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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.
Besides canned cream of chicken soup, this recipe uses another pantry shortcut staple: stuffing mix. Along with chicken breast, a few vegetables, broth, and fragrant sage, this casserole is like an entire comforting holiday dinner in a pan.
Recipe: Delish
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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
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
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
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
Make a can of black bean soup more interesting with a few small additions. Smoked paprika and lime juice give it a depth of flavor that's hard to get in a can, and toppings like cabbage, tomatoes, and avocado give it freshness and texture.
Recipe: EatingWell
Related: Easy and Delicious Rice and Bean Recipes From Around the World
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
This cream of chicken soup and broccoli combo is a crowd-pleaser. This recipe is a little different than the typical casserole, though, because it uses whole chicken thighs, which stay moist in the oven, on top of creamy angel hair pasta.
Recipe: Betty Crocker
Related: 25 Betty Crocker-Era Holiday Recipes That We Secretly Love
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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