Add oomph to your soup with our ten best secret ingredients. You probably already have them in your fridge or pantry.
José Andrés, chef and owner of minibar said, “Simple ingredients, treated with respect… put them together and you will always have a great dish.”
We agree! The best ingredients, those that can elevate a dish from bland to bodacious, are usually the simplest. A dash of fish sauce adds meatiness. A spattering of fresh herbs brings fragrance. A squirt of lemon juice finishes off a dish with that hint of acid.
Today we’ve got a list of the secret ingredients we use to transform homemade soups. The best part, most are already in your fridge or pantry.
1. Lemon Juice
Acidity in a soup can really make a difference because it adds a high back-note. When adding lemon juice, add at the end of cooking to keep its bright flavor.
2. Wine
Wine is the perfect liquid to unstick the brown stuff from the bottom of your pan. When making French Onion Soup, I deglaze with red wine. And then I pour myself a glass.
3. Fish Sauce
It’s not just for Asian food! If I taste-test my soup and my brain goes, “Blah. It’s boring,” I add a few drops of fish sauce. Just that intsy bintsy amount makes all the difference. It’s got a potent meaty flavor that always seems to fix my boringness problem.
4. Worcestershire Sauce
Similar to the fish sauce, Worcestershire Sauce adds umami to soups and stocks. It’s because of the anchovies in there. It doesn’t taste like anchovies, just like good rich meatiness. Give it a whirl in Vegetable Soup or a Beef Stew. (Just note that Worcestershire sauce is not vegetarian. But there are some vegetarian and vegan options out there. See here).
5. Sesame Oil
This is seriously one of my favorite things. Sesame oil is this intense nutty flavor that goes great with so many other ingredients. Certainly, go ahead and add a few drops when sauteing the base to any Asian soup, or drizzle it in at the end (I do that when I make Egg Drop Soup). But you can also add it to any soup with the following sesame-loving ingredients: asparagus, beef, beets, chicken, legumes (chickpeas! Yes!), chili peppers, eggplant, ginger, rice, green onions, shrimp, zucchini.
6. Yogurt
When looking to add creaminess to a soup, I usually grab for plain yogurt. It gives the soup a rich taste without the extreme heaviness of cream. Make sure to swirl in the yogurt after the soup has been removed from the heat, otherwise it’ll curdle. This Curried Cauliflower Soup has a nice swirl of yogurt in it.
7. Pesto
Homemade or store-bought, pesto instantly adds several flavors to your soup. It’s a one-stop shop for basil, olive oil, Parmesan and pine nuts. You can stir pesto into your soup at the end of cooking time or add a blop to each serving. I make a Summer Minestrone with cannellini beans and summer squash that gets kicked in the butt by some pesto.
8. Beer
Beer adds a great malty taste to soup. I mean, think about it. That’s why Beer Cheese Soup is so darned good — well, that might also have something to do with all the cheese. But still. The beer helps, right? Anyhow, try adding beer to other kinds of soups and stews. Anything with beef or mushrooms is going to love being a bit drunk on beer. Also onions, sausages and shrimp.
9. Salsa
Adding Salsa to a soup makes it seem like it’s been cooking all day. It’s because salsa has a lot of ingredients that have been stewed together. Try adding it to a Chicken Tortilla Soup or to your favorite chili recipe. Be cautious though. Salsa can have a lot of sodium and could make your soup salty. Add it gradually and taste regularly. And don’t add other salty things, like salt.
10. Fresh Herbs
Fresh herbs aren’t just a garnish. The soup warms up the herbs. That releases essential oils that waft up up up to your nose. Our sense of smell is hugely involved with how we experience taste so this smell can do a lot to make your soups taste the best. Add fresh herbs right before serving because they lose their aromatic properties quickly. And they wilt too.
Do you have a secret ingredient that you add to your soups? Will you tell me? I can keep a secret. Promise.
In curinary school we add some parmesan cheese to vegetable soup. We made a few gallons an added about a 1/2 – 1 cup of parm cheese. Just the canned cheese no need to get fancy and have the fresh stuff. Also you used V8 Juice as the base.
Thanks for sharing, Brandi!
I always stir in a rounded tablespoon of prepared horseradish to a pot of homemade soup (including chili) right before serving. You can’t taste it, but it really supercharges all the other ingredients.
Oh nice! Thanks for sharing, Tom!
I add Chinese mustard to my chicken or Turkey stock to add a little touch of zing. So yummy
Thanks for sharing with us, Heather!
How about adding Dijon mustard to the list?
Thanks, Gary!
A wee amount of sugar 🙂 love your tips!!!
Thank you, Dawn! 🙂
How much of these great 10 things do we add to our soup? 😊
As many as make sense for the soup you’re making, Cheryl! Usually a couple will get you there, just taste along the way till it’s perfect for you.
Great ideas for adding flavor. I have been using several to add a meaty unami flavor to soups and stews.
Thank you, Christine! I’m glad it’s been helpful for you.
Anchovy paste goes a long way. No one will even know it in there, but it doesn’t just add saltiness…it adds flavor. Depending on the amount of soup you have, start with 1/4 tsp. and then go from there after tasting.
Thanks for sharing, Gail!
I’d add miso to this list. Super savory it just adds.
Good one! 🙂
RICE VINEGAR. Ground turkey meat/ground beef spiced with cinnamon, pinch of nutmeg and truly smoked paprika gives it an earthy sweet depth. Sometimes if chili is too salty, I add some liquid stevia to heighten it.
Thanks for sharing with us, G!
In soups and beans I really like the combination of dill seed and rosemary. I generally add a large sprig or two of the rosemary to the pot for about five minutes just before serving, then remove it. Otherwise the rosemary can be way too strong. Of course, the general preparation generally starts with onion, celery, and carrots, what Julia Child calls “mirapois” – not sure of the spelling. She has a method where she gently cooks that mixture with butter (also a magic ingredient) and freezes it for convenient use. Fabulous, and makes preparation a snap because the busy work is already done!
Yes, mirepoix! Thank you for the thoughtful comment, Suzanne!
Whatever happened to fresh dill horseradish leeks celery
Are those your favorites to add to your soups? Thanks for sharing, Mireille!
How to react to too much salt?
If you’ve oversalted your soup, Ken? Try diluting it with dairy (milk, cream, sour cream) or unsalted broth.
Just found this site….Love it!
Thanks, Pat! Hope you enjoy exploring all our recipes.
I add 1 or 2 (depending on quantity) Hersey dark chocolate kisses to my chili. Adds a mole touch, smokey and rich
Thanks for sharing with us, Pat!
Rude, totally unnecessary
LOL
OMG…. that’s awful. 5 years past the expiration date and smelling of stale basement? Hope the lemon also prevents foodborne illness.
I had a couple packages of soup in the back of my pantry that expired 5 years ago. I opened them up and both had a stale smell to them from being stored in the basement pantry. After confirming there was no mold in the dry goods, I made both soups and they tasted and still smelled a bit stale. I used the tips in this post and added lemon juice and Worcestershire Sauce and after a short time of simmering, the stale smell was all but gone and the soups even tasted pretty good. Thanks for the tips!!
Trader Joe’s sells a small tube called “Umami”. It contains a concentrate of ingredients which tickle that flavor, including tomatoes and mushrooms. I’ve used it several times and they gave my stew noticeably more depth.
Martin, Very interesting. I’ll look for it. Thank you!