Give Tomato Soup A Flavorful Fiber Boost By Adding One Canned Pantry Staple

Tomato soup, that comforting, nostalgic dinnertime fave, is endlessly versatile. We've discussed how to add condiments (like lemon juice, sour cream, or butter) to your soup for big flavor, but, when it comes to peak nutrition, we like to jazz up our soup with something a little more hearty. For a craveable pop of fiber, canned white beans are a bona fide soupy superstar.

It doesn't matter what type of white beans you choose — cannellinis are a popular choice, but greatest northern, butter, or navy beans are all valid here — because these legumes have similar nutritional profiles. According to VeryWellFit, a mere half-cup of canned white beans contains an impressive 4.9 grams of fiber, to say nothing of protein, calcium, and iron. Dried beans are equally nutritious and perhaps a bit more economical, but you simply can't beat the convenience factor of canned beans, which many folks already keep on hand in their pantries.

There are two distinct methods of adding white beans to tomato soup, and you can even combine them if you so choose. One idea is to simply dump a drained can of beans into your soup as a means of bulking up your bowl. The beans become a filling component of the soup, not unlike noodles, rice, or any other starch. The second option is to whip out your immersion blender and blend some (or all) of your beans into the broth to make it thicker and creamier. This is similar to the way we sometimes add beans to mashed potatoes for bulk and nutrition. The finished consistency of your tomato soup will resemble a chowder, and you'll find it marvelously dippable and savory.

One thing we love about adding canned white beans to tomato soup is that the type of soup you use is really open to interpretation. You could just as easily execute this scrumptious, fiber-packed hack with a can of Campbell's, that stalwart of grilled cheese lunches, as you could with a luscious homemade pot of our ultra-creamy tomato soup with basil oil. Some folks prefer a more herbaceous tomato soup, while others like to emphasize velvety texture with silky heavy cream. Pick the soup you like — we are pretty sure you will enjoy it even more with the addition of beans!

Tomatoes and beans are a match made in culinary heaven, and so it follows that there are some common denominators when it comes to selecting equally harmonious ingredients to jazz up your bowl of soup. Parmesan cheese brings strong umami flair to a bowl of beany tomato soup that really unites the flavors. Build on that Italian-influenced flavor profile with lots of fresh basil and/or thyme. If you have some chicken or turkey sausage, go ahead and brown that up before scooping it into your soup, too. You'll get the fiber from the beans and the protein from the meat (not forgetting that white beans also have protein), and your meal will be hearty enough to serve as an entree.

Using your favorite tomato soup as a base, you can also load your soup with veggies for a take on minestrone, which typically contains beans anyway. To up the convenience factor you already have going with your canned beans, add in some frozen or canned mixed vegetables for vitamins, flavor, and heft. We might float croutons on top for a lovely textural contrast that takes mere seconds to add!