Dried soup is an incredible food to keep in your pantry at all times. It’s affordable, doesn’t take up too much space, and it’s non-perishable.
Dried soup mixes are great to have on hand for quick meals when you don’t have many ingredients left in the fridge. They’re usually faster to cook than regular soups, which saves you precious time.
If any emergency such as a hurricane or power outage was to happen, having dried soup mixes can be very handy.
So, what is the best dried soup to buy? Out of the hundreds of options, how do you know what one’s best? In this guide, we will go through some of the best dried soup mixes, making sure to include a variety so there’s something for everyone.
Instant Dry Soup Mixes Buying Guide
In this section, we will go through everything we recommend to look into when purchasing the perfect dried soup mix for yourself.
Things To Consider When Shopping For Dried Soup Mixes
When buying dried soup mixtures, there are a few different aspects to consider. In this section, we’ll go through each of them.
Packaging
The packaging isn’t something that people normally look at when shopping for food, but it was worth mentioning. With more and more people trying to reduce the waste they produce each day, knowing your options is always nice.
The most popular package that dried soup mixes come in is plastic bags. There’s nothing wrong with them, but keep in mind that if you don’t use the whole thing you will likely need to transfer and store it in another container.
Another packaging option is containers. These plastic containers usually have a lid so that they can be reused for anything you’d like after. The containers will always contain more dried mixture than the plastic bags, so if you normally like to buy in bulk, they’d be a good option for you.
If you’re just looking to make a soup once to try it out, opting for the packaged bags are probably a better idea. If you already know that you love the dried soup, choosing a container packaging will allow you to make more servings out of it, saving you money in the long run.
What’s Needed To Complete The Soup?
If you’re looking for the quickest and easiest dried soup, you’d likely be better off with a mixture that just requires water to be added.
If you don’t mind a bit of extra work, that’s great because many soup mixes require a couple of additional ingredients. Sometimes it’s a broth, other times it’s a fresh meat or vegetable.
Just something to keep in mind when searching, always check the directions to see what you’ll need.
Is There Room For Customization?
Customizing food to tweak it to your own liking is always fun to do. When searching for soup mixes, ask yourself if it will be easy to customize the soup.
Whether it’s by adding some meat, or your favorite vegetable, you want to make sure that it will go together.
Different Types of Dried Soup
No matter what type of diet you follow, there will be a dried soup mix for you. If you eat a low-carb and high protein diet, you’d likely benefit from a protein-based dry soup mix, which will usually contain beans or lentils as a base.
If you eat a vegan or whole foods diet, it’s best if you search for vegetable-based dried soup mixes. Those are the least likely to contain any animal products. Vegetable-based soups are also great for those following a low calorie diet.
You can also get broth-based soup mixes, noodle soup mixes, dairy/cream based soup mixes and grain-based soup mixes. There’s truly something for everyone!
Let’s get started with listing the best dried soup mix brands!
Reviews of the Best Dried Soup Mixes
Knorr Professional French Onion Soup Mix Loaded with Real Onions
Have you ever tried French onion soup before? Those who have tried it know how delicious it is, and those who haven’t are truly missing out!
French onion soup usually tastes best freshly made, like most food. However, we’ve found a brand that comes very close to the homemade fresh version! Knorr’s French onion dry soup mix has added beef fat for more depth of flavor and creaminess.
This dried soup mix can be enjoyed on its own, or it can be added to different dishes such as stews, dips, and casseroles.
One of the best things about soup mixes is that they’re easy to prepare. To make this soup, all you do is add the water and soup mix in a saucepan, then whisk it and slowly heat it up. Simple as that!
This soup mix is free from artificial flavors, trans fat, and MSG.
This dried soup mix comes in a large plastic 1.31 pound container, so it will last you for a while! It’s perfect for large families, restaurants, or just people who really love French onion soup. On average, a typical person should be able to get 6 month’s worth of use out of just one container.
It’s also a great option for people who enjoy buying food in bulk, or who like to buy food in re-usable containers.
Knorr’s French onion soup mix was created by chefs, for chefs. The toasted onions blended with beef fat gives it a deep and rich flavor.
The ingredients are Dehydrated Onions, Potato Starch, Salt, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (Corn, Soy), Beef Fat, Maltodextrin, Lactose, Sugar, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Caramel Color, Natural Flavor, Onion Juice Concentrate, Gum Arabic, Spice, BHA and Propyl Gallate (Used to Protect Quality), and Citric Acid.
Get the look: Knorr Professional French Onion Soup Mix Loaded with Real Onions
Frontier Soups Homemade In Minutes Wild Rice and Mushroom Dried Soup Mix
Wild rice and mushroom soup. It sounds so elegant, doesn’t it? Even though this soup might sound expensive and time-consuming to make, the dried package by Frontier Soups makes it easier than ever to enjoy these flavors together in an easy soup.
This soup comes in a one-time use 4 ounce bag. It’s extremely nutritious from both the wild rice and shiitake mushrooms. If you’re looking for a natural dried soup mix, this is one of the best options. The ingredients are completely natural, without any MSG, preservatives, trans fat, or artificial colors/flavors.
If you like to control the sodium levels in the foods you make, you can easily do so with this soup. There isn’t any salt added, so you get to choose how much salt you’d like. If you follow a gluten-free diet, you can enjoy this soup since it’s certified gluten-free.
You can make 4-5 servings of this soup out of the one packet. It’s great to enjoy with the whole family, or you can freeze the leftovers and enjoy them at a later time.
This is a soup mix that requires just more than water to make it. In addition to the dried mix, you’ll also need 6 cups of chicken broth and 2 cups of chicken broth cut up. You can also choose to add cream or wine, and you can make it even more gourmet by adding any additional ingredients you want such as tomatoes.
Even though the soup mix recommends chicken broth and chicken breast, this could be made into a vegan soup by using vegetable broth and a soy-based chicken alternative.
The ingredients of the dry soup mix are Wild rice, Shiitake Mushrooms, Carrots, Petite Peas, Onion, Celery, Green onions, Herbs. This is one of the simplest and healthiest dried soup mixes around!
Get the look: Frontier Soups Homemade In Minutes Wild Rice and Mushroom Dried Soup Mix
Cherchies Mixed Bean Chili Mix
If you enjoy eating chili, dried chili mixes can make a great addition to your pantry. They’re definitely more of a heartier soup, so chili is considered a stew. This dried mix tastes just as good as many homemade versions of chili!
This dried mix comes in a 201 gram bag and out of that, you can make 6 generous servings. You can make the entire meal from start to finish in under 35 minutes. If you make chili regularly, you know you can sometimes end up keeping the stew on the stove for hours to cook everything. This is a great time-effective option.
This dried chili mix is great for family dinners or to bring camping. It can also be a good shelf-stable food to stock up on just to be prepared for general emergencies.
The ingredients are Dried Navy Beans, Dried Red Beans, Dried Black Beans, Dried US Grade #1 Red Bell Peppers, Dried US Grade #1 Jalapeno Peppers, Salt, Dehydrated Vegetables (Tomato, Onion, Garlic, Parsley), Spices, and Natural Flavors. Additives for preventing caking: Silicon Dioxide and Calcium Stearate.
To make this stew, the extra ingredients you will need are 4.5 cups of boiling water, an onion, some garlic, some olive oil to pan-fry them, and cooked meat or a meat-alternative (optional).
All you do is fry the onion and garlic in a pan, and also cook the meat in a separate can if you’re using that. All of the ingredients will go together and simmer until you’re left with a hearty and delicious chili.
Get the look: Cherchies Mixed Bean Chili Mix
Wind & Willow Roasted Corn Chowder Soup Mix, 5.6-Ounce Boxes
If you’re looking for a dried soup mix that resembles homemade corn chowder, this corn chowder soup mix by Wind & Willow is a great option.
It’s creamy, rich in flavor, and tastes exactly how corn chowder soup should taste. In order to make it, all you need to do is add water and a can of corn to the mixture, then of course boil it. So simple!
This corn chowder soup mix is trans fat-free, but it isn’t dairy-free. This package of corn chowder soup makes four servings. This mix is ideal for cold wintery days or pair with a salad for a quick dinner any time of the year!
The ingredients are partially hydrogenated soybean oil, modified food starch, corn syrup solids, dehydrated potatoes, sugar, salt, sodium caseinate, cooked chicken, maltodextrin, xanthan gum, mono and diglycerides, chicken fat, onion powder, natural and artificial flavors, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, spice, sodium stearoyl lactylate, dipotassium phosphate, lecithin, sodium calcium alginate, turmeric extractive, annatto extractive, Gaelic powder, artificial colors (including FD&C yellow #5 and FD&C yellow #6.
This is certainly a lengthier list of ingredients than some of the other dried soup mixtures we’ve featured. However, making corn chowder from scratch calls for a lot of ingredients too.
Get the look: Wind & Willow Roasted Corn Chowder Soup Mix
Lipton Instant Noodle Soup Mix With Real Chicken Broth
Lipton is a brand that many of us grew up eating from. Chicken noodle soup is a classic dish that many of us grew up eating as well.
Instant noodle soup mixes are perfect for those on the go, or busy college students. You can enjoy this soup mix as is on its own, or you can use it as a base for your own homemade soups.
This instant soup can be cooked in either the microwave or stovetop, whatever you prefer. It’s ready in just 5 minutes, which is a quicker cooking time than any of the other soups we’ve featured so far. All you do is add water, it’s truly as simple as that.
The soup is packaged in a small box to save space in your pantry. Even though the box is small, it still makes 6-8 servings for you and your family to enjoy.
The ingredients are enriched egg noodles (wheat flour, durum flour, eggs, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), corn maltodextrin, salt, corn syrup*, chicken fat, monosodium glutamate, powdered chicken, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (soy, corn, wheat), corn starch, disodium guanylate, disodium inosinate, yeast extract, parsley*, chicken broth*, natural flavor (milk), turmeric (for color), rosemary extract, and spice.
Lipton has been making delicious chicken soup since 1940, so they know what they’re doing! Chicken noodle soup isn’t just great when you’re sick, it can be enjoyed year round.
Get the look: Lipton Instant Noodle Soup Mix With Real Chicken Broth
You may also like: Best Pork Rinds, Best Wasabi Powder
Conclusion
We hope this guide of the best-dried soup mixes left you a little more knowledgeable on the subject, or a little less confused.
Hopefully, you’re one step closer to finding your favorite dried soup mixes that you can enjoy for years to come. Whether or not you choose a dried soup mix off this list, we hope you love whatever you end up trying!
