This Canned Soup Makes Mac & Cheese Incredibly Creamy (& Other Canned Soup Hacks)

Canned soup is an obvious ingredient for decadent mac and cheese, but soupy pizza? Believe it or not, these hacks make for some delicious meals!

#Soup #CannedFood #Hack

Mac and cheese | 0:00
Scrambled eggs | 1:34
Stir-fry | 2:32
Alfredo sauce | 3:48
Stroganoff | 4:35
Meatloaf | 5:48
Risotto | 6:54
Pizza | 8:20
Stuffing | 9:27
Spaghetti | 10:26
Ramen | 11:35

Voiceover by: Stephanie Willing

Read Full Article: https://www.foodrepublic.com/1438012/canned-soup-hacks-enhance-flavor-dishes/

Canned soup is an obvious ingredient  for decadent mac and cheese,   but soupy pizza? Believe it or not, these  hacks make for some delicious meals! Whether you make mac and cheese from scratch  following a favorite family recipe or you   simply pop open a box and follow the printed  directions, it’s time to consider throwing  

Canned soup into the mix. The benchmark of  any good plate of mac and cheese is its ooey,   gooey creaminess. And sometimes cheese  and cream alone won’t get you there. When you really want that indulgent  and satisfying richness that makes  

Mac and cheese such a classic comfort food,  canned soup can be just what your recipe is   lacking. You can use cream of mushroom soup  for an umami-packed plate of mac or cream of   chicken for a more savory and fulfilling mac  and cheese that eats like a main course. Or,  

For a full-on cheese explosion, consider a  can of your favorite cheddar cheese soup. Whichever soup you pick, adding it to your  recipe couldn’t be easier. Just prepare your   macaroni like normal, then, while it cooks,  combine your “cheese sauce” ingredients in  

A saucepan over low heat. Recipes will vary  but likely include some combination of milk,   shredded cheese, and spices — or perhaps a  pouch of liquid cheese or powdered cheese. Once you have these standard  ingredients in your saucepan,   add anywhere from 1/2 to 1 full can of  the canned soup of your choice. Stir  

Everything until smooth and creamy, then mix  in your cooked, drained macaroni and serve. There’s nothing like starting  your day with a plate of warm,   fluffy scrambled eggs. You can amp up their flavor  with additions like fresh herbs, smoked salmon,  

Sun-dried tomatoes, feta, and spinach. But if you  want scrambled eggs with layers of added flavor,   wonderful creamy moisture, and a unique twist,  consider adding some canned soup to your recipe. Cream of asparagus soup is a great option. Simply   whisk 1/4 cup of the soup with four  eggs and then scramble like normal,  

Stirring regularly until the eggs are fluffy  and golden and have just begun to set. Pair   the eggs with some freshly steamed asparagus  if it’s in season. You can also use frozen. Tomato basil soup is another exciting option to  add wonderful flavor and variety to scrambled  

Eggs. Again, just whisk 1/4 cup of the soup  with four eggs and cook as normal. Or consider   cream of spinach or even cream of potato for  eggs that will taste like a breakfast hash. A good stir-fry doesn’t always have to  be drowning in soy sauce, fish sauce,  

Or a tangy sweet teriyaki. You can make all sorts  of amazing cream-based stir-fries, and canned   soup is the ideal ingredient to get any of these  recipes started. Canned soup lets you infuse your   stir-fry with a variety of rich and diverse  flavors without the need for a ton of extra  

Seasoning. It makes a wonderful base for your  stir-fry sauce and can even act as a thickener   as your stir-fry cooks, ensuring every bite of  your meal is covered with rich, velvety goodness. For a stir-fry containing beef, chicken  or tofu plus assorted stir-fry vegetables  

Like bell peppers, broccoli, and snap peas,  consider using a can of cream of mushroom   soup as your secret ingredient. First  stir-fry your protein until browned and   almost ready to serve. Remove it from the wok,  set aside, and next cook your veggies. Then,  

Just as they’re getting close to done, add your  protein back into the wok. And then add anywhere   from 1/2 to 1 full can of soup plus a splash of  soy sauce. Keep stirring everything until it’s   well coated and heated through and then serve  either alone or over cooked rice or noodles.

You can follow the same steps and use other  soups too, including canned Hot & Sour soup,   canned Red Curry, or even canned Thai Curry. “Your fettuccine Alfredo looks a little  dry, did you use all your cheese?” Pasta and Alfredo sauce is a legendary  pairing. But sometimes even the best  

Alfredo sauce can seem a little bland. When  you want to try something new or different,   canned soup can be just what  you’ve been looking for. Cream of broccoli soup, cream of tomato, cream  of mushroom, and cream of spinach are all great  

Options for any premade or homemade Alfredo  sauce. Simply stir in as little or as much   of the soup as you’d like. Add it as you heat  the sauce but before you combine it with your   pasta. Stir the soup and Alfredo until the two  are well combined and heated through and then  

Add your cooked pasta, tossing it until well  coated. Top with some fresh herbs and freshly   ground pepper or cheese and serve while still  hot. Your family and friends will love it. Whether you enjoy it over a bed of egg  noodles, mashed potatoes, tender rice,  

Or just with meat, stroganoff is another  wonderful classic comfort food made even   better with the addition of canned soup! The dish  typically includes sautéed beef cubes bathed in   a mustard-and–sour cream sauce. But if you’re  short on time or just looking for ways to add  

Extra flavor and creaminess to the dish, your  recipe should also include some premade soup! Cream of mushroom is a good option for any  stroganoff that includes sautéed mushrooms.   The soup adds even more savory, umami flavor  to the dish and amplifies the natural punch  

The mushrooms are already providing. You  could also use a cream of chicken soup to   increase the meatiness and savoriness of a  chicken or beef-based stroganoff. And for   plant-based recipes featuring tofu or other  meat substitutes, consider cream of spinach  

Or cream of asparagus soup to pack even more  garden vegetable flavor into your creamy sauce. Whatever recipe you use and whatever soup  you decide to feature, just add anywhere   from 1/2 to 1 full can of the soup to  your cream sauce as you prepare it.  

Then add your already cooked meat into  the dish, heat until warm, and serve! “Meatloaf, smeatload, double  beatloaf, I hate meatloaf.” One of the best things about meatloaf  is its decadent gravy. In either case,   canned soup is the ideal ingredient  to use in this delicious dish.

Everybody has a favorite meatloaf recipe.  Stick with the one you love and make it as   directed until it gets to any final  steps involving toppings. Press the   ground meatloaf mixture into your loaf pan and  shape as you would normally. Then, simply pour  

The canned soup over the top of the meat. You  can use French onion soup, cream of mushroom,   cream of chicken, or even tomato. If the soup  is especially thick coming out of the can,   add water as needed to dilute so that it pours  evenly over the top of the entire meatloaf.

Finally, bake the meatloaf as your original  recipe dictates. Depending on the size and   thickness of your loaf, you may need to add five  to 10 minutes of cooking time. If you’re in doubt,   grab a meat thermometer. You’ll know  it’s done when the center of the loaf  

Has reached an internal temperature  of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Homemade risotto is the kiss of  death on almost any cooking show.   It generally leads to a contestant’s  elimination. But maybe that’s because   those chef-testants aren’t using canned  soup as part of their risotto recipe!

For instance, you can make an incredible chicken  risotto using cream of chicken soup. To get   started, sauté 1/2 cup of chopped onions and  two cloves of minced garlic until tender and   translucent. Next, add 1 cup of Arborio rice to  the pan. Quickly follow that rice with 1 full can  

Of cream of chicken soup, stirring continuously  to work the soup into the rice and onion mixture. As the rice absorbs the soup, begin adding  the chicken broth, 1/2 cup at a time,   and continue to stir. The total amount of  broth needed will vary, but you will likely  

Need around three cups. Finally, when you’ve  added all the broth necessary to the rice,   stir in 1 cup of chopped cooked chicken plus herbs  like fresh thyme to taste. Continue to cook and   stir the risotto until it appears creamy and the  rice is al dente. Once the risotto reaches your  

Desired consistency, remove it from the stove,  garnish with grated Parmesan cheese, and serve. In addition to cream of chicken, you might also  use cream of asparagus, broccoli, spinach, potato,   or even tomato basil soup. All are excellent  options for a mouthwatering DIY risotto. “Hmm, of course we have pizza.”

“Mr. Krabs, we don’t serve pizza” As strange as it may sound, canned soup  is an ideal way to save time while also   adding depth and complexity to  your pizza sauce. And of course,   soups also add moisture and creaminess to pizza,  preventing it from becoming too dry as it bakes.

To use any canned soup on homemade  pizza, prepare your pizza crust,   then spread one entire can of soup on  top, just like you would with marinara   or any other “traditional” pizza sauce. With  your soup in place, you can then add cheese,  

Meats, and other toppings as normal,  then bake to crisp and golden perfection. For a traditional pie, consider pairing condensed  cream of tomato soup with grated mozzarella,   sliced bell peppers, and cooked Italian  sausage. Or, for something less conventional,   combine cream of mushroom soup with  sliced mushrooms, caramelized onions,  

Parmesan, and crumbled bacon. You can  even make an exotic clam chowder pizza.   All you need is one can of canned clam  chowder, one can of drained canned clams,   sautéed onions and bell peppers,  and some shredded cheddar cheese. Holiday stuffings are another wonderful  place to put canned soups to use. And if  

You aren’t cooking your stuffing in the bird  or you worry about it turning out too dry,   this is an especially good option. As far as soup options, cream  of mushroom and cream of chicken   are superb choices. But you could also use  cheddar cheese soup, butternut squash soup,  

Wild mushroom soup, pumpkin soup, sweet  potato soup, or even Thai coconut soup. To add canned soup to any stuffing, simply follow  your favorite standard recipe. When making this   dish, it’s common to use chicken stock or  vegetable stock, however, in our version,  

This is where you’ll make your substitution. Cut  that amount of liquid in half and add your can   of soup instead. Then, if the stuffing still  seems dry or you’re having problems working   an especially thick and condensed soup into  the mix, gradually add a bit of the liquid  

You cut from the recipe. Continue adding  it little by little until you reach your   desired consistency. Then bake the stuffing  mixture according to your original recipe. When making spaghetti in a hurry,  your first instinct might be to   reach for a bottle of premade sauce.  But did you know that canned soups  

Are just as quick and tasty — not to  mention a whole lot more versatile? To make a classic marinara, simply  combine one can of condensed tomato   soup with anywhere from a half to one  full can of diced tomatoes. Pour this   mixture over browned ground beef  or turkey, add onions, garlic,  

And other Italian seasonings to taste, and  voila… hearty, thick, and rich pasta sauce. You can follow a similar method for a cream-based   sauce. Just brown or sauté some ground  meat, fresh mushrooms, onions, garlic,   and stir in a can of cream of mushroom soup  along with herbs like thyme or basil. Let the  

Mixture simmer until heated through and then  combine with or pour over cooked spaghetti. And if you like seafood, you can even use canned  clam chowder to make spaghetti and clams. Simply   combine one can of clam chowder with 1/2 cup  of heavy cream, some grated Parmesan cheese,  

And one can of minced clams. Heat until  warm and then serve over cooked spaghetti. “I hope she made lots’a spaghetti.” Whether you love those cheap packages of  dried ramen that college students thrive   on or you prefer a more refined and elevated  bowl of ramen with all the classic ingredients,  

Remember this: Every bowl of ramen is made  better with the addition of canned soup. Making chicken ramen? Combine cream of chicken  soup with the broth base from your packet of ramen   noodles and heat until warm. Then add your noodles  and let simmer until soft. For added flavor,  

You can even toss in herbs like star anise,  lemongrass, or makrut lime leaves. If you’re going   all out, put in some slices of cooked rotisserie  chicken to round out this incredible DIY meal. Don’t limit your creativity to “meat-based” ramen  dishes. A can of tomato soup and a bit of cream of  

Coconut milk make an excellent base for a decadent  tomato basil ramen. You can even add fresh basil   leaves, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and cooked  shrimp or tofu. Or make a miso corn chowder ramen.   Simply combine canned corn chowder, miso broth  or miso paste, and your favorite ramen noodles.  

Round out the dish with a few strips of nori  and freshly toasted sesame seeds. With meals   this good — just a can of soup and a few other  favorite ingredients away — who needs takeout?