FOOD NEWS
The 13 Best Canned Ingredients For Bulking Up Homemade Soup
BY ADRIENNE KATZ KENNEDY
Green Beans
Bulk up your soup with a can of green beans. They're a good source of vitamins C, K, and A, in addition to potassium, folic acid, and fiber.
Their mild taste and soft but firm texture enhances soups including vegetable and beef, tomato, and minestrone. Rinse the beans before using them to avoid over-salting your dish.
Corn
Corn provides an excellent textural addition and a lovely, sweet flavor to soups. Plus, it’s a complex carbohydrate, meaning it’ll keep you fuller longer.
Corn melds well in almost any soup, from beef and veggie soup to black bean chili to tortilla soup. You can also use it as the main ingredient in a creamy corn chowder.
Peas
Canned peas, particularly young, garden peas, have a gentle, delicious flavor, making them the perfect addition to many soups.
Opt for young garden peas, which are slightly firmer and won't dissolve as quickly as other varieties. Add them towards the end of cooking so they retain their shape.
Lentils
Lentils are one of the most versatile legumes. They add bulk to soup and are loaded with nutrients including fiber, protein, vitamin B, and folate.
Canned lentils are easy to add to any meal since they don’t require soaking. Just be sure to rinse them first to remove any excess salt before adding them to soup.
Chickpeas
It’s not surprising that chickpeas are a go-to for bulking up soup thanks to their substance, versatile flavor, and nutritional heft.
Chickpeas mix well in everything from a traditional Moroccan chickpea stew to a simple vegetable soup. You can even roast them and serve them as a crunchy topping.