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The Kitchn food editor Andrea Rivera Wawrzyn says a splash of wine is her preferred way to add flavor to canned, jarred, refrigerated or frozen soup. She recommends starting with 1 to 2 teaspoons, simmering the soup on the stove for a few minutes, and adjusting to taste. The suggestion is a personal cooking tip, not a reported test or universal rule.
The Kitchn food editor Andrea Rivera Wawrzyn recommends adding a small splash of wine to store-bought soup, saying it can provide added tang and depth of flavor. Her tip applies to canned, jarred, refrigerated and frozen soup, with a stovetop simmer advised so some of the alcohol can cook off.
Wawrzyn describes wine as her current go-to after trying other additions such as spices, fresh herbs and hot sauce. In her account, a modest amount gives prepared soup a sharper, more complex taste that she associates with soup made from scratch. She says she cannot identify exactly why it works, suggesting tannins only as a possibility.
For a typical can or jar, she advises beginning with 1 to 2 teaspoons of wine, stirring it into the soup and letting the mixture simmer for a few minutes. Taste before adding more: the article cautions that it is easier to add wine than to remove it if the flavor becomes too strong.
The method requires heating the soup on the stovetop rather than pouring it straight into a microwave-safe bowl, according to Wawrzyn. She says simmering gives the alcohol a chance to cook off and warns that skipping this step may leave a harsh taste. The article does not give a precise simmer time or say that simmering removes all alcohol.
A Small Adjustment to Prepared Soup
The suggestion offers a low-effort way to change the flavor of ready-made soup without replacing it with a scratch-made meal. For readers who want a quick dinner, the proposed addition is small and adjustable, while the stovetop step adds a little time and cleanup compared with microwaving soup directly.
The advice is framed as one editor’s experience, not as a controlled comparison or a guarantee that every soup will taste better with wine. Its practical value lies in the specific starting amount and the instruction to taste as you go. The article also notes that other additions, including herbs and spices, can still be used alongside wine.
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How the Wine Tip Fits
Wawrzyn identifies herself as a soup enthusiast and says she uses canned or jarred soup when she wants a meal without the time required to make a pot from scratch. She says she has tried several ways to improve store-bought soup before settling on wine as her preferred addition. That background explains the scope of the report: it is a practical kitchen recommendation, not a broader product review.
The article distinguishes wine choices by soup type. Wawrzyn says she likes dry white wine with chicken soup and reserves red wine for tomato or beef soups, while also emphasizing personal preference. She adds that fresh herbs, extra spice or soy sauce can still be used to build flavor. The report does not name specific wine varieties, brands or soup products.
““Start with 1 to 2 teaspoons of wine stirred into the soup.””
— Andrea Rivera Wawrzyn, The Kitchn food editor
The Tip Has No Test Results
The source presents Wawrzyn’s personal cooking experience and does not report a taste test, expert consensus or nutritional analysis. It does not establish that wine improves every soup, quantify a flavor change or identify a specific chemical process. The proposed role of tannins is explicitly uncertain.
The article also does not specify how long to simmer the soup, how much alcohol remains afterward, or whether the result differs across wine styles and soup recipes. Readers who avoid alcohol or have dietary restrictions are not given an alternative in the report; the recommendation is specifically about adding wine.
Adjust the Amount to Taste
Wawrzyn’s suggested next step for anyone trying the method is straightforward: heat the soup in a saucepan, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons of wine, simmer for a few minutes, then taste before deciding whether to add more. She suggests matching dry white wine with chicken soup and red wine with tomato or beef soup, while treating those pairings as her preferences rather than fixed rules.
Readers can also add herbs, spices, soy sauce or other seasonings they already use, according to the article. No follow-up testing or additional reporting is identified in the source, so whether the approach works for a particular soup remains a matter of individual taste.
Key Questions
How much wine does the article recommend adding?
Wawrzyn suggests starting with 1 to 2 teaspoons for a typical can or jar of soup, then tasting before adding more.
Should the soup be microwaved or heated on the stove?
The article recommends heating it on the stovetop and simmering for a few minutes. Wawrzyn says this gives some alcohol a chance to cook off and may prevent a harsh taste.
Which wine goes with which soup?
Wawrzyn says she prefers dry white wine with chicken soup and red wine with tomato or beef soups. She presents these as personal preferences, not strict pairings.
Does the article prove wine makes every soup taste better?
No. The recommendation is one editor’s personal tip; the source does not describe a controlled taste test or claim that every soup will benefit.
Source: rss
