I Asked 4 Experts To Name the Best Shelf-Stable Soup—They All Said the Same Brand

Cooking is a meditative ritual after a long day of writing and researching. The steady rhythm of chopping vegetables, preparing ingredients, and bringing a dish together is a peaceful practice I cherish. However, when life gets too hectic, even my love for cooking takes a back seat. That’s when I turn to one of my favorite pantry staples for an easy, comforting meal: boxed soup.

As the weather cools, I find myself craving soup more often. It warms me from the inside out, is easy to sip (or chug) as I work through another draft at my desk, and offers endless variations. In fact, would you believe I’m eating soup right now? (Curried butternut squash, if you’re wondering.)

There are plenty of delicious shelf-stable soups I reach for when I’m short on time, but according to food experts, one brand stands above the rest. 

The Experts I Asked

• Chef Elise Smith: (@winniesbakery) Pastry chef, recipe developer, writer, and founder of WinniE’s Bakery
• Sarah Bond: (@liveeatlearn) Nutritionist and food scientist who shows followers how to make easy vegetarian recipes on her food blog, Live Eat Learn
• Rena Awada: (@healthyfitnessmeals) Recipe developer and food blogger for Healthy Fitness Meals
• Chef Tess Middlebrook: (@forkandlaugh) Chef and private caterer

The Best Boxed Soup, According to Experts

All the experts agree that Pacific Foods soups (canned and boxed versions) are the ultimate store-bought option. The main reason? The flavor is so close to homemade you could pass it off as your own (not that you would!). Bond shared, “I just love that everything they make tastes homemade! They keep their ingredient lists to a minimum, so the flavors of the veggies come through.”

Smith explained, “I love the quality consistency with Pacific Foods. There are no unnecessary additives; it’s organic and has no weird aftertaste—which I find some soups have.”

How the Pros Customize Shelf-Stable Soup

The beauty of premade soups is that you can just heat and serve them, but if you’re feeling ambitious, try these expert-approved add-ins for a semi-homemade dinner.

While Awada admitted she rarely buys boxed or canned soup, she makes an exception for Pacific. “Depending on which version you buy, I can always add more veggies for fiber, shredded chicken for protein, or even pasta or couscous.” Her personal favorites? Chicken & Wild Rice and Creamy Tomato.

Middlebrook shared that a bit of dairy can take a soup from good to gourmet. “To doctor it up, I usually get some high-quality sour cream or crème fraîche, chop some fresh chive or green onion, and perhaps add a little fish sauce and some olive oil to drizzle on top,” she shared. As for her pick, she loves the Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper variety.

Whether you want a simple and satisfying bowl straight from the carton or prefer to zhush it up with some creative add-ins, Pacific Foods Organic Soups is a universal favorite. The pros agree—it’s the best shelf-stable soup on the market.

_{To learn more about our approach to product recommendations, see HERE.}