One Tin Soup

This is the soup equivalent of a warm hug from someone who doesn't ask questions. Tinned tomatoes. Tinned beans. An onion. Garlic. A stock cube. Twenty minutes. That's it. It's not going to win awards, but it's warm, filling, and surprisingly good for something made entirely from the pantry.

Real talk

Looks ugly. Tastes incredible. This is the meal you make when you haven't been to the shops in a week and everything fresh has long since died. Tinned goods are underrated.

⏱ Prep: 5 min 🍳 Cook: 20 min 🍽️ Serves: 4 💰 $6 total 😴 Difficulty: Easy (chop, stir, done)

What you'll actually need

1 tbsp Olive oil or butter

1 Onion, diced

2 cloves Garlic, minced

2 tins Chopped tomatoes (400g each) any brand, whatever's cheapest

1 tin Beans (400g) cannellini, kidney, butter beans — whatever's in the cupboard

2 cups Water or stock

1 Stock cube (veg or chicken)

To taste Salt, pepper, dried herbs oregano, basil, Italian herbs — whatever you've got

Optional Chilli flakes, parmesan, crusty bread

Substitutions (when you're missing things)

No onion? Skip it. The soup will survive.
No garlic? Garlic powder (1 tsp) or just skip it.
No stock cube? Just use water and add more salt.
No tinned tomatoes? Passata works. Or tomato paste + water.
Want it thicker? Add pasta, rice, or mash some of the beans.

Method

Heat the oil or butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion. Cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Don't stress about perfect chopping. Chunky onion is fine.
Add the garlic. Cook for another minute until it smells amazing.
Chuck in the tinned tomatoes. Drain and rinse the beans, then add them too. Stir everything together.
Add the water (or stock) and the stock cube. Season with salt, pepper, and whatever dried herbs you've got. Stir it all up.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The longer it simmers, the better it gets. If you've got 30 minutes, use them.
Taste it. Adjust the seasoning. If it's too thick, add more water. If it's too thin, let it simmer a bit longer.
Serve in bowls. Add chilli flakes if you want a kick. Grate parmesan over the top if you've got it. Serve with crusty bread. Optional upgrade: blitz half the soup with a stick blender for a creamier texture. But it's not necessary.

One Tin Soup

Method

More recipes like this

Emergency Pasta

Lazy Sunday Bolognese

Fried Rice Rescue