Beefy Tomato Soup | An Easy, Beef & Macaroni Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do I make my soup taste more beef? ›

One way to boost flavour would be to roast some beef bones till they brown a little (you can get bones from your butcher) and then cook them with your soup. You can take them out when the broth is cooked. This will add a nice depth of natural 'beefy' flavour.

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

If it tastes overly acidic or sharp, add a quarter teaspoon of baking soda. The soup will bubble and fizz wherever the soda lands as carbon dioxide is released. Give it a good stir to make sure the soda is fully spent; when the bubbles subside, taste again and add another quarter teaspoon if needed.

Many cream of tomato soup recipes call for a small amount of baking soda (often as little as half a teaspoon) to be stirred into the tomato base just before the milk is added.

Fish sauce, soy sauce, peanut butter, anchovies, Worcestershire, maggi all add extra depth. The maggi in particular amps up the meaty umami.

Tomato paste has a concentrated tomato flavor and earthy sweetness that other tomato products (and even fresh tomatoes) cannot beat. You'll only need a few tablespoons of the stuff to pump up the flavor of tomato soup, so dose out the rest of the can and freeze for future use.

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

Always check seasonings and taste-test before serving. If the soup tastes bland at all, a bit more salt will do the trick, that doesn't just apply to this tomato soup recipe but just about anything you'll ever find yourself cooking.

How do you take the bitterness out of tomato soup? ›

Heat 1 cup of sauce with 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (baking soda neutralizes acidity). Taste the sauce and add tiny amounts of baking soda to see if it mellows the acidity. If there is still an edge, swirl in a teaspoon of butter, letting it melt until creamy. Usually this does the job.

Cinnamon and nutmeg to eliminate tomato sourness

If you use canned or bottled peeled tomatoes, you can "soften" the sourness by adding half a teaspoon of cinnamon or nutmeg while cooking.

Particularly for soups made with tomato bases, a pinch or two of sugar can help round out any flavors that taste a bit too sour or bitter recommends Le Cordon Bleu. Of course, as with any recipe, it can be helpful to taste and adjust as you go, so your soup doesn't end up too sweet to serve.

When made with milk, tomato soup should be rich and creamy. Not all soups are created equal. A soup made with milk is usually richer and more luxurious than one made with just water or stock. This addition helps make the soup feel more comforting.

Use low-acid tomatoes

If you're making tomato soup from scratch, consider using low-acid tomatoes, such as Roma or San Marzano tomatoes. These varieties have a naturally lower acidity level, resulting in a milder and less tangy soup. They are also rich in flavor, making them ideal for tomato-based dishes.

Beef tastes great when seasoned with oregano, rosemary, sage, garlic or a combination of these seasonings. Poultry gets an added burst of flavor with spices like paprika, lemongrass and saffron. Fish can be made more flavorful with dry mustard powder, thyme and turmeric.

The best way to ensure a flavorful soup is to brown the beef and onions in the beginning. If the soup tastes bland at the end of cooking, add more spices and herbs. After adding, allow the soup to cook a little longer so the flavors to meld together.

By monitoring Brix levels closely, the cattle can be brought to pasture for grazing when the forage is at optimum maturity, so they only eat the sweetest grass and have the best tasting meat.