My father was born in 1925 and experienced some tough times in his lifetime. He once told me the liquid from canned vegetables was always saved to be put in vegetable soup.

    I don’t eat many canned vegetables but every time I open a can I think about my father telling me this.

    His mother raised eight children and she made use of everything possible because she had to. My grandfather died in a hurricane in 1939 leaving my grandmother with their eight kids to raise!

    Anyone ever use the liquid from canned vegetables in their soup?
    byu/DazzlingNote1925 inFrugal



    Posted by DazzlingNote1925

    10 Comments

    1. Southern-Diver1275 on

      that’s a solid tip! using that liquid is a great way to add more flavor and nutrition to your soup, plus it’s a nice nod to your dad’s resourceful upbringing. respect to those who made the most out of what they had.

    2. Disastrous-Wing699 on

      I don’t use many canned vegetables either. I have used the liquid in canned beans in soups/stews, but that can be a bit tummy upsetting. What I have started doing is saving the water from canned tuna/salmon and using that to add an umami boost to finished dishes. Someone in my household is allergic to shellfish, with a cross-reaction to anchovy, so it’s the closest I can get to fish sauce or worcestershire.

    3. Narrow-Height9477 on

      I’ll save drained liquid from (most) cans to use to flavor rice.

      Have to be mindful of the sodium. It can over make things too salty or if you’re sensitive to sodium.

    4. Some vegetables, like whole kernel corn, are cheaper than frozen. It making soup, I dump in the packing water. If just heating to eat on my plate or mixed with beans, I dump it in the garbage disposal side of the sinks. Better Than Bullion vegetable makes a nice vegetarian soup. I reserve the liquids from a beef roast or chicken made in the crockpot as a base, too.

    5. When I make corn chowder I use canned corn partly because I also like to use the liquid instead of plain water. I feel like it makes it cornier.

    6. Always. It’s free flavor. The liquid in canned beans contains dissolved bean skins which will thicken the soup.

    7. ShanimalTheAnimal on

      I don’t use a lot of canned veggies but in a pinch will blend some canned carrots for a puree (with its liquid)— that can go into pancakes or other baked goods for some veggie oomph

    8. BlackStarBlues on

      Can I piggyback on this discussion to ask how you make canned green beans taste better? Can it be done?

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