Campbell's Select Soups Really Are Mm, Mm Good

There is something about the brisk, snowy winters in Northeast Pennsylvania that make me crave a steamy bowl of soup.

When I hit my local Price Chopper's soup aisle, I was mystified at just how many flavors of soup there are. Broth based, cream based and chunky, hearty stews. Vegetable. Beef. Chicken. Clam. I was indecisive.

Then, I saw the unique looking cardboard boxes of Campbell's Select Gold Label "chef inspired" soups, the latest creation from this soup giant. The commercials starring Jon Lithgow had always piqued my curiosity of this "classier' version of America's favorite soup. So, I picked up a box of the newest flavor, Southwestern Corn.

I was excited to try the soup, so that very same night I whipped up some cheese quesadillas in my Sante Fe Quesadilla Maker (see my related review) and served this soup on the side. It turned out to be a soup-er combination.

The soup was a great consistency, not too thick or not too watered down. It was absolutely bursting with flavor. There were plenty of whole kernels of corn, pieces of red pepper and lots of spices that gave the soup a little bit of kick. However, it wasn't too spicy. According to the label, it contained in addition to the corn and red peppers, chipoltle and lime. I practically licked the bowl. It was that good.

I did add a dollop of sour cream to the soup, as I already had it on the table to top the quesadillas. That was actually a suggestion on the back of the box, too. My only gripe was that there was not enough soup for two. I wanted seconds.

So, the next time I went the store, I purchased two more boxes of the Southwestern Corn, as well as another flavor, Blended Red Pepper Black Bean. When I tried the new flavor, I was very impressed.

The tomato-based soup was a thicker consistency and like the Southwestern Corn, it was bursting with a unique combination of tastes. I personally love roasted red peppers, so the taste of those, mixed with pureed black beans was just awesome. There was definitely more of a pepper taste than bean. Like the corn soup, this was also spiced just right. You can actually see the different seasonings, which the label says include black pepper, cumin and coriander.

The Campbell's Select Gold Label soups are by far the best pre-packaged soups I've ever consumed, perhaps even better than some homemade soups. Lots of flavor. Visible seasonings throughout. Did I mention lots of flavor.

With so many soup options out there, Cambbell's did a great job at standing out from the rest by offering a more gourmet option. Aside from taste, the packaging is awesome.

I highly recommend this line of soups, and I can't wait to try them all!

Ideas:

Once, I added diced chicken breast to the Southwestern Corn and topped with cheese and cilantro as a meal idea. It was splendid!

The Flavors:

Southwestern Corn
Golden Butternut Squash
Blended Red Pepper Black Bean
Creamy Portobello Mushroom
Italian Tomato with Basil & Garlic