5 Ways to Dress Up Tomato Soup Recipe (2024)

Just because your tomato soup is coming from a can, doesn’t mean it can’t have a bit of zing! Check out these 5 ways to dress that soup up for a total tomato soup makeover!

Time for another Fashion Friday, and today we’re introducing our first Food Makeover. Sounds fun, eh?

Today I wanted to throw out a few quick tips to help in the canned soup aisle – namely,with the soup of the tomato variety.

I am all for the straight up Campbell’s Tomato Soup, no frills involved, especially on a cold day. Of course, I need my handy grilled cheese to accompany. However, after visiting Zupa’s more times than I can count, I received a little inspiration when I came across their Tomato Basil Soup. I thought, hey, even when I’m in a rush, I can pull these little tricks off to make my already good canned soup tastetotally gourmet!

Let’s get started!

1)Cream or Milk

Campbell’s even clues you in on this one – on the side of the can, it says that you can substitute the can of water for milk. Voila! Creamy goodness. However, you will notice that the soup may separate a little bit. A higher fat content in your dairy will help mitigate this. What I’ve realized that I prefer is to go water, and then just add a couple tablespoons of heavy cream to give it a nice creamaliciousfinish (don’t do full cream, or even half at that – yeesh! A little too rich – and don’t ask me how I know – haha.)

2) Basil (or other zesty spices)

The heavenly match of tomato and basil! It’s so fantastic. If you are using dried, put it in while the soup is warming to help release the flavors. I love using the Lighthouse freeze-dried stuff. If you are using fresh, adding right at the end helps release the best flavor. You can just do a rough tear of the leaves or a chiffonade. I also added me a little bit of Lighthouse Oregano this time as well.

3)Orzo Pasta

Zupa’s was genius with this one. Basically they have “add-ins” that you can throw in, and these mini little diamond pastas, well they are fabulous. I just cook them up per their package instructions in a tiny little pan at the same time the soup is warming up. Then after I drain them, I toss in a little olive oil and throw in a bowl so each person can serve up what they want.

4) Sharp Cheddar

I’m assuming this one is also a no-brainer since we all know grilled cheese and tomato soup rock one’s world! But how about just grating some delicious cheddar right into the soup? Make it sharp though! In fact, maybe I’m just a cheese snob but I don’t even buy cheddar unless it’s sharp. No, I take that back. I also buy extra sharp. Tillamook is my ultimate fav!If you are really feeling the urge, go ahead and buy the smoked cheddar to give it even more kick.

5) More Tomato!

Say what? Yes, give that soup a little freshness by throwing in more tomato. Make sure it’s pulverized though! I just core, quickly peel off as much of the skin as I can with a paring knife (a little left won’t hurt anything), and then throw the whole tomato into my Blendtec twister jar which does a top-notch job. And I would definitely recommend a Roma variety (which is meatier and less acidic).This just gives the soup a fresher feel without all of the work of a whole tomato soup from scratch.

Well, there you go folks. Try one, try all. They are fabulous. And of course, don’t forget to drizzle a little olive oil on top for good measure, as well as a couple grinds of salt and pepper.

I hope you enjoyed this little “food makeover”. Tell us what other foods need a facelift! And share your food makeovers with us on Instagram by tagging @foodapparel #foodapparel #foodmakeover.

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5 Ways to Dress Up Tomato Soup Recipe (11)

Christina | Food Apparel

I'm Christina and I'm a self-proclaimed foodie and chocoholic! I am a real estate broker by trade. I have a wonderful husband, 3 girls 4 and under (crazy!!!) and a hyper dog. Want to know my quirks? Go here for a little Q&A.

5 Ways to Dress Up Tomato Soup Recipe (12)

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5 Ways to Dress Up Tomato Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to tomato soup to make it better? ›

10 Simple Ingredients to Add to Tomato Soup
  1. 1) Fresh Rosemary. Kicking off the list is the simplest way to jazz up your tomato soup – fresh herbs. ...
  2. 2) Sauteed Onions. ...
  3. 3) Crispy Bacon. ...
  4. 4) Cream. ...
  5. 5) Chutney. ...
  6. 6) Melted Cheese. ...
  7. 7) Tinned Anchovies. ...
  8. 8) Toasted Pine Nuts.
Mar 21, 2022

How do you make Campbell's tomato soup taste better? ›

Adding cooked meat that's high in protein is an easy way to make canned tomato soup taste better and more filling. Chopped bacon pairs well with tomato soup for a BLT-esque soup, or try adding in crumbled ground meat like spicy sausage for some added flavor.

How can I improve my supermarket soup? ›

Here are 10 ideas:
  1. Add Fresh Herbs. Take a page from My New Roots author Sarah Britton and turn to herbs whenever you need a simple way to perk up a pot of soup. ...
  2. Add Greens. ...
  3. Add Toasted Nuts. ...
  4. Add Croutons. ...
  5. Add Poached Eggs. ...
  6. Or Something Fishy. ...
  7. Drizzle With Flavored Oil. ...
  8. Or Flavored Cream.
Nov 9, 2016

How do you upgrade canned tomato soup? ›

Swirl some red wine vinegar into the soup and serve with a stack of mozzarella and fresh basil leaves on a toasted baguette. Add a drizzle of pesto (homemade or store bought) and finish with toasted pine nuts and croutons. Add a teaspoon or two of Thai red curry paste and some cooked rice, then top with cooked shrimp.

What enhances the flavor of tomatoes? ›

Well, if you really want to amp up the taste of your tomatoes, cream of tartar is your answer. Yes, there are other ways to make your tomatoes taste even better and increase the acidity. There is lemon, vinegar, or my personal favorite, balsamic.

How do you jazz up canned 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.

What goes good with tomato soup? ›

Lighter sides, such as green salads, can hold their own against tomato soup without compromising its flavor. Or, kick the indulgence factor up a notch and opt for heartier foods, such as mozzarella sticks, risotto, potatoes, or even meatloaf.

How to make your soup flavorful? ›

Add ingredients like mushrooms, tomatoes, soy sauce, miso, or seaweed to enhance the flavor of your soup. Use fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, basil or thyme to add fresh flavor to your soup.

How do you mellow out tomato soup? ›

Taste broth; if its flavor is too sharp or acidic, add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and stir well (it will foam at first). Taste and repeat if needed.

How do you make tomato soup taste less like tomato sauce? ›

It's a bit acidic for me, too, so when I have tomato soup, I add some half-and-half or heavy cream. I'd try that before adding a small amount of sugar, which is what I do when I make tomato sauce. And add some Saltines (soda crackers) on top for a little crunch.

What can I add to tomato soup to make it less sour? ›

If the soup is too acidic, add a pinch of baking soda (see note). You want the soup to taste balanced and delicious. Serve the soup with a decorative drizzle of cream.

What can I add to my soup to make it tastier? ›

"Ground paprika, turmeric, nutmeg, ground ginger, and other powdered spices add a touch of color and spiciness to broths," she says. As a general rule, use fresh herbs at or near the end of cooking and dried herbs and spices early on. This helps you get the flavors you're looking for in the right balance.

What can I add to soup to make it rich? ›

Adding umami-rich ingredients like tomato paste or a parmesan rind to the soup will add a deep, rich savoriness and body to the soup.

How do you elevate packaged soup? ›

Adding greens is a great way to add a pop of color and flavor to an otherwise sad can of soup.My favorite green to add is baby spinach – it cooks down quickly, so all you need to do is toss in a handful of leaves at the end of cooking and stir until wilted. You can also use greens like kale, chard, or collard greens.

How do you get the taste out of tomato soup? ›

I find a bit of brown sugar. and extra spices,, and cooking it like mad will reduce it.. I wont buy canned again as using fresh is the only answer here.. but those of us with cans in the pantry still want to use them up somehow.. A little bit of baking soda will offset the pH of the tomatoes.

Is tomato soup better with milk or water? ›

You can use either depending on your taste. Water is perfectly fine but using milk will make the end product much richer. With most brands, you can use either option. Milk makes the tomato soup creamier, and it tastes better, that way.

How do you fix bad tomato soup? ›

Update: totally fixed my soup! Added a tablespoon of butter and a can of tomato paste, simmered that for a bit and added my soup from yesterday, maybe 3 tablespoons of cream and let some parm melt in the soup while it simmered for a bit.

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