if simmered in a hot soup, but they add freshness and bright flavor when sprinkled over top just before serving.

A dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt can add a bit of tang to cool off a spicy soup or balance the sweetness in soups made with a lot of root vegetables.

Recipes Pictured

7 Easy Ways to Make Any Pot of Soup Better (2024)

FAQs

What can I put in my soup to make it taste better? ›

Foods that have a great deal of acidity, like lemon juice, vinegar, white wine, and tomato puree, can help liven up the flavor of bland-tasting bone and other broths. "The acidity of these ingredients works to complement and enhance the broth's flavors, not mask it.

How can I improve my store bought soup? ›

Depending on the soup's flavor profile, you could shake in some cumin or red pepper flakes. Go green: Add some spinach or chopped kale or pesto. Get zesty: A squirt of lemon juice or zest could brighten up an otherwise flat soup. Starchy things: Homemade croutons, crushed tortilla chips, or oyster crackers.

How to jazz up vegetable soup? ›

Dried herbs and seasonings: homemade seasoned salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and dried bay leaves lend flavor to the soup. Stock: I much prefer chicken stock over vegetable stock in terms of flavor, though if you want to keep this soup vegetarian, feel free to use vegetable broth or stock instead.

What ingredient can be added to a soup to make it thicker and richer? ›

Add flour or cornflour

You can also use flour or cornflour to thicken a soup. Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer.

What should be added to enrich the flavor of the soup? ›

Herbs and sources add flavor, aroma, and intensity to the soup broth. You can pick fresh or dried herbs like basil for tomato-based soups or fresh parsley for clear broths. You may also add more spices like turmeric, ground ginger, ground paprika, or nutmeg for a touch of spice and color to your soup broth.

How do you deepen soup Flavour? ›

How do you make soup more flavorful? Depending on what kind of soup you have, there are lots of things that add flavor. Black pepper can give an “after burn" to any recipe. Worcestershire sauce, Maggi sauce, tomato paste, fresh herbs, mustard, vinegar, bouquet garni, garlic, hot sauce, soy sauce.

Why is my soup not tasty? ›

Ensure you've added enough salt and black pepper. Too little salt means your soup's flavours' will remain hidden. When you know your soup is salty enough, move on to other seasonings like herbs and spices.

What is the number one soup in the world? ›

According to the Taste Atlas Awards, the international food database, the Filipino favorite, Sinigang, is hailed as the best soup in the world.

What makes soup more flavorful? ›

Go Bold. A punch of flavor at the end of cooking can make your soup a standout. Mix herbs like parsley, thyme, and oregano, or spices such as cumin, coriander, and cardamom, into some olive oil, and let it infuse for at least an hour or two. Pour it over soup just before serving.

What adds depth to soup? ›

Soy Sauce – Soy sauce is another item that's ideal for brightening up and adding depth of flavor to an otherwise dull soup. This works especially well with meat-based soups. 3. Fish Sauce – Commonly used in Asian cooking, fish sauce has a strong smell, though when used judiciously its taste is neither strong nor fishy.

How do you thicken soup hacks? ›

Other Effective Ways to Thicken Soup

If you don't have instant mashed potatoes on hand or are looking for another way, try making a roux. Whisk a few tablespoons of flour or cornstarch into a little water or broth, then whisk that mixture into the soup itself.

What can I add to reduce bitterness in soup? ›

Add sweet vegetables like carrots and beets. They will sweeten the broth and deepen its color. You might also add a bit of miso (or salt) and/or a squeeze of lemon juice. Sweet, salt and acid balance bitter flavors.

What spices are good in soup? ›

To season it, we recommend starting with our Vegetable Soup Mix. It contains celery salt, parsley flakes, garlic powder, sea salt, summer savory, marjoram, thyme, black pepper, turmeric and sage, which are all excellent with root vegetables, so you can incorporate things like carrots or potatoes into the soup.

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