Best Inexpensive Soups

I've been a soup junkie my whole life. I've noticed the soaring prices over the past few years, but am grateful for the ever-presence of them. Tonight I supped on a delicious vegetable and bean soup from Amazing Grace for $3.29 - that is cheap in case you're not in the habit of pricing. ($1.99 for the smaller container) They ALWAYS have great soups. Another good cheap option is always chinese veg. at almost any chinese hole in the wall, usually $2.05 or some other weird amount. The vegetables always have a tender crunch in a light clear broth. I've also noticed the quality at Valu Market and Doll's, though higher in price. What do you all think?

I've been a soup junkie my whole life. I've noticed the soaring prices over the past few years, but am grateful for the ever-presence of them. Tonight I supped on a delicious vegetable and bean soup from Amazing Grace for $3.29 - that is cheap in case you're not in the habit of pricing. ($1.99 for the smaller container) They ALWAYS have great soups. Another good cheap option is always chinese veg. at almost any chinese hole in the wall, usually $2.05 or some other weird amount. The vegetables always have a tender crunch in a light clear broth. I've also noticed the quality at Valu Market and Doll's, though higher in price. What do you all think?

Well. as far as canned soups go, my favorite is Progresso Italian Wedding! And my mom makes a mean turkey barley soup with barley from Whole Foods (well, she got it from Wild Oats before).

It's so easy to make soup at home that's better for you than the commercially available stuff. Please PM me.

It's so easy to make soup at home that's better for you than the commercially available stuff. Please PM me.

Really...Soup is not that hard to make (even in small batches) Don't be afraid of trying to make something and DON'T be a slave to the recipe...

Cooking isn't an exact science...try to feel your way through it...

The canned stuff is so full of sodium and other bad things....What ever cheap brand your looking for really isn't worth it!

As far as the price of things a your local favorite establishment...don't Even get Me Started...

I have an excellent recipe for potato leek soup. If I can find it, I'll post it.

Super easy and super cheap.

Chicken with Rice Soup

3 1/2-pound chicken
3 quarts water
8 oz mushrooms
1 large onion, chopped
3 large celery ribs, sliced crosswise
3 medium carrots, 1/4-inch slices
1 cup long-grain rice
1/3 cup packed fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
Bay leaf and sage to taste

1. Remove giblets from chicken and reserve for another use. Place chicken and water in a 5-quart kettle. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, skimming foam and fat off as needed.
2. Remove chicken when broth is to your liking and transfer bird to large bowl or plate.
3. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer soup, covered, for 45 minutes.
4. When cool enough to handle the chicken, discard skin and bones. Coarsely shred meat and return to soup. Reheat if necessary.

Michelle,

The potato-leek soup sounds wonderful: please post it if you can.

Thanks,
Deb

Something to consider as well, it's just as easy to make really large batches of soups (or stocks) and freeze them. One or two days of intermittent work making stocks can yield enough basic stuff for months of meals you just pull out of your freezer. From there, it's just a fairly easy matter of chopping a few things and throwing together some spices, maybe adding some beans or pastas or what have you, to put together a soup. We're big soup makers/eaters at our house.