Monday, July 19, 2010

My Ten Favorite Things to Add to Tomato Soup


Fact: I don't like plain tomato soup.

Guess what? I LOVE tomato soup that's been "souped up"!

Here are my ten favorite ways to "soup up" simple tomato soup. (I start with very basic canned soup here... I have no doubt the soup would be tastier if it were all from scratch. But let me keep it real for you. Open the can of Campbell's and proceed...)

  1. Pasta- I love cooking up a handful of macaroni, rotini, or penne and tossing that in. Soup tastes so much more filling when there's something to bite!
  2. More Tomatoes- If I have a partial can of diced tomatoes left over, I love to toss them in tomato soup. Somehow it tastes more "authentic" with those 'maters in there!
  3. Gorgonzola Cheese- Ooh, boy, is this ever tasty melted into tomato soup. It's a strong flavor, but the tomato mellows it out. Your soup tastes much fancier with gorgonzola in it!
  4. Fresh Basil- Fresh herbs add so much flavor and brightness to a dish. A simple cup of soup is, well, elevated by a few sprigs of basil!
  5. Goldfish Crackers- What's better than a little crunch? Saltines get soggy too fast. Oyster crackers can be boring. And you know what? Goldfish come in Cheddar, Pizza, Parmesan... lots of yummy options!
  6. Crumbled Bacon & Cheddar- How do you get boys to think of tomato soup as reasonable food? Add meat. And cheese.
  7. Monterey Jack & Jalapeno slices- I love a good kick in the pants from my lunch!
  8. Sauteed Mushrooms & Brie- This here is froufy, French-y, girly yumminess. I like it in a fluted, flowered bowl.
  9. Plain Ol' Cream Cheese- Have you tried this? Melt in some cream cheese. Add some dried Italian seasoning if you're feeling ambitious. So rich and delicious... much creamier than just making the soup with milk.
  10. Cubed Mozzarella & Diced Pepperoni- Toss those in with some dried oregano and you wind up with pizza in a bowl. Great flavor and very kid friendly!
I didn't even get to mention all the lovely ways beans can liven up a bowl of tomato soup! But you get the picture. Think outside the can...

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3 comments:

Brenda said...

You could eat cream of tomato soup almost every day that way! We like to dip grilled cheese sandwiches into it.

Amy Lynne said...

My son takes a can and adds garlic powder, basil, and oregano. He says it's like pizza sauce soup. I guess that's what I get for teaching him how to cook!

Jen @ BigBinder said...

YUM! These all sound so good - I honestly never thought of jazzing my tomato soup up like this.