Why You Should Wait To Taste Soup After You Add Herbs And Spices

Hearty, nourishing soup is comfort food that can warm your body on a cold day or refresh your palate on a hot one. Warm or chilled, its versatility and simplicity are just two of the many reasons why we love it so much. Not to mention, soup crafting offers both culinary pros and amateurs the kind of cooking canvas that has so much potential. Seriously, think about all the different types of soups you can make: chicken noodle, tomato basil, Italian wedding, clam chowder, gazpacho, vegetable, black bean, and tortilla soup. You get the point; there are endless possibilities when it comes to soup. But part of its beauty is getting the flavor just right and bringing out the soup's personality with the perfect amount of spices and seasonings. Those seasonings can create a fiesta of deliciousness for your taste buds and keep you coming back for more.

However, if you really want to achieve spot-on seasoning for your soup, the Reddit community has the answer. Reddit user u/jellysnake started a thread asking chefs to share their best cooking tips. Reddit user charizard_72 responded with this tip: Wait and taste your soup after you've added herbs and spices to avoid overdoing it and ruining the flavor. Trust us, this is helpful advice you'll want to follow to achieve the perfect broth or stock. 

Charizard_72 had a few other tips to help soup makers understand the nuances of adding herbs and spices to their beloved soup recipes. The Reddit user noted in the same thread that when dealing with black pepper, dry herbs, and most other seasons, it's important to wait at least 15 minutes to taste after adding them to the soup (via Reddit). That may seem like a long time, but your patience will be rewarded. The chef and Reddit user explained that ingredients take time to infuse and release.

While herbs and spice need a little time to work their magic, charizard_72 noted that salt is a different story. When you add salt to a dish, you can taste it immediately and will know if you need to add more or back off. But, there is another trick you can try to help release the flavors of your spices a lot quicker. Dan Zuccarello, executive food editor of books at America's Test Kitchen, revealed to SELF that spices need time to "bloom," and this can happen with more heat and a little time. Zuccarello suggested toasting your spices either in some type of fat or in a dry pan to help this blooming process along. 

But, honestly, isn't a bowl of delicious soup worth the wait?