Review of Progresso Traditional Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Wow, what a difference a can makes. First off my article on Progresso's Traditional Chicken & Herb Dumpling Soup wasn't exactly flattering and I was a little leery when lunch time rolled around and there was nothing to be found in the fridge to warm up. In searching the cupboards again I found a can of Progresso's Traditional Chicken & Sausage Gumbo and decided to take a chance that this would suit my palette better.

Overall the first impression after opening the can was that the color looks very rich and the aroma has a nice spicy smell to it. Not overwhelming, but I'd have to say you almost know that you probably won't have to doctor it up with some seasonings. Pouring it into a microwave dish you notice a nice blend of all the main ingredients: Rice, chicken, celery, red pepper, okra and green peppers. One thing I'm searching for is the Andouille sausage which is present, however only a few tiny pieces are present.

Once again I have to microwave the soup and follow the directions. Make sure you follow the directions to cover since this soup will want to boil over in a smaller container (I used a coffee cup I have at work.)

Here's my breakdown on the soup taste and texture:

Broth: A far cry from the bland soup I previously had from Progresso, a very nice blend of flavors with a touch of heat.

Vegetables: Although the pieces are rather small with the exception of the celery, their flavor is pretty much blended into the broth. You can distinguish the celery flavor fairly easy, but not much of the others. Somewhat on the soft side, but it is canned soup.

Rice: I was worried the rice would be soggy and soft. Not the case, in fact it has a nice texture and has held up well to the canning process.

Meat: I thought overall the chicken in this soup was much better than the Chicken & Herb Dumpling soup. Although they were smaller pieces they were tender and abundant. I was a little disappointed in the amount of Andouille sausage in the can. I roughly counted around 7-8 smaller pieces. However they seem to be the source of the added kick and might be limited to keep the heat down.

As for my final thoughts, I'd have to recommend this soup for a quick and cheap lunch. The blend of spices and texture were very satisfying. Just don't look at the sodium count on the can you might shy away from it if you're watching your intake closely.