When it comes to cold weather comfort food, nothing hits the spot quite like a bowl of soup. That is, unless that soup is bland or just plain boring. Then there's nothing quite as sad. Don't suffer through another lackluster chowder, chicken noodle, or lentil soup: We've got an RX for even the most blah bowl, and it's guaranteed to work every time.
What's the secret? The most common reason your soup doesn't taste that great is because it's missing a brightening element. Soup can be heavy, creamy, and rich (that's why we love it so much). But too much richness tastes flat. Almost every bowl of soup can benefit from a zippy and fresh addition. (For proof, just check out this recipe for avgolemono, a Greek soup made with two whole lemons.)
Citrus is just the beginning, though. Here are three essential soup additions that make your soup stew-pendous.
While we love using dried herbs during the cooking process, the bright and "green" flavor of fresh herbs really livens up soup… or any hot plate of food, really.
The key here is using the right herbs. Choose tender, leafy herbs for topping soup, like parsley (flat leaf or curly), cilantro, chives, or even mint. Skip the woody herbs, like rosemary and thyme — or add them in the beginning of the cooking process — otherwise they will dull, rather than brighten, the flavor. They're also not fun to chew.
The second rule of adding fresh herbs to soup is to chop them very finely. Getting a mouthful of whole parsley leaves is never pleasant. After rinsing the herbs and patting them dry, pick the leaves from the stem and place them on a cutting board. Use your sharpest chef's knife, and add the chopped herbs just before serving.
Although you can add fresh herbs to any soup and be happier for it, they made a particularly big impact on rich, stew-like soups. Think chili or New England clam chowder.
Vinegar
If you're raising a skeptical eyebrow at this addition, consider one of the most ubiquitous offerings at Chinese American restaurants: hot and sour soup. This tangy, pleasantly astringent soup is often made with rice vinegar, and plenty of it. While hot and sour soup recipes are specifically calibrated to walk a spicy-sour-salty-sweet line, you can use the technique to give other recipes a boost.
Aged balsamic vinegar is a naturally great choice for this, because it's both tangy and sweet. (Unaged balsamic will work, too, but if you've got an especially good bottle in your pantry, now is the time to use it.) Specialty vinegars, like ones made with Champagne wine or fruit, are also excellent in soup. Just avoid white distilled vinegar — it's a little harsh, and won't add that mysteriously delicious flavor we're looking for.
To avoid adding too much vinegar to your soup, drizzle it in using a spoon or measuring cup, a little bit at a time. It's also a good idea to top off individual bowls, rather than putting it directly in the pot.
Vinegar is a nice match for veggie-heavy soups, especially ones made with sweet and starchy ingredients like squash or potatoes.
Chili Crisp
If you can handle the heat, prepare for chili crisp to be your new souperhero. A highly spoonable condiment of Chinese origin, chili crisp is fiery and pungent. It is typically made with a carrier oil, like peanut, soybean, or olive oil (that last one is less traditional); Szechuan peppercorns; spices; aromatics like garlic; preserved black beans; nuts; seeds; and ginger.
It's tongue-tinglingly spicy, with plenty of crispy-crunchiness in every bite. That happens to be what makes it so good for soup: The chilies inject a lively jolt of energy, and the crunchy bits are just plain fun to eat. You can make your own chili crisp, but we've found a few store-bought jars we like a lot: Check them out here.
Once you've opened that jar of chili crisp, we have a feeling you're going to want to make one of our very favorite soup recipes: Ramen.
Choose tender, leafy herbs for topping soup, like parsley (flat leaf or curly), cilantro, chives, or even mint. Skip the woody herbs, like rosemary and thyme — or add them in the beginning of the cooking process — otherwise they will dull, rather than brighten, the flavor. They're also not fun to chew.
Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it's ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients.
If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl.
For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.
Adding spices and herbs is an easy way to fix bland dishes. Experiment with different spice blends, such as curry powder, cumin, or chili powder, to add a depth of flavour. You can also add in some fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, or thyme can also add a burst of freshness to your dish.
How do you make soup more flavorful? Depending on what kind of soup you have, there are lots of things that add flavor. Black pepper can give an “after burn" to any recipe. Worcestershire sauce, Maggi sauce, tomato paste, fresh herbs, mustard, vinegar, bouquet garni, garlic, hot sauce, soy sauce.
Using umami-rich seasonings such as ketchup, molasses, tomato paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Marmite, or miso paste will give you a quick fix of umami.
You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.
Finish your soup by tossing in some chiles or fresh herbs and giving it a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, or a sprinkle of lemon zest. "That way, one bite will have a lot of those ingredients, and the next one won't," says Kluger. "Soup is more interesting when one bite is different from another."
It may sound a bit strange and unusual for some, but vinegar is a common ingredient in some soup recipes, and there is a good reason for it. If you think about it, vinegar is really a flavor-enhancer (umami). That's why it is so often used in cooking, sauces, and salad dressings. The same is true with soups.
16,482,969 views The secret ingredient is... nothing! Despite that revelation, this so-called secret-soup is one of the most hotly requested dishes in the Babish Culinary Universe.
"Soups and stews really need to simmer for long periods to allow the ingredients to meld together. Taking that a step further, most soups and stews are better if you prepare them the day before serving. Allowing them to cool and then reheating them really helps bring out the flavors and textures."
Foods that have a great deal of acidity, like lemon juice, vinegar, white wine, and tomato puree, can help liven up the flavor of bland-tasting bone and other broths. "The acidity of these ingredients works to complement and enhance the broth's flavors, not mask it.
I gotta be honest: Even after all the effort spent coaxing max flavor out of my canned soups, deciding what goes on top is still the funnest part. Add swirls of pesto, chili crisp, hot sauce, sour cream, or salted yogurt.Garnish your bowl with fried shallots, garlic chips, croutons, or a mish-mash of toasted seeds.
Introduction: My name is Kerri Lueilwitz, I am a courageous, gentle, quaint, thankful, outstanding, brave, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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