CREAM OF ASPARAGUS
Marks & Spencer Cream of Asparagus
$3.50, from Marks & Spencer
It was a tie between this and the Baxters. This one will appeal to those who like creamier, thicker soup. It had more sizeable chunks of asparagus in it, although the flavour of the vegetable was more subtle.
Baxters Luxury Cream of Asparagus Soup with Fresh Double Cream
$5.95, from Jasons the Gourmet Grocer and Market Place
This boasted a more distinctive asparagus flavour, but it wasn’t overwhelming. It was more savoury than the Marks & Spencer offering, and had smaller bits of asparagus in it. A pleasing soup.
SEAFOOD SOUP
Baxters Luxury Cullen Skink Cream of Smoked Haddock Soup EDITOR’S RAVE
$8.75, from Jasons the Gourmet Grocer and Market Place
We liked how the soup contained generous chunks of fish and potatoes, which made it quite filling. It was also creamy and savoury, and left a nice smoky aftertaste.
CARROT AND CORIANDER SOUP
Baxters Vegetarian Carrot & Coriander EDITOR’S RAVE
$4.95, from Market Place
The carrot taste was strong without being overpowering, but the coriander was too subtle. Overall, we found that this thick soup had a comforting flavour.
Marks & Spencer Carrot & Coriander
$3.50, from Marks & Spencer
The coriander taste was much stronger in this thick soup, and there was a better balance of the two flavours. It had lots of carrot bits in it and tasted home-cooked, but some testers found it too sweet.
BEAN SOUP
Marks & Spencer Chunky Vegetable & Bean Chilli
$3.50, from Marks & Spencer
This was a unanimous favourite of the three bean soups we tried. The spiciness gave it a unique and hearty flavour, and it had a generous amount of beans, which made it filling enough to pass as a meal.
This article was originally published in Simply Her January 2015.