It's safe to say the weather has taken a dramatically chilly turn, which means we need as much hearty and warming food as possible.
Let's be honest, there's nothing better than a big bowl of soup and some crusty bread to warm the cockles. Plenty of supermarkets offer fresh soup options, as well as classic soups such as Heinz tomato and chicken.
As incredible as tinned soups are, there's somethings so luxurious and satisfying about a fresh tub, and there seems to be more flavour options too. With that being said, we decided to rank fresh soups from Aldi, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons to see if they're worth your time and money.
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Aldi Specially Selected Sri Lankan Inspired Chicken Laksa Soup - 600g
I absolutely adore soup, and will always try and get fresh soup when I can as a cosy little treat. I'm not particularly snobbish when it comes to soups, and have tried a vast range of cheaper tinned options and still been mega impressed in the past.
I usually get my fresh soup from Asda, but thought I'd take a trip to Aldi to see what soup they had on offer. I was drawn to the 'Specially Selected Sri Lankan Inspired Chicken Laksa Soup' priced at £1.99, so I stuck it in my basket.
After heating up around 300g on the tub in a pan, I got my crusty bread prepared and was ready to dig in. After one dip of bread, I was actually really surprised at just how thick this soup was - it also looked really appetising.
The soup was also filled with loads of different colours from the vegetables and spices, which made it look extra hearty and tasty. I was actually blown away by the taste.
It contains sweet potato, coconut milk, lemongrass, chicken, Laksa paste, coriander, and plenty of other strong flavours. It had a slight kick, but nothing too crazy, and really packed a punch in terms of flavour for a soup.
I'd go as far to say this was actually the nicest soup I've ever tasted, and definitely a nice change from bog standard tomato or chicken. I ended up feeling pretty full after eating my soup which is always a bonus.
Sometimes, I can eat a whole tin end still end up having a rumbling stomach after a mere few minutes. I'm planning on buying this soup again and again until I basically get bored of it. It was utterly delicious, and a really nice change for me.
Price: £1.99
Rating: 5/5
Where to buy: Your local Aldi store or online here
Sainsbury’s Minestrone Soup - 600g
This tomato based soup contains pinto beans, potato, courgette and red pepper. You get a large 600g pot for £1.75, which works out as around 87p a portion of you have half a pot at a time.
It’s vegan and each half a pot contains two of your ‘five a day’, so it’s a nice healthy option for lunch. The consistency of the liquid is quite thin, but then the veg and beans make this a nice chunky soup, so it’s quite hearty to eat, especially with some crusty bread on the side.
Being minestrone it also contains small chunks of pasta, which means it’s quite filling and satisfying, even if you just have half a pot with no bread. It’s got a nice herby flavour, with a hint of garlic but I did feel the need to add some extra salt and pepper.
Minestrone contains quite a lot of ingredients so it can take a lot of effort to make from scratch. Overall this is a tasty fresh alternative if you want that Italian flavour with less hassle.
Price: £1.75
Rating: 4/5
Where to buy: Sainsbury’s stores or online
Asda tomato and mascarpone soup
I have an embarrassing confession to make. Before moving house, my local supermarket was Tesco and I went through a phase of buying its tomato and mascarpone soup on a weekly basis. It was ridiculously thick and impossibly tasty; absolutely zinging with flavour.
Several weeks (okay, months) later, I realised - to my horror and shame - that it wasn't actually soup at all, it was Tesco's fresh pasta sauce. Mortified, I moved on to an actual carton of soup - tomato and basil - but I couldn't get the delicious, rich flavours of tomato and mascarpone out of my head, so it failed to compare.
After moving house, Asda became my local and I was delighted to discover the store stocks its own tomato and mascarpone soup. After reading the label multiple times to check it was absolutely, most definitely a soup, it went straight in my basket.
Asda's version is completely delicious - it's (obviously and understandably) not as thick as Tesco's version (why would it be? Soups and sauces are not the same thing) but it definitely measures up when it comes to flavour. It comes in a giant 600g carton, so there's enough to share or save for another day and it's excellent value for money.
It's smooth and creamy, with a blend of rich and decadent flavours that work in perfect harmony together. It's just the comforting, warming and satisfying taste you crave from soup.
It's the perfect winter dish and it's one I'd wholeheartedly recommend - though if you've made the same horrifying mistake as me with Tesco's sauce, the slightly thinner texture may take a little getting used to. If you see me wandering in the pasta aisle, please kindly steer me back in the right direction.
Price: £1.65
Rating: 5/5
Where to buy: Your local Asda store or online
Morrisons Chunky Vegetable Soup
I love a nice, warming bowl of soup for lunch, especially when accompanied by some crusty bread. I headed to my local Morrisons store and picked up this chunky vegetable soup, which I chose to heat up in the microwave. The soup was nice and thick and had a lovely, creamy texture.
Sometimes soups can be a bit thin, but this one was full of chunky vegetables, making it a filling lunch option. It contained generous chunks of carrots, potatoes, parsnips, swede and cabbage. The soup tasted homemade and was perfect for a cold day, I'll definitely be buying it again.
Price: £1.60
Rating: 5/5
Where to buy: Your local Morrisons store
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