Salsa Is The Unexpected Ingredient That Effortlessly Transforms Soups

Soup is one of life's simple pleasures. Equal parts warming and filling, a tasty bowl or cup of hearty soup makes lunch or dinner a little extra cozy. Most soup recipes are fairly uncomplicated, so you don't need to be a chef to make a batch, and soup is also a great way to use up ingredients and leftovers you have on hand. There are times, however, when a canned, or even homemade, soup doesn't quite hit the mark. If you've ever slurped a spoonful of soup and thought that it might need some tweaking, don't just reach for more salt. It's also a little too late for dried herbs and spices once the soup is made. Instead, grab some salsa.

We tend to think of salsa in the U.S. as solely a condiment for corn chips, but store-bought salsa is packed with tomato, onion, herbs, spices, and even vinegar, so it'll transform a so-so soup into something fabulous in no time. The best part? Salsa is ready to eat right when you open the jar, so all you have to do is add a tablespoon or two to your bowl of soup to give it a try.

Most soup recipes are deceptively simple, and you might be fooled into believing that all it takes to make a good chicken noodle or creamy tomato basil is some base ingredients and broth. Just like sauce and salad dressing, however, it's important to build and balance flavors in your soup, otherwise you'll end up with a big pot of hot broth that isn't all that interesting. Soup needs seasoning and a little bit of acid to brighten up the flavors, and salsa conveniently has both. Salsa is also already cooked, so it adds an element of stewed tomato flavor to your soup. not to mention spicy heat from cayenne, jalapeños, and other chilis. So if you like soup with a little kick, salsa is your new secret weapon.

The other nice thing about salsa is that it's probably already in your fridge, and there's no chopping required to jazz up your soup. If you want to experiment with salsa-fying your next homemade soup, the best technique is to start small. Try flavoring just a cup of soup with a tablespoon of salsa to see how it tastes. Simply ladle out some soup into a bowl and stir in the salsa. If you like it, you can add more salsa to the big batch of soup on the stove. 

So what kinds of soups will taste good with a little added salsa? Finding out is the fun part. To start, any soup that's tomato-based or has chopped tomatoes in it will be a great pairing. Try adding salsa to minestrone, Manhattan-style clam chowder, classic tomato, and especially any vegetable soup. Salsa also works well in any sort of brothy soup, and it's especially tasty when added to tortilla soup, chicken noodle, or even meatball soup, which is a great way to use up last night's meatballs.

But don't stop at brothy soup because salsa can liven up creamy concoctions, too. In fact, the acidic tang of salsa can be just the thing to cut through the fatty, salty flavors of a creamy soup. Try it in a creamy tomato soup, either stirred right in or as a garnish on top with some sour cream. It will also taste fabulous with corn chowder, potato soup, and even butternut or acorn squash soup. 

Next time a bowl of bisque isn't living up to your expectations, don't settle for boring soup. Grab the closest jar of salsa and start stirring.