20 Popular Canned Soups, Ranked Worst To Best
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Whether the winter weather outside is frightful, you are spending the night by the fire, or you caught yourself a nasty cold, sometimes a bowl of soup seems to be the only thing to hit the spot. Whatever the case, canned soup can always alleviate the stress of preparing a large pot of homemade soup when hunger strikes.
Arguably, the best canned soups are the ones that make us feel cozy and nostalgic, with a flavor that feels familiar and homey. While life doesn't always present the time to prepare a homemade soup from scratch, canned versions last years on the shelf, taste delicious, and take mere minutes to cook. So, it pays to prepare for any sick or rainy days by keeping some canned soups in the pantry.
With so many of these convenient meal options at the grocery store, it can feel impossible to choose a favorite. Instead of stressing next time you find yourself in the canned goods aisle, take our word for it and try out our favorites. So, grab a can opener and a spoon, and let's get started. These are 20 popular canned soups, ranked worst to best.
20. Fit & Active
Kicking off our list is Aldi's Fit & Active soups, which feature a label giving the impression of a good for you, better-option soup. A pantry favorite, the Fit & Active Chicken Noodle Soup provides your typical chicken noodle soup components: carrots, celery, noodles, and chicken. As Good Housekeeping notes, the soup also boasts "6 grams of protein and ... more potassium than in a banana" at 530mg, so nutritionally it's impressive.
The soup does not have a ton of flavor, however. This is not surprising as many chicken noodle soups are hardly flavor parties, and this one is meant to be a healthier alternative.
We did some further research into the health factor of this particular soup and discovered it also contains synthetic additives and is processed using specific ingredients to enhance the shelf life, but these ingredients don't provide any nutritional benefits. Suffice to say, it's always worthwhile to check the ingredient labels before buying soups that market themselves as better for you.
19. Health Valley
Next on our list is Health Valley, a soup commonly found at most major grocery stores. This soup is low in sodium and is an overall heart-healthy choice. According to the brand, per Amazon, Health Valley avoids dumping excess salt in the can and prefers the ingredients to bring the flavor. Health Valley focuses simply on organic ingredients, leaving the addition of herbs, spices, and salt to the consumer.
We appreciate this note, but in the case of canned soup, we want something easy to make that does not require added prep work and ingredients. The brand name gives the impression we can expect a healthier soup alternative from its products. We love food with minimal ingredients, especially when they are organic. But, in the case of Health Valley, the ingredients are easy to decipher on the nutrition label and they may not be as wholesome as the brand name implies.
Indeed, as we read further, we noticed ingredients we prefer not to be included in our soup like canola oil and cane sugar. These are not the type of ingredients we want to see added to our seemingly healthy soup products.
18. Upton's Naturals
Natural foods company, Upton's Naturals, focuses on meat alternatives and staying true to vegan values. The company started in 2006 but recently added vegan soups to its product line. The brand's website suggests that Upton's Naturals' soups are a close second to homemade soups. We heard this statement and knew we had to try the soups for ourselves. With simple ingredients like vegetables, herbs, and meat substitutes, this brand definitely makes vegan food more accessible.
It's worth noting that vegan food does not always compare to its non-vegan counterpart, but that doesn't necessarily impact this review. The flavoring of vegan soup can taste a little different, but it does the trick if you are craving a bowl. Upton's Naturals soup costs more than an average can, but we expected this with a vegan brand. Overall the flavor was enjoyable, but with the "chick & noodle" flavor, we did not find the "chick" to be like the chunks shown on the can. Overall, if you are vegan this is a solid option. But if not, look elsewhere.
17. Kettle & Fire
Kettle & Fire strives to make delicious bone broth accessible to those who crave it. While we understand bone broth differs slightly from soup, its flavor offerings and benefits sparked our interest in this roundup. The brand offers a variety of bone broths, including turmeric ginger, lemongrass ginger beef, and classic chicken.
The brand takes comfort soup flavors and gives them a dreamy upgrade with health-boosting additives like collagen. So, if you want a soup that tastes good while making you feel good too, this is a solid option. The tomato soup is delicious and a great alternative to the dairy-filled tomato soups from other competitors.
Overall, Kettle & Fire's options taste good while offering a healthier alternative. However, we chose not to rank this soup higher because, without the dairy component, we felt like it was a bit too acidic and expensive. When searching for healthier alternatives, we will be checking out more affordable options.
16. Pacific Foods
Pacific Foods make flavorful, creamy, and filling soups that satisfy no matter what you're craving. With a focus on healthy creations which are also delicious, the company uses simple ingredients from trusted growers. Notably, they also adopt sustainable practices to ensure kinder treatment of people, animals, and the planet in the making of their products, so you can enjoy nourishing your body with their soup while they focus on sustaining the environment when making it.
The majority of Pacific Foods soups are dairy-free, gluten-free, low fat, soy-free, and wheat-free. With so many things not included, you may be wondering how the soups taste. So, we grabbed our spoons and dove in to see if the hype was real.
As a whole, this brand is great to keep on hand for a quick and healthy meal, and the soup is filling and tasty for a meal in a pinch. However, our final consensus is it does not taste as much like a gourmet soup as the packaging suggests it should.
15. Swanson
When you're in need of some comfort foods, homemade soups can feel like a necessity to have on hand in the kitchen. Swanson makes broths and stocks like chicken, beef, and vegetable with high-quality ingredients so that you can whip up delicious soups at home more efficiently. The stocky sub-brand from Campbell's features broths that add flavor to whatever soup, stew, or meal you plan to use them in. However, Swanson essentially only offers the base of a meal, so you will still have to keep an entire soup recipe on hand.
On the upside, Swanson is a trusted brand to always keep on hand in your pantry and can be counted on for consistent flavor in every box. You can cook many variations with these broths. Having the brand on deck makes it easier than heading to the grocery store when a recipe idea strikes. Overall, we love this brand and it lost ranking points only because it is not a pre-made canned soup but rather a broth that aids in the creation of a homemade one.
14. Healthy Choice
A healthy soup can be a very satisfying option when you're craving a light snack or a simple starter before your main meal. Healthy Choice serves up canned soups in variations like vegetarian, beef, and chicken. You can find Healthy Choice at most major grocery stores, making it extremely accessible to all.
With a name like Healthy Choice, we assumed this was a canned soup we could feel good about purchasing and consuming. Unfortunately, after taking a good look at the ingredient list, the Healthy Choice is not exactly the cleanest choice. Per the Chicken Noodle product listing on Amazon, the soups contain ingredients additives, flavorings, and colors. These components are said to make up a very small percentage of the soup, but it still does not sit well with our tasters.
Healthy Choice claims its products balance healthy ingredients with taste and convenience. We do not have nutrition credentials; however, we do not believe this soup to be the healthiest option. If you want a better-for-you soup, keep reading for cleaner canned options.
13. Kroger
Kroger has a lot to love, and for a multitude of reasons. But for the purposes of this article, let's dive into their soup offerings. The company sells a variety of great-tasting and family-friendly soups. Some of the varieties include classics like cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, and tomato. The best part is these are some of the most affordable soups on our list. And, what's better than a delicious soup for a low price?
Like every other canned soup, we dove into the ingredients list to decide if the quality matches the taste. Kroger's soups are tasty, but many — such as the company's cream of chicken condensed soup — contain additives like potassium chloride and disodium guanylate. We do not expect every soup to be 100% clean. But, with so many better-for-you offerings, it can be difficult to ignore these factors. For a great price and taste, Kroger is a wonderful canned soup option. But, if you are watching your health, do make sure to glance at the ingredients before purchasing.
12. Lipton
Lipton's mission to provide first-rate soups to families across America dates back to 1940. Per Quaint Cooking, the Lipton onion soup grew in popularity in the 1950s. However, that was mostly due to it being a core component of California Dip, rather than its reputation as a great soup. Party hosts and dip lovers alike would take the packet and blend it with a dairy product to create the popular side. Do Lipton's soups fare better these days?
With products like Soup Secrets, it's incredibly easy to make one of their hearty soups with minimal preparation or ingredients. One bag of Soup Secrets instant mix is simply added to four cups of boiling water and cooked until the noodles are tender. Within a short time, a satisfying bowl of Chicken Noodle, Beefy Onion, or Savory Herb and Garlic can be within your reach.
While Lipton's is a classic, the artificial nature of eating soup from a box feels a bit unnatural to us. There's a satisfying sense of nostalgia that comes with enjoying a bowl of Lipton's, but the brand hasn't kept up with their competition and we found many other soup brands to be better.
11. Heinz
When you think of Heinz, you likely know the mega condiment brand for producing the most popular ketchup in America. Heinz first crafted ketchup way back in 1876 and continues to create and distribute the condiment we all know and love today. According to NPR, Heinz accounts for half the ketchup bottles in all American kitchens — that is a lot of ketchup. However, Heinz undoubtedly also dominates in the ketchup packet and restaurant bottle department.
All of which is to say, Heinz is probably not the first brand to come to mind when you are thinking about soup. However, their cream of tomato soup lives up to the brand's reputation as the tomato maven. And while we were skeptical about the cream of mushroom, this simple flavor surprisingly exceeded our expectations. Now, we not only look to Heinz for condiments like ketchup and mustard, but for soup too.
10. Good & Gather
Good & Gather is one of Target's signature brands. They make a wide variety of products including meat and seafood, dairy, and even frozen foods. We appreciate how Target has made cleaner options more accessible, especially with their healthy soups. The brand offers a variety of flavors including creamy tomato, chicken noodle, lobster bisque, and chicken tortilla in single-serving containers. There is no easier meal than canned soup, and Good & Gather makes life even easier with a four-minute microwave prep time. No need to add additional ingredients, either.
These soups are best paired with crackers for an easy lunch or a grilled cheese sandwich to introduce the nostalgia of childhood. For a soup with quality ingredients, we were pleasantly surprised by the variety of excellent options. We were also shocked at how well the soups were seasoned and that they tasted fresh out of the microwave, making them a worthy addition to your weekly Target shop.
9. Trader Joe's
We cannot get enough of Trader Joe's on an average grocery shopping haul, so we found great excitement in exploring their soup options. Trader Joe's does not have an extensive soup section, but we found a few options to help us with our research, like Kettle Cooked Chicken, Hearty Minestrone, Lentil Soup with Ancient Grains, Pumpkin Butternut Squash Bisque, and Harvest Chili. The last two, we believe, are seasonal items only.
This may come as a surprise, but our favorite was the pumpkin butternut squash bisque. While we do not generally love foods with an overwhelming squash flavor, this soup exceeded our expectations. The bisque's consistency was just right, and the flavor is mild and well-rounded. A thick slice of garlic sourdough toast dips like a dream into this bowl, and we highly recommend you serve it as thus. Dare we say we might even pick this soup over a classic like tomato basil? These store cupboard staples did not disappoint.
8. Rao's
You may recognize the name Rao's from their canned pizza and pasta sauces. The Rao family began creating authentic Italian sauces and served them in their legendary New York restaurant, which led to establishments in Las Vegas and Los Angeles before their legendary sauces got jarred for general consumption
Today, the company has expanded to other products like pasta and soups. They offer classic soup flavors like tomato and chicken noodle and more unique flavors like sausage and potato soup or tortellini and vegetable soup. Per the company website, Rao's mission is to focus on healthy and delicious blends, making every meal a bit better. The brand subsequently climbed to the top of our list because of its commitment to using the most premium ingredients.
For example, their tortellini & vegetable soup is packed with real ingredients like whole tomatoes and vegetables as well as ricotta cheese tortellini, Parmesan cheese, and a blend of spices. These soups are on the higher end price-wise, but we believe the quality and taste make it worth every penny.
7. Campbell's Condensed
We could not do a soup roundup without Campbell's condensed soups. Per the classic brand's website, Campbell's simple but satisfying products have been enjoyed for over 150 years. Their incredibly popular condensed soups come in dozens of flavors and are the perfect start to any meal.
With so many different soups to choose from, it can be difficult to choose a favorite. However, we stumbled upon the Campbell's condensed healthy request chicken noodle soup, a healthier take on the comforting chicken noodle soup you know and love. This soup serves up fresh egg noodles in seasoned chicken broth creating a warm bowl sure to satisfy.
We appreciate this step in a healthier direction for Campbell's. While not every one of their soups is like this, the brand has made huge strides in the last 150 years since its origin. The brand has proven they're still a supreme store cupboard staple, and their canned soups don't disappoint.
6. Progresso
Sliding into No. 6 on our list is Progresso Soups. Similar to Campbell's, Progresso offers a large variety of hearty, traditional soups, including light and even vegetarian options. Per their website, Progresso's values as a brand focus on premium meals that are not only tasty but also substantial. We especially love that they take pride in making family-friendly food that consumers are excited to share with the ones they love.
If you want a canned soup brand that mimics what mom used to make growing up, Progresso is it. You can feel good about the textures, quality, and consistency of their soups, which include no artificial flavors or coloring. These are wholesome, nurturing cans.
Most notably, Progresso's Traditional Chicken Noodle is a classic go-to canned soup for whenever you want a hot bowl of comfort food. Despite being low-fat, the white meat chicken-based soup is packed full of flavor and is pure comfort in a can.
5. Annie's
Per the organic brand's website, Annie's Homegrown looks to improve our world through delicious food because they believe organic food impacts the planet and everyone on it. We don't disagree, and for this reason, Annie's climbed to the top five of our canned soup rankings. Luckily, their food is as good as their values.
Annie's offers a variety of beloved products including snacks, meals, and mac and cheese. When it comes to healthy organic soups, Annie's is also top-notch. For example, the Organic Bunny Pasta & Chicken Broth Soup, a bunny-shaped take on the classic chicken noodle, is made without any artificial flavors, colors, MSG, or preservatives.
These soups are flavors you can feel good about, too. Not only because of their taste but because they are full of nourishing real ingredients. Comparing Annie's to other healthy brands, however, we were disappointed to find no gluten-free or vegan soup options. But overall, you can count on Annie's to serve up wholesome food that is good for you, your family, and the planet.
4. Campbell's Well Yes!
Campbell's offers so many good soups, we had to include them three times on our list. This time Campbell's Well Yes! claimed our No. 4 spot on the popular canned soups ranking. This wholesome range differs slightly from the brand's classic soup line. Per the Campbell's website, the Well Yes! range are sipping soups, making them a super convenient option for easy, on-the-go eating. The soups also pack in the vegetables, which makes us feel good about the brand overall.
These soups focus on nourishing and satisfying with simple ingredients you could find in your kitchen. Lucky for you, you won't be needing any of those home ingredients because Campbell's does the work for you, adding everything you need for a delicious warm meal in one easy-to-prep container or can.
Per Campbell's, the goal behind launching this line was to make convenient soups without sacrificing healthy ingredients. That's meant the addition of familiar but wholesome ingredients like whole grains, meats, and vegetables, without any dyes or artificial colors. We love the variety of Campbell's Say Yes! soups, including so many vegan and vegetarian options. The nutritious ingredients and taste of these soups helped this brand land a top spot on our list.
3. Whole Foods 365
Whole Foods strikes again. The Whole Foods 365 line offers premium organic soups and broths. Like all Whole Foods products, the 365 line abides by Whole Foods' quality standards, including the prohibition of a couple of hundred preservatives and additives commonly found in food, which maybe shouldn't be. We appreciate that they continue to push and modify these standards constantly to ensure the food they put on the shelves is of the best quality possible.
After rave reviews, we headed straight to their soups to investigate whether the same quality — not to mention, taste — came from the soup section. Like so many Whole Foods products, the soups did not disappoint.
We grabbed the classic organic chicken noodle soup and were not only impressed with the clean ingredients but also its palatable nature. The soup offered the right amount of flavor, a good serving of chicken, and the noodle to chicken ratio was on point. As ever, this proved to be a quality you can count on.
2. Panera Bread at Home
Few things compare to the hearty comforts of the fast-casual chain restaurant Panera Bread, except maybe the chain offering their soups at home. With the Panera at Home collection, you can enjoy your favorite Panera soups in the comfort of your home. The soups are available online or in most grocery stores, so are easy to grab during grocery shopping.
Panera Bread really knows what they are doing when it comes to soup, too. The brand's jarred offerings include so many options that we honestly feel like there's more variety to enjoy at home than heading to your local Panera restaurant. The only thing missing is the bread bowl, so we are already brainstorming ways to enjoy that at home too.
Our particular favorites include Thai-style chicken soup, turkey sausage, kale and quinoa soup, and Greek-style lemon chicken soup. However, with so many delicious and diverse flavors — not to mention, recipes free of artificial ingredients and preservatives — it was hard to narrow down the top picks. Rest assured, whatever you pick, you're in for a substantial and delicious bowl.
1. Amy's Kitchen
Coming in at the No. 1 is the champion, Amy's Kitchen Soups. Per the company's website, the organic brand came into existence while founder Rachel was pregnant with a little girl. The couple named their daughter Amy, which inspired the company's name. Rachel and her husband were disappointed with the lack of convenient, healthy, and delicious options for a pregnant woman on bed rest, so they got busy in the kitchen and made their own.
The couple started with pot pies and quickly grew to other offerings, innovating with gluten-free and dairy-free options to support their growing number of consumers with food allergies. Now Amy's offers a variety of delicious and healthy products, some of the most beloved being their delicious and hearty soups in a can.
Amy's offers so many soup varieties, it's hard to choose a favorite, but we love the diversity, wholesome ingredients, and incredible taste of all of them. The best part is they truly make a soup for everyone, and you can even custom search for soup on their site based on dietary preferences or restrictions. If you are testing out Amy's for the first time, we recommend one of their many lentil variations, organic cream of tomato, or rustic Italian vegetable. All of which are dense with nourishing produce, and simple yet flavorful.