Soup, vegetable with beef broth, canned, condensed
Whole food · Soups, Sauces, and Gravies
Photo: Wikipedia
This is a classic pantry staple: a thick, savory paste of simmered vegetables like tomatoes, celery, and onions, concentrated in a rich beef broth. When reconstituted with water or milk, it transforms into a comforting, slightly chunky soup with a deep umami backbone and a smooth, velvety texture from the condensed base. It's a low-calorie, fiber-containing option for a quick, warming meal.
💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its nostalgic, savory comfort and sheer convenience—a hot, flavorful soup in minutes. It's also a beloved kitchen hack, serving as a rich, flavorful base for stews, gravies, and braised meats.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The condensed format is often very high in sodium, which can be a concern for blood pressure. It may also contain added sugars and thickeners. To mitigate, choose 'low sodium' versions, dilute with water instead of broth, and pair with a fresh, low-sodium side salad or unsalted whole-grain crackers.
Key benefits
- Quick, no-cook meal solution when rehydrated
- Provides dietary fiber from vegetable puree
- Low in fat and calories per serving
- Shelf-stable for long-term pantry storage
- Versatile base for other recipes
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The process of canning soup in a condensed form was pioneered by Dr. John T. Dorrance for the Campbell Soup Company in 1897, revolutionizing the food industry by reducing shipping weight and cost.
Full nutrition (scales with serving)
| Water | 83.3 g |
| Energy | 66.0 kcal |
| Energy | 276 kj |
| Protein | 2.4 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 1.6 g |
| Ash | 2.1 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 10.7 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 1.3 g |
| Total Sugars | 1.6 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 14.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.79 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 5.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 32.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 157 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 515 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.65 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.13 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.28 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 2.2 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 1.9 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.04 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.04 mg |
| Niacin | 0.79 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.28 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.05 mg |
| Folate, total | 9.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 9.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 9.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 10.3 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 85.0 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 831 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 387 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 1707 iu |
| Lycopene | 29.0 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 35.0 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.12 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 0.00 iu |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 2.3 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.36 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.21 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.11 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.45 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.02 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.42 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.64 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.55 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.09 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 1.0 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
| Tryptophan | 0.02 g |
| Threonine | 0.06 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.07 g |
| Leucine | 0.13 g |
| Lysine | 0.10 g |
| Methionine | 0.03 g |
| Cystine | 0.02 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.09 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.05 g |
| Valine | 0.10 g |
| Arginine | 0.11 g |
| Histidine | 0.04 g |
| Alanine | 0.14 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.21 g |
| Glutamic acid | 0.69 g |
| Glycine | 0.22 g |
| Proline | 0.18 g |
| Serine | 0.08 g |
FAQ
What does 'condensed' mean for this soup?
It means a significant amount of water has been cooked out during the canning process, resulting in a thick paste. You must add an equal volume of water (or milk) back in before eating to achieve the intended soup consistency and flavor.
Is it healthy to eat straight from the can?
It's not recommended. The concentrated paste is extremely high in sodium and has an overpowering, salty flavor. It's designed to be diluted, which also brings the sodium per serving to a more reasonable level.
Can I use it in recipes other than soup?
Absolutely! It's a fantastic flavor booster. Use it to enrich gravies, thicken and flavor stews or chili, as a base for meatloaf or shepherd's pie, or even mixed into ground meat for burgers.