The Best Soup In Progresso's Pitmaster Line Has Perfectly Balanced Flavors

Progresso is a tried and true favorite that we've ranked as one of our favorite canned soup brands. While you can't go wrong with its conventional lineup of canned soups, Progresso has upped its game with a new line of Pitmaster soups that bring a smoky, barbecued flavor along with new ingredient combinations. We tried and ranked all five of Progresso's new Pitmaster soups based on the nuanced barbecued and smoky notes implied in their name, flavor cohesion, and stand-out qualities. According to our ranking, Pitmaster BBQ-style grilled chicken and fire-roasted corn is number one, acing every one of our judging criteria. 

We were looking for a burst of barbecue flavors, and this soup certainly delivered. The aroma and flavor of the broth struck an incredible balance between smoky, savory, and sweet. It was as if the broth itself was the rich and comforting barbecue sauce baste for the chunks of grilled chicken generously strewn throughout. In addition to chicken, the soup contains corn, tomatoes, and kidney beans, which bring complementary protein and sweet and savory flavors to pair with the aromatic, sweet, smoky, and savory broth. The cohesion of ingredients and undeniably smoky, barbecue taste of the broth made this soup our favorite of the Pitmaster line and one we'll certainly make a pantry staple.

We weren't the only ones to shower Progresso Pitmaster BBQ-style grilled chicken and fire frosted corn soup with praise. Customers on Influenster, via Google Reviews, raved about the soup. One customer wrote, "The smoky, slightly sweet BBQ flavor is rich without being overpowering, and the grilled chicken is tender and satisfying. It honestly tastes like something you'd get at a backyard cookout, just in a cozy comforting soup form." In addition to tasting great, wrote one customer, "it's pretty hearty too, with 20 grams of protein. Great for a quick meal when you don't feel like cooking." It takes around three minutes to heat the soup up, whether on the stove or in the microwave. It's a great option for a quick dinner or a break room lunch.

While the soup is hearty, common critiques were about the thinness of the broth and slightly undercooked beans. Both of these issues can be cleared up by simmering the soup for a while longer. A 10-minute simmer will help reduce some of the liquid via evaporation while also giving the beans more time to soften. You can also upgrade this can of soup with a dollop of Greek yogurt to thicken it up and bring even more protein to the meal. A squeeze of lime juice is a great finishing touch to round out the smoky sweetness with an acidic tang.