7 Canned Beef Soups, Ranked

Whether the sky is overcast or you're just feeling under the weather, nothing hits the spot more than a warm bowl of soup. After a while, the classic chicken noodle can feel overdone. Sometimes a hearty beef soup is all you need, but it takes hours to make, and after all that time, there's a chance the beef can turn out tough and chewy.

Luckily, there are plenty of canned beef soups available at grocery stores across the country. It's hard to find store-bought brands that live up to the homestyle quality many claim to have, but every so often, they can get pretty close. When you don't have the time to watch a simmering pot, canned soups provide a quick, hearty meal that is both cheap and efficient. I set out to try canned beef soups from two of the most popular soup companies, and a few grocery chain originals, too, to see which canned beef soup provides that comforting homemade feel.

If you're an East Coaster, you may have heard of the Stop & Shop grocery chain. With hundreds of locations from New Jersey to Massachusetts, Stop & Shop sells affordable grocery items, with several brand-exclusive canned soups available. Stop & Shop's condensed vegetable beef soup was the only condensed beef soup featured on this list. Sold for a little over $1, this veggie beef soup was one of the most affordable options here, but sacrificed flavor as a result.

The soup was prepared by adding a can of water to the can's contents. This resulted in a thin broth that tasted both watered down and underseasoned. The chunks of potatoes within had a starchy, grainy consistency that I wasn't particularly fond of. The bits of beef were a solid size, but ended up tasting dry. There were a few grains of barley floating around, but not enough to have added anything substantial to either the flavor or heartiness. The veggies, a mix of green beans, carrots, and peas, were all pretty mushy in texture, and I tasted an occasional hint of sourness here and there, which I assumed was from the veggies but couldn't fully pinpoint. Due to the lack of flavor, thin broth, and unpleasant textures, this soup took the lowest spot. 

Aldi, an affordable German-based grocery chain with locations across the U.S., is known for its low prices and Aldi-exclusive products. The Chef's Cupboard chunky steak and potato soup is just one of Aldi's brand-exclusive soup options available at under $2 a can. While many of the beef soups in this ranking had overlapping ingredients, this one stood out due to its inclusion of mushrooms and Burgundy wine. The mushrooms amplified the rich beef-broth-heavy soup base. The red wine, paired with the addition of tomato puree, provided much-needed acidity to balance out the richness of the broth. Overall, the broth was savory, but I found myself looking for at least a hint of sweetness to contrast those deep beef flavors.

A risk with canned soups is the potential for a metallic artificial taste from the can itself, which I could pick up with this soup. As for the soup's contents, they were unbalanced. I tasted at least three big chunks of potatoes in each spoonful, which had a starchy, grainy texture. The only "chunky steak" I could find was the little pea-sized bits sparsely scattered throughout. There were slices of mushrooms, which were appreciated, but all in all, potatoes dominated. This one took the second-lowest spot, due to its metallic aftertaste and unbalanced ingredients.

When it comes to soups, Campbell's has been in the game for over a century. With popular Campbell's soup lines like Campbell's Homestyle and Chunky, the company has continued to develop and release new flavors. Campbell's Chunky beefy mac soup is one of the newer additions to the Chunky soup line. I can say with certainty, this soup lived up to the "chunky" label. The soup's consistency was reminiscent of a stew, with a thick broth that coated the back of the spoon. It was completely jam-packed with both cubes and crumbles of beef, large macaroni noodles, and pieces of both red and green peppers. Flavor-wise, this tasted similar to Campbell's iconic tomato soup with a savory, beefy twist.

The inclusion of cheddar cheese, sour cream, and semisoft cheese provided both creaminess and body, adding a velvety smooth and thick texture to the soup itself. The flavor was similar to Hamburger Helper. The macaroni noodles were soft, but held together when stirring, and the beefy bits had a slight smokiness. The peppers added a tinge of welcome spice. Overall, this was a unique soup, but it was quite heavy and rich. I don't think I'd be able to eat more than a small bowl of it in one sitting. It is definitely not your everyday meal, but it can hit the spot on occasion if you are craving something hearty. Since it isn't a soup I'd eat consistently, I placed it in the fifth spot. However, it is definitely worth a try.

Whether you're a diehard Campbell's fan or a Progresso aficionado, there's no denying that the two companies lead the U.S. canned soup market. They also have many overlapping soup flavors, including the classic beef and country vegetable combo. While Campbell's has its Chunky lines, Progresso has Rich & Hearty. 

The beef pot roast with country vegetables soup that I tried contained big chunks of cooked beef, which had a slightly chewy exterior that softened after a bite or two. There were good, hearty chunks of green beans, carrots, potatoes, and tomatoes. There was a good veggie-to-meat ratio, and everything was a similar size. The potatoes, however, like others on this ranking, were a bit firm and starchy, which distracted from the rest of the vegetables. 

As for the broth, the consistency was perfect. It wasn't too thick or thin, but still left a slight coating on the back of the spoon. While the base of the broth had that classic umami from the beef broth, the inclusion of tomatoes and pearl onions provided a mild, sweet contrast. Apart from the potatoes, I had no major complaints about this one. It's a solid choice.

Campbell's Chunky beef with country vegetables soup is one of the best-selling canned soups in the country, which is a part of both the Chunky and Healthy Request line. Campbell's Healthy Request line offers heart-healthy versions of some Campbell's favorites. Sometimes I find healthy versions of soups much less salty and flavorful than the originals. With this one, I didn't even notice it was a healthier version. The broth was well seasoned with strong, meaty, umami notes. Tomato paste provided a subtle hint of acidity. The consistency was similar to a beef stew, which made each bite quite filling. 

The chunks of beef, carrots, potatoes, and green beans were well-sized. The meat wasn't rubbery, which can be a risk with canned soups. Carrots and potatoes were more prominent than the green beans and peas. However, the potatoes were soft and tender, which I really enjoyed, and the peas weren't too mushy. This was similar in score to Progresso's version, but had the slight leg up due to the tenderness of the potatoes.

If there's one thing that Progresso has mastered, it's the classics, and Progresso's Rich & Hearty line takes those familiar flavors to a new level. With thicker versions of popular styles like chicken noodle or loaded potato, Progresso has plenty of options for those craving a filling, nourishing meal. For savory lovers, Progresso's Rich & Hearty savory beef barley vegetable soup doesn't disappoint.

The brand's version included steak, carrots, and celery, along with green beans and tomato chunks. The steak and veggies were smaller compared to other soups, but the steak had a prominent smoky, beef flavor profile that I enjoyed. The rough, chopped chunks of tomato gave the soup a refreshing, homemade feel. The broth was velvety and smooth, with a robust flavor and well-balanced salt level. It was one of the tastiest broths on this list. It had depth and didn't just taste of beef broth or tomato.

While I loved the broth, I found myself craving a bit more substance from the soup. The grains of barley were present, but sparse, and the cubed meat and veggies were a bit too small for my liking. However, aside from the size and quantity of the contents, this vegetable beef barley soup was rich and well-rounded, and deserving of the second spot on this ranking.

When it comes to comfort soups, nothing hits the spot quite like a vegetable beef barley soup. Both Campbell's and Progresso have their own versions available, and since these two brands have been neck and neck in this ranking, I was curious to see how their barley soups would fare against one another. Campbell's Chunky line features a hearty beef barley soup, which I opted to try.

The broth had a subtle sweetness and pleasant tomato flavor, complementing the savoriness of the beef broth. Campbell's does a great job with their portions of meat. The chunks of steak were similar in size to the veggies and substantial throughout the soup. The bits of beef were chewy on the outside and fall-apart tender on the inside.

The soup was loaded with barley as well as veggies like potatoes, carrots, corn, peas, and celery. The potatoes were soft and tender, which I've come to appreciate from Campbell's. The corn and peas had a snap to them that gave way into a soft interior.  Overall, this soup was filling, balanced, and had generous chunks of meat and veggies. Although I slightly preferred the flavor of Progresso's broth, Campbell's ultimately had the leg up due to the size and quantity of its ingredients. I'd eat this soup again any day.

For this canned beef soup ranking, I looked for beef soups from popular, accessible grocery chains and brands. I selected two options from grocery chain-exclusive brands and the rest from Campbell's and Progresso, two widely popular soup companies in the U.S. I prepared each soup as directed on the can and reviewed them based on a few factors. 

I focused on the broth's flavor and viscosity along with the ingredients themselves. As for the ingredients, I noted their texture, flavor, and quantity. Overall, the best soups had a balanced broth-to-ingredient ratio, a mild but robust broth, hearty chunks of beef, ample veggies, and tender potatoes.