The Italian-Inspired Canned Soup That Doubles As A Flavorful Pasta Sauce

From wings to fries to, well, everything, garlic with Parmesan cheese is a fabulous combination. If you haven't thought about giving the combo a go on pasta yet, you might want to give it a try. The blank canvas of pasta is the perfect fit for the uber-umami flavor. While you certainly can whip up your own sauce from scratch, we've got a bit of a hack that can make it extra simple to create a batch of garlic Parmesan pasta — and you'll find it in the canned soup aisle. Campbell's garlic Parmesan with herbs condensed soup is the perfect thickness for a pasta sauce, and it's loaded with flavor. 

Condensed soup is simply soup that has been simmered long enough to lose most of its water, creating a flavor-packed, thick result. The consistency of condensed soup is, when you think about it, kind of perfect for pasta sauce. It's thick enough that it'll nicely coat noodles and not end up in the bottom of the bowl, but not so thick that it's impossible to enjoy. Simply heat it up in a pot on the stove, and you're good to go. We wouldn't recommend adding liquid, but if you need to thin it out a bit, you certainly can (use cream instead of milk or water if you're in the mood for something decadent). While straight out of the can, into the pot, and onto your pasta can certainly work, there are a few ways that you can give your condensed soup turned pasta sauce a little extra pizazz. 

If you're ready to lend the flavor of Campbell's garlic Parmesan with herbs condensed soup to your pasta, we've got a few suggestions that can help you maximize the flavor of your dish. First, you'll want to consider the best types of pasta to pair with cream sauce. Choosing a rigate-style pasta — meaning, the pasta has has little ridges on the exterior of each piece — can help your condensed soup sauce stay put on your noodles, adding more flavor to each bite.

While you certainly can use the sauce straight out of the can, there are a few ways you can ramp up the flavor without spending anywhere near the amount of time you would if you were creating sauce from scratch. Before you heat up the condensed soup, you can saute a spoonful of garlic (fresh garlic beats jarred garlic every time, by the way) in the saucepan. If you want to add more Parmesan flavor, toss a few shakes from the canister in your fridge into the mix too. You can also add some spice by mixing in some freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes. Whether you choose to jazz up the condensed soup or simply heat it straight from the can, no one will be the wiser that your sauce came from a Campbell's can.