Here's Why Your Homemade Soup Is Bland (And How You Can Fix It)

Homemade soup can feel like a comforting hug, bursting with all the right flavors, and hitting a spot that nothing else quite can. But whether you're making your favorite winter soup recipe or a lighter summer version, there's nothing that ruins the experience more than a bland tasting soup. If you're wondering why this is the case, the answer is surprisingly obvious.

For Jessica Merchant, recipe blogger, founder of How Sweet Eats, and cookbook author, it's clear what our soup is probably missing: "Salt!" Merchant told us. "Most people underestimate the amount of seasoning that soup requires. It's imperative to season each layer and taste at the end." Salt is the most important ingredient in your kitchen, so never be frugal when adding it to each stage of your soup. As well as enhancing the other flavors, it will help to reduce any bitter notes. If you do add too much, you can always temper the effect with more liquid or some dairy such as cream, sour cream, or yogurt.

Merchant also warned that a lack of other seasonings can similarly make your soup taste dull. "Each layer should be seasoned — the first layer of sauteing the veggies, when adding in meats, and after the soup simmers," she explained. "I add the aromatics at the beginning to deepen the flavor. Adding a few more to the broth as the soup simmers is also an option!"

Salting your soup generously from the start might be the simplest way to amp up the flavor, but if you need a last minute boost, Jessica Merchant suggested some tasty alternatives. "I find that sauces such as pesto, chutneys, or even chili crisp are excellent when stirred into a bowl of soup," she told The Takeout. "They can elevate the flavor so much and change the dish a bit to make leftovers exciting." 

You can also brighten things up by adding something acidic to your soup, like a squeeze of lemon juice or vinegar. A dash of acidity mixed in at the end will not only awaken your soup's flavors, but it will also round out any overpowering notes.

Another easy flavor addition is garnishing your comforting bowl with fresh herbs, like basil or cilantro to give a refreshing and earthy taste. The flavor will be fullest when these are added after cooking the soup, just before it's served. And remember to pair your herbs with the flavors already present in the dish, like adding basil to tomato based soups, or parsley to lighter broths. With these tips, bland soups will definitely be a thing of the past.