Fast Broths: Canned Chicken or Beef Broth, Bouillon Cubes, the Local Chinese Restaurant

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Splendid Soups
Splendid Soups

By James Peterson

Published 2000

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Canned or instant broth is never going to taste homemade, but if you need broth fast and don’t have any in the refrigerator or freezer, commercial broth will do. Use it only with flavorful vegetables or meats, though, never when the flavor of the broth is the primary flavor of the soup—not, for instance, for consommé or brothlike soups with just a few tidbits floating in them.

The best approach to choosing among the brands of commercial broth available in your area is to experiment with them. The biggest problem with commercial broth used to be excess salt, but in the last couple of years several manufacturers have come up with better-tasting low-sodium versions. (I have found low-sodium versions of only chicken broth, not beef broth.) Even these are still somewhat salty, so add salt (or salty ingredients such as fish sauce) to any commercial broth only to taste. To improve the flavor of canned broth, see the box.