25 Easy Recipes That Transform Canned Soup Into a Meal

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Ravsky/istockphoto

Cheapism is editorially independent. We may earn a commission if you buy through links on our site.
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Ravsky/istockphoto

Mmm Mmm Good

Canned soup is a perfect pantry staple. It has a long shelf-life, is inexpensive, there are lots of variation in flavors and cuisines, and you can use it as an ingredient to build other dishes. Canned cream soup is the obvious choice for casseroles, but there's a lot you can do with tomato soup, onion soup, and consommé, too. Check out these recipes for creative ways to use up your canned soup shelf.

Related: 55 Big-Batch Meals That Will Last for a Week

Tuna Casserole
-lvinst-/istockphoto
Salisbury steak, green beans, mashed potatoes
Salisbury steak, green beans, mashed potatoes by Lonnon Foster (CC BY-NC)

Hamburger Steaks and Gravy

Reminiscent of Salisbury steak, these hamburger steaks include green pepper and celery for texture and garlic salt and Worcestershire sauce for a flavor boost. Form them and bake them in a rich gravy of cream of mushroom soup.

Recipe: The Spruce Eats

Slow Cooker Stacked Chicken Enchiladas_3
Slow Cooker Stacked Chicken Enchiladas_3 by Sharon Chen (CC BY)

Chicken Tortilla Pie

Cream of chicken soup teams up with canned refried beans, green chiles, and enchilada sauce for a Tex-Mex meal that's only a little spicy. Cook the ingredients in a cast-iron skillet, then layer and bake the pie in the same one to save on dirty dishes.

Recipe: Spicy Southern Cook 

Sloppy Joes
DebbiSmirnoff/istockphoto

Sloppy Joes

All out of cans of sloppy joe sauce? No problem, as long as you have a can of tomato soup hiding in the pantry. This is a super easy recipe with only a few other ingredients. Try adding some of your favorite barbecue sauce or mustard for a little more tang.

Recipe: Taste & Tell

chicken pot pie
chicken pot pie by stu_spivack (CC BY-SA)

Chicken Pot Pie Crescent Braid

This recipe looks really impressive, especially when you consider how easy and fast it is to make. It only uses six ingredients, and you just mix the filling together, then create the braid with refrigerated crescent roll dough. This is a great way to use up leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken meat.

Recipe: Simple Joy

Pico de Gallo Black Bean Soup
bhofack2/istockphoto
cheeseburger casserole
LauriPatterson/istockphoto

French Onion Beef Casserole

French onion dip lovers unite! You'll love this creamy, stroganoff-like casserole recipe that includes cream of mushroom soup, ground beef, and French onion dip mixed with curly egg noodles. Fried onions on top give it crunch and an extra punch of flavor.

Recipe: Life in the Lofthouse

020416 potato lovers month recipes slide 5 fs

Slow Cooker Bacon and Ham Breakfast Potatoes

With both bacon and ham, plus bell pepper, onion, and baby potatoes, this recipe is a breakfast or brunch main dish. Canned cheddar cheese soup makes a rich, thick sauce. The best part is that it cooks in the crockpot overnight so it's ready in the morning.

Recipe: Mommy's Home Cooking 

Apricot Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Magone/istockphoto

Pork Tenderloin with Peach and Pecan Sauce

Pork and peaches are a classic combination. In this recipe, sliced pork tenderloin — or pork chops, if that's what you have — cooks in a sweet and savory sauce made with golden mushroom soup, peaches, soy sauce, and pecans.

Recipe: Food Network

Meatloaf
belchonock/istockphoto

Quick and Easy French Onion Meatloaf

It's not unusual to use a packet of seasoning mix in meatloaf, but have you tried using a can of condensed soup instead? The condensed French onion soup mixed into the beef gives the meatloaf flavor and moisture so it's less likely to dry out.

Recipe: The Spruce Eats

Tortilla Soup
bonchan/istockphoto

Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Soup

This soup couldn't be much easier: Just stir all the ingredients together in a crockpot and add chicken breasts. The chicken will shred easily after cooking so you don't even have to chop it. Make sure to have plenty of fresh toppings like cilantro and sour cream so everyone can customize their bowl.

Recipe: The Recipe Critic 

2008-02-17
2008-02-17 by Leigh Kelsey (CC BY-NC-ND)

Chicken Spaghetti

Chicken spaghetti is a classic casserole of pasta in a cream of mushroom sauce with chicken, bell peppers, and cheese. This version calls for simmering a whole raw chicken so you can use the flavorful broth in the casserole along with the meat.

Recipe: Food Network

IMG_0493.jpg
IMG_0493.jpg by Damien Gabrielson (CC BY-NC)

Creamy Perogie Dinner

It's great to have frozen perogies on hand in the freezer, but they can get boring if you serve them the same way every time. If you're in a rut, try this recipe, which uses cream of celery soup, bacon, and parmesan cheese to make a creamy, smoky sauce.

Recipe: The Kitchen Magpie

King Ranch Chicken Casserole
PoppyB/istockphoto

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

King Ranch chicken is a casserole that's popular in Texas and all over the South. It combines cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soups with canned tomatoes, peppers, onions, and cubed chicken. The mixture is layered with corn tortillas and cheese into a casserole.

Recipe: Southern Living

Ham Hash Brown Casserole
KathyDewar/istockphoto

Cheesy Chicken and Potato Casserole

If you are a fan of cheesy potatoes — aka funeral potatoes — you're going to love this recipe that uses cream of chicken soup to turn them into a full meal. Frozen diced potatoes with onions and peppers are included for more flavor, and lots of diced chicken and bacon are added for a filling, hearty dish.

Recipe: Campbell's

Crusted Chicken Romano
Crusted Chicken Romano by Claudia & Jerome (CC BY-NC)
Bean and Sausage Soup
TheCrimsonMonkey/istockphoto

Minestrone with Italian Sausage and Pesto

You can doll up a couple cans of minestrone soup with simple ingredients to make a more exciting dish. Italian sausage adds bulk and protein, while jarred basil pesto adds freshness and a bright pop of color.

Recipe: EatingWell

Creamy Broccoli Soup
StephePhoto/istockphoto

Crockpot Broccoli Cheese Soup

This recipe for broccoli cheese soup couldn't be much simpler. Just add lots of broccoli, two cans of whatever type of cream soup you like, onions, and milk to a crockpot and let it cook away. When it's done, use a blender to make it as smooth or chunky as you like.

Recipe: Pinch of Yum

Closeup of Swedish Meatballs in a Cast Iron Skillet, Selective Focus
rudisill/istockphoto

Meatballs and Gravy

Similar to Swedish meatballs, this recipe for meatballs and gravy includes beef and onion meatballs in a thick creamy gravy made with canned consomme. They're served over buttermilk mashed potatoes so all you have to do is add some peas or green beans on the side.

Recipe: A Pretty Life

Pot Roast
rjlerich/istockphoto

Crockpot Pot Roast

This is a classic, easy recipe for a basic pot roast. Cream of mushroom soup and dry onion soup mix are combined with the roast and any veggies you want in a slow cooker. It's a great base recipe for adding other flavors you like, including red wine, garlic, and herbs like thyme or rosemary.

Recipe: Mrs. Happy Homemaker

Tortellini Soup
Brent Hofacker/shutterstock

Tomato Tortellini Soup

Canned tomato soup is jazzed up with a can of fire-roasted tomatoes for texture and deeper flavor. Half and half makes it creamy, cheese tortellini makes it substantial, and fresh basil adds a pop. Give it a sprinkle of grated parmesan before digging in.

Recipe: Jo Cooks


Related:
30 Cheap and Easy Recipes From Canned Foods

casserole
SMarina/istockphoto

Ham and Asparagus Strata

Canned soup can make brunch easier, too. Cream of asparagus soup is combined with eggs, milk, and dijon mustard for a creamy, savory custard. It's combined with stuffing mix, ham, asparagus, and Swiss cheese, and bakes up firm enough to be sliced like a bread pudding.

Recipe: Campbell's

One Pot Tuna Casserole
LauriPatterson/istockphoto

Instant Pot Tuna Casserole

Classic and comforting tuna casserole gets a modern makeover with canned soup in an Instant Pot. The ingredients are layers, with the egg noodles on the bottom of the pot, so they cook through in the chicken broth. When everything is cooked, it's mixed together with peas, parsley, and cheese.

Recipe: Simply Happy Foodie

IMG_3293
IMG_3293 by RosieTulips (CC BY-NC-ND)

Tomato Soup Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Who says canned soup has to be savory? Tomato soup cake is well known as a delicious and interesting way to use canned tomato soup. It originally appeared as a recipe from Campbell's in the 1920s or '30s and has been modified into many variations. This sheet cake includes lots of spices, raisins, and a cream cheese frosting.

Recipe: Taste & Tell 

Katie Couric’s Lemon Chicken
grandriver/istockphoto

Lemony Olive Chicken

If you're a fan of chicken piccata but don't always want to spend the time to make it from scratch, this recipe will do in a pinch. Lemon juice, lemon slices, and olives perk up the creamy sauce that's great over rice or pasta.

Recipe: Delish