Why Adding A Little Something Acidic To Soup Is A Game Changer

Soup is a dish that's appropriate for nearly any occasion. It might be because it's a cold day, you're feeling under the weather (this calls for chicken noodle soup — the perfect sick day food, of course), or you're feeling nostalgic for your grandma's cooking. Thick, thin, sweet, savory, there are so many variations out there that we all have a favorite recipe for soup – especially in winter. But sometimes you might feel like your hearty pumpkin or next-level cream of mushroom soup is still missing something you can't quite put your finger on. Well, we think it's something acidic.

Adding an acidic ingredient like vinegar, lemon, or lime juice will balance and brighten the flavors in your soup, giving it a complexity in taste that will leave everyone asking for your secret. The acid will round out any overly salty or sweet flavors, and can also cut through the richness in thicker soups. 

You only need to add a splash (no more than a couple of teaspoons) of your acidic component towards the end of the cooking time. Less is more here, since the aim is just to awaken the soup's existing flavors, not overwhelm them. Exactly which kind of acid works best will depend on the type of soup you're adding it to.

Nearly any soup will benefit from a little acid if it doesn't already have an acidic component. Citrus juice, vinegar, tomato puree, and white wine are all great options to add to your soup. You can also garnish your bowl with acidic ingredients like chopped tomatoes, yoghurt, or pickled veggies when serving for some extra tang. 

A squeeze of citrus is perfect for brightening many styles of soup. Lemon juice pairs well with any Mediterranean-style soups like chicken or white bean, while lime juice goes perfectly with Asian-style soups like ramen, or pho. Add it at the table rather than to the pan for the fullest flavor, and so that diners can squeeze in the desired amount themselves. Or for a less acidic result, you could add the zest rather than the juice towards the end of cooking.

If you're using vinegar for acidity, keep in mind that each type has a different flavor profile. Red wine vinegar is a perfect match for something robust like lentil soup, while something milder like sherry vinegar works well in dishes like potato soup (which you can make with frozen hash browns). Balsamic vinegar also has a sweeter component, so consider adding it to vegetable soups with ingredients like tomatoes or cabbage, to round out their acidity. If you're making your own broth, adding white wine to your liquids and letting it reduce will add a tangy element. Whether you follow these pairing suggestions or experiment with your own, an acidic ingredient will be your soup's flavorful secret.