The Easy Trick To Turning Canned Tomato Sauce Into A Delicious Soup

Few of us make it out of this life without making a few struggle meals. The fridge is empty, motivation is at an all-time low, and you're absolutely starving. It's time to turn to one of the staples of struggle meals: canned tomato sauce. But you don't have to just dump the can on some unseasoned pasta or dip a saltine cracker in it. You can easily transform it into a delicious and satisfying tomato soup, so good that you might even want to make it for company as a low-stress dinner party starter. 

The thing that makes the soup from your favorite dinner spot so much better than the stuff in your own cupboard comes down to just two things: broth and cream. These ingredients add extra savoriness and fat that water-based soups just can't compete with. Plus, the broth helps to transform the sauce into a soup texture, while the cream binds it into a rich consistency. Be sure to add salt and pepper to taste. 

We can already hear you saying, "Look, this is a struggle meal. How am I supposed to have broth and cream on hand?" 

When it comes to broth, homemade is best, whether that's chicken, beef, or vegetable. However, there are plenty of delicious shelf-stable alternatives. Boullion cubes or bouillon paste can be mixed with water and add a ton of savoriness and umami to the soup; we recommend skipping the boxed stuff because it tends to be pretty flavorless and watery. Cream can easily be swapped out for milk, of course. But you can also try a little sour cream or cream cheese if that's what you have on hand — just add extra broth to compensate. 

To take this easy tomato soup to the next level, look to the dried herb spice bottles that you never remember to use. Just shake a few flakes into the soup while it's cooking; basil and oregano pair well. To finish, sprinkle some flaky salt and ground pepper on top, and enjoy with toasted bread or crackers.