Keep A Jar Of This On Hand To Effortlessly Upgrade Almost Any Canned Soup

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Popping a can of soup open is one of the easiest ways to get dinner on the table, but just because it's practical doesn't necessarily mean it's palatable. While adding a handful of crunchy croutons, salty shredded cheese, or freshly chopped herbs may help, whirling in a few tablespoons of jarred sofrito definitely makes a world of difference. A seasoned base made from lightly sauteed vegetables and aromatics, the savory blend is a pantry staple that can effortlessly upgrade almost any canned soup.

Sofrito starts with finely chopped or pulsed onion and garlic slowly cooked in oil or pork fat until translucent and softly yielding. Originating in medieval Catalonia, Caribbean and Latin American cooks eventually began adding tomatoes and peppers to the mix. Today's recipes vary by region and brand. Depending on the variety you choose, a jar of sofrito can add an herbaceous flavor, vegetal sweetness, or a more savory quality to all kinds of canned soups.

It's especially delicious in chicken noodle or other mild brothy soups in need of more depth, and it adds a slightly piquant zing to basic tomato soup. Sofrito is life support in a jar if you accidentally picked up a no- or low-sodium can of your favorite chili or meaty stew, and its pungent qualities are equally good at balancing out the sweetness of a butternut squash soup or masking the slightly tinny aftertaste of canned minestrone. However, common sofrito herbs and spices, such as peppery culantro, smoky paprika, and earthy oregano, stand out in a creamy potato or Thai coconut soup for all the wrong reasons.

The best part of keeping a jar of sofrito on hand is how well the versatile base fits into soups and other dishes, from traditional arroz con gandules to simple salad vinaigrettes. However, not all sofrito is created equally. For example, while it's relatively easy to find the inexpensive Goya Sofrito Tomato Cooking Base at your local supermarket, it contains artificial ingredients that don't meet everyone's needs, and ingredients such as bacon, ham, and smoke, while helping cut through the acidic tomato paste and pepper blend, make it the wrong choice for vegetarian, vegan, kosher, and halal kitchens.

While it's a little more expensive, Loisa sofritos are a highly rated alternative. A certified-Latin business, Loisa makes three shelf-stable flavors, all of which are vegan and preservative-free. Along with its tomato-based Sofrito Rojo, which incorporates briny Manzanilla olives and capers, the brand offers Sofrito Recaito, a Puerto Rican-style blend and a must-have for asopao de pollo, which leans heavily on herbal cilantro and garlic. Loisa's Sofrito Classic is another green aromatic base, thanks in part to the addition of Ajicito peppers, which bring sweetness and balance to the strong umami or bitter flavors you find in canned wild mushroom or escarole soups.

With so many types of sofrito to choose from, you may find yourself adding some to even the best canned soups from the grocery store. A small amount can dramatically change the flavor, so use it in small amounts to start. Some cooks recommend gently heating a tablespoon or two in a little oil first, which can help loosen up jarred sofrito that's been sitting on a shelf or solidifying in a cold pantry, so it's easier to incorporate.