Dust off those cans of beans sitting in your pantry. Believe it or not, you can make incredible soup with just a few pantry ingredients. A dash of spice, a bit of dried pasta, chicken broth, and some canned tomatoes can be the base of a tasty, comforting soup.
Wondering how to make soup with those leftover canned ingredients? Here are a few quick tricks that make it easy to use up those pantry essentials, stat:
Cook dried beans in the Crock Pot: If you’ve got unused bags of inexpensive dried beans, it’s easy to look them over. Instead, rinse them off, cover them with water, and cook them overnight in a slow cooker.
Boost the flavor with a few basics like garlic salt, onion powder, and pepper, then drain and store cooked beans in freezer-safe plastic bag. That way, your pantry beans will be ready to cook at a moment’s notice. Just pull your baggie from the freezer, thaw, and enjoy!
Get creative with your cooking: Have two or three cans of crazy ingredients? If it’s been nearly a year since you purchased that creamed corn, canned asparagus, or tin of yams, it’s time to make a dinner that matches your oddball pantry ingredients. Search online for soup recipes that use the stuff you’ve got, and try something new. You might find a new favorite dish!
Follow this simple formula: You don’t need a recipe to make delicious soup! Use this basic formula and customize your own pots with whatever you’ve got in the pantry:
- 5 cups liquid (water, broth, tomato sauce, or store-bought soup)
- 2 cups veggies (carrots, celery, tomatoes, peas, green beans, corn, etc.)
- 1 cup cooked meat or beans (ground beef, shredded chicken, black beans, or white beans)
- 1/2 cup uncooked pasta (any shape or style)
- 1 Tablespoon spices (garlic or onion powder, Italian seasoning, etc.)
To cook: Toss everything in a pot and boil until pasta is tender. Serve and enjoy, top with cheese if desired.
Though simple pantry soups don’t require a recipe, sometimes it helps to have some inspiration. So hit that pantry, pull out a few cans of stuff you need to cook, then try some of these easy favorites. From canned artichoke hearts to dried lentils, these seven soup recipe ideas are a great way to get inexpensive, easy dinner on the table…fast!
- Source: Gimme Some Oven
1. Make a whole meal with canned beans
If you have canned white beans and chicken broth in your pantry, you have soup! Adding a few strips of chopped bacon adds major flavor, and tossing in garlic and herbs will also up the ante, but a few basic pantry ingredients are all you need for a simple, satisfying soup. No recipe needed, but this Tuscan white bean soup is a perfect starting point.
- Source: Honey & Birch
2. Use the basics for a simple 3-ingredient soup
This easy, tasty black bean soup is made with just three ingredients. Canned black beans, tomatoes, and broth make a comforting and delicious soup that’s full of protein. Dress it up with your favorite Tex-Mex toppings for more pizzazz!
- Source: Damn Delicious
3. Combine pantry and spice staples for easy Italian
Turn a can of bean soup into a delightful Italian meal with dried pasta and spices. Pasta inexpensively stretches this meal, and Italian spice adds a burst of flavor. If you have a few extra minutes, this pasta e fagioli soup is an easy from-scratch recipe that the whole family will love.
If you love a good, hearty tomato soup, try this skinny red pepper tomato soup recipe!
- Source: Foodie Crush
4. Use canned antipasto for a zesty twist
Want a gourmet-inspired soup in minutes? Raid your pantry for canned artichoke hearts, jarred sun-dried tomatoes, and packaged tortellini for an incredibly delicious soup in no time.
Have a can of cream of mushroom soup sitting in your pantry? Try this recipe for Paleo-friendly cream of mushroom soup!
- Source: The Stone Soup
5. Use dried lentils for a high-protein punch
The secret to the amazing flavor in this simple dried lentil and canned tomato soup is the spices. Add a few tablespoons of spices to this simple two-ingredient pantry soup for a quick and delicious weeknight dinner.
- Source: Martha Stewart
6. Go for Southwestern flair with 4 easy ingredients
Get south-of-the-border flavor in a quick pantry soup. Canned black beans, broth, canned tomatoes, and chili powder make a simple yet flavorful soup. Add tortilla chips for some crunch! Need a recipe? Check out this tortilla soup with black beans.
7. Dress up storebought soup with some add-ins
You know that convenient box of butternut squash soup sitting in your pantry? Dress it up and you’ll transform plain soup into a gourmet delight. Raid your pantry for pumpkin or sunflower seeds, balsamic, chili oil, and spices for a totally tasty soup.
If you love butternut squash, you’ll love the second recipe in this story for vegetarian Crock Pot soups!
Budget Bites / How to Make Soup With Leftovers In Your Pantry
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