I Tried 10 Popular Progresso Soups & the Best Was Earthy and Well-Balanced

Chances are, when you think of the most popular canned soup brands, Progresso, along with maybe Campbell's and Amy's, is one of the first to come to mind. The General Mills-owned brand has been around since the 1920s. It was founded after two New Orleans-based Italian importing companies merged. Beyond canned soups, the company also sells canned beans, broths, and other food items.

A quick Google search will show you that Progresso makes many soups, ranging from low-sodium and low-calorie options to ones high in protein. To give you a better idea, the company has a "Spice It Up" collection dedicated to spicy soups such as Spicy Chicken Tortilla and Spicy Tomato. Another range is labeled "Rich and Hearty" and focuses on heavier soups, including Three Cheese Tortellini, Lasagna-Style with Italian Sausage, and Loaded Potato with Bacon. In short, Progresso has something for everybody.

For this taste test, I focused on the brand's traditional line, which has more typical flavors, like Split Pea and Ham, Chicken Noodle, and New England Clam Chowder. I tried out ten of these traditional soups to help you better navigate the brand's long yet overwhelming list of offerings to, hopefully, make shopping for one a bit easier.

Here's what I thought of each, starting with my least favorite and counting down to the very best.

Hearty Chicken and Rotini

A spin on the brand's Chicken Noodle soup, the Hearty Chicken and Rotini option is instead made with rotini pasta. Like other Progresso soups, it's bursting with vegetables and meat and works well as a side dish or standalone meal. Priced at $4.79, this soup was decent but lacked depth.

The look: This one also looked very similar to the other chicken-based soups on this list, except it had a bright yellow-hued broth. There was a ton of rotini pasta in this one, which is great if you plan on eating this soup as a meal, and there were carrot and celery pieces aplenty.

The taste: Unremarkable. I hoped this soup would be my favorite, but the pasta was slightly soft, and the flavor didn't hit the mark. Like the other chicken soups on this list, the broth was too thick and didn't have an appealing mouthfeel.

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Chicken Noodle

If you don't have time to make homemade chicken noodle soup, Progresso has an option that fits the bill, although it tastes far from anything made from scratch. It's rich and savory, with a deep roasted chicken flavor but still falls short. I purchased this soup for $4.79 and don't feel strongly either way about it.

The look: A semi-clear yellowy broth with oversized pasta pieces and vegetables, such as carrots and celery. It also has oversized chunks of white meat chicken and an overwhelmingly thick texture.

The taste: A balanced, savory roasted chicken flavor that wasn't too salty or sweet. The pasta wasn't overly soft, but also not al dente; it had an "in-between" texture. The carrots and vegetables were a nice touch and provided a contrast to the meaty chicken and cooked pasta. This soup didn't have a metallic taste, but it did taste like it could use a little something. I would eat this one again, but it probably wouldn't be my first choice.

Manhattan Clam Chowder

You're either a Manhattan-style clam chowder kind of person or a New England-style clam chowder kind of person (or neither, that's fine also). Progresso's take on the tomato-based, Manhattan-style soup is filled with clams, carrots, potatoes, and celery and tastes good alone or enjoyed as a side to sandwiches and salads. I bought this soup for $4.79 but am unsure if I'd drop money on it again.

The look: A light tomatoey-red with bits of clams in it, chunky white potatoes, and diced carrots. The broth was slightly thinner and looser than the other soups on this list, yet still had a texturally thick mouthfeel. In my notes, I wrote that the amount of potatoes in this soup was impressive.

The taste: Very savory. It packed a brackish taste from the clams and a slight acidic undertone from the broth. It definitely has more umami than a pure vegetable soup, thanks to the clams. The potatoes were soft but didn't break apart, and the vegetables added some contrast to the chewy clam bits. "It's a pretty unremarkable soup, but if you're looking for a meatier, umami canned soup, this is it," my boyfriend mentioned after he took a bite. It's also lighter than the brand's New England-style version, which is excellent if you don't want a dairy-rich broth.

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Chicken Barley

Progresso's Chicken Barley option is a good choice for when you want a chicken-based soup that isn't the usual chicken noodle variation. It's thick and hearty, filled with barley, chicken, and vegetable pieces. I paid $4.54 for this can of soup, which I found to be pleasant but not that exciting.

The look: A translucent, orangy broth with medium-sized pieces of barley, hefty chunks of white meat chicken, and chopped carrots and celery. It looked hearty and full right off the bat, which I thought was a good sign—some soups skimp on filling. The consistency was so thick I had to scoop the barley from the bottom of the can with a spoon, as it wouldn't budge when I initially poured the soup into the bowl to heat up.

The taste: Just alright but kind of boring. It wasn't too salty, which was a plus, but, yet again, this soup seemed to lack something. The barley was chewy and didn't taste too soft, the carrots and celery were well-cooked, and the chicken pieces were tender without feeling rubbery or fake. Meanwhile, the broth had a slightly goopy feel. Overall, this soup was okay but not that exciting.

New England Clam Chowder

Just the name "New England Clam Chowder" brings up images of East Coast beachside towns and fishing. If you can't take a trip to New England to enjoy a bowl of this flavorful soup, Progresso makes one that brings New England to you. I paid $4.54 for this soup, which, although not as great as restaurant versions, was still nice.

The look: It was thick and velvety smooth, resembling ranch dressing. It contained chunks of potatoes and clams enrobed in its opaque broth. Not many other vegetables were visible.

The taste: You'd think that since this broth was much thicker than the other clam chowder option on this list, it would have much more flavor, but that wasn't the case. It had a neutral yet savory, seafood-y taste and didn't come across as too sodium-packed or overly sweet. Meanwhile, the actual potatoes weren't seasoned enough and were kind of just there. It was good but not outstanding, but I'd probably buy it again.

 The 10 Best Clam Chowder Spots in New England

Chicken Rice with Vegetables

Progresso has so many chicken soup versions that I can hardly keep count. Here's another option, which I found to be better than the noodle-based ones. It's made with chicken, herbs, vegetables, and rice that isn't overly soft or mushy. This soup cost me $4.54, and I'd gladly eat it again.

The look: A transparent yellow broth with apparent herbs, carrot, and celery pieces, white meat chicken morsels, and crushed tomatoes. In all honesty, this soup looked strikingly familiar to the other chicken-focused Progresso soups I tried—it was thick and filled to the brim with ingredients.

The taste: Even though a lot is happening here, there still isn't a tremendous amount of flavor, which was confusing. The soup has a roasted taste, but that's about it. It didn't taste salty, which was a relief, but overall, the flavor was a touch too bland for my liking. I have to say, though, that the rice was cooked well and didn't have a mushy texture, which I worry about with canned soups. All in all, I would choose this soup over the brand's chicken noodle options.

Broccoli Cheese

I'm a big fan of Panera Bread's Broccoli Cheddar soup, so every broccoli soup I try, I automatically compare it to the chain's. However, this soup didn't disappoint. Even though it isn't Panera Bread's (and doesn't come with a bread bowl), it's a decent backup choice. Progresso's version is made from a combination of cream cheese and Cheddar, with a small amount of Parmesan, and it cost me $5.49.

The look: This soup was very glossy and smooth right out of the can. It was a very pale yellow with muted green broccoli chunks. The yellow shade wasn't consistent, and there were some darker areas along the soup's edge.

The taste: Pretty good, but it tasted even better after I added a dash of salt. This soup has a pared-down cheesy flavor that I thought would be sharp and zingy but instead was mellow. The texture was consistently velvety, and the broccoli pieces were extremely soft; they kind of just dissolved in my mouth. This soup was pretty good and quickly grew on me. I think I would like to enjoy it again, just this time with some bread, a salad, or a sandwich on the side.

 9 Restaurant Chains That Serve the Best Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Beef Barley

While trying out some of Progresso's traditional line, I noticed that the non-chicken soups taste much better than the majority of the chicken soups. For instance, this Beef Barley option had a better, looser texture and a more appetizing taste thanks to its tomato-based broth and tender beef pieces. I spent $4.79 on this soup, and I have a lot of good things to say about it.

The look: A deep orangy-red broth with a good amount of barley, chopped carrots, and celery, beef chunks, and crushed tomatoes. A few oil pools were noticeable on its surface. There were also ample ingredients, and I could tell instantly that this soup was satiating.

The taste: It was really good. It was beefy with a slightly acidic tomatoey taste and didn't come across as synthetic or metallic. The beef had a nice, chewy texture, while the carrots were soft and provided a touch of sweetness. The only thing I didn't fully like about this soup was that the peas tasted borderline mushy and didn't really offer much taste to this dish. I'd buy this soup again, but might steer clear of the peas.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

This was the first time I tried this soup, and I'm happy I did. Even though it errs on the smokey and spicy side, it still has a delicious kick to it that makes you want to keep eating more. I spent $4.79 on this chicken and sausage dish that packed a punch.

The look: A see-through light red broth with flecks of seasoning. This soup was packed with ingredients such as white meat chicken, andouille sausage crumbles, chopped okra, peppers, and more. The broth wasn't thin and watery but instead thicker with a heavy texture.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

The taste: A deliciously smoky flavor with an overwhelmingly spicy taste that lingered in the back of my throat after I took a spoonful. The chicken pieces were tender, moist, and didn't take synthetic, while the andouille sausage was chewy and hearty. It was palatable, but the smoky and spicy flavors were overpowering and didn't leave much room for the other flavors. Still, I think I would repurchase this one and like how it had an in-your-face flavor.

 6 Restaurant Chains That Serve the Best Gumbo

Split Pea with Ham

You either love or hate split pea soup—but Progresso's version makes it a little bit easier to like it. Made from split peas, root vegetables, and diced ham, this soup is hearty and filling with a cozy, comforting feel. It also has a good amount of fiber in each serving and isn't high in sugar, both of which are pluses. I spent $4.79 on a soup I thoroughly enjoyed.

The look: A thick and chunky green base with diced carrots, hams, and a good amount of whole peas. This soup became slightly thinner after I heated it up and had an attractive consistency—it was less "gooey" than Progresso's chicken soups.

The taste: Delicious. I was actually surprised by how much I enjoyed this split pea soup. It had a mild earthy flavor and wasn't overly salty. Meanwhile, the small ham chunks provided a smokiness that complimented this soup well.

Overall, this soup won first place because it had a great balance of flavor, didn't have an overly thick or "goopy" texture, and was tasty enough to enjoy as a main or serve as a side dish during lunch or dinner. While other soups on this list felt like a chore at some points to go through, my boyfriend and I went through this can so quickly, talking after about how shocked we were that we enjoyed a pea soup that much. I need to remember to add this soup to my grocery list.

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