It takes just a few minutes to heat up a tin of tomato soup for a quick, warming lunch – making it a handy store-cupboard essential. But which tin comes top?
If you want the tastiest tomato soup for less, our tests reveal the supermarkets to stock up at.
In October 2022, we asked a large panel of consumers to blind-taste Heinz and Baxters, along with seven supermarket own-brand tomato soups, including Aldi, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Tesco.
Two tins stood out as worth a spot in your trolley. And scores varied considerably, with the best tomato soup scoring an impressive 81% while the least impressive scored just 57%.
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Best supermarket tomato soups
Sainsbury’s Cream of Tomato soup came top overall with a score of 81%, with Tesco just a smidge behind at 80%.
Both are significantly cheaper than branded versions, but if you're looking for the very best value, Asda’s bargain tomato soup wins out, with a decent overall score and the second-lowest price per tin.
Best Buy: Sainsbury’s Cream of Tomato Soup – 81%
55p per 400g tin (14p per 100g)
The well-balanced tomato flavour and appetising colour were both rated highly by our taste testers. And most found the texture just right.
It’s a good price too – it tied third cheapest of the soups on test, and is less than half the price of Heinz. If you shop at Sainsbury’s, it's a clear win.
Available from Sainsbury's.
Best Buy: Tesco Cream of Tomato Soup – 80%
55p per tin (14p per 100g)
Tesco tomato soup came a very close second. The vast majority of tasters said that the strength of the tomato flavour was just right. The texture and colour were also highly rated, so we've awarded this soup a Best Buy.
It ties with Sainsbury's as the third cheapest soup on test, so is a great choice if you happen to be in Tesco or shop there regularly.
Available from Tesco.
Best cheap tomato soup
Asda's tomato soup offering is a little behind our Best Buys, but still rated well on taste. It's also the second-cheapest soup on test, which makes it a good choice if you're looking to stock up on cheaper cans that aren't a disappointment come lunchtime.
Asda Cream of Tomato Soup – 75%
50p per tin (12p per 100g)
The flavour, texture and sweetness were all a hit with our testers. Around a quarter felt the tomato flavour could be stronger, but most found it about right.
At just 50p a can, Asda's soup is excellent value for money.
Available from Asda.
See where to save and where to splash out with our reviews of the best baked beans, best extra virgin olive oil and best oven chips
Heinz and Baxters tomato soup vs supermarket soups
If you always buy branded, it may be time to branch out – supermarket soups put in a strong showing in our taste test, mostly outclassing pricier branded options. See how your nearest supermarket compares here:
- Morrisons Cream of Tomato Soup – 73%. This soup hit the spot on texture and sweetness, although 45% found the tomato flavour too weak. At 85p per tin (21p per 100g), it's the priciest of the supermarket options, so you're better off stocking up elsewhere if you can. Available from Morrisons.
- Waitrose Essential Cream of Tomato Soup – 71%. The texture, sweetness and colour were all rated quite well, while 46% said they'd like a stronger flavour. Price-wise it was competitive at 60p per tin (15p per 100g). Available from Waitrose.
- M&S Cream of Tomato Soup – 70%. Most thought this soup had a good texture, but about a third would have liked a stronger tomato flavour. It is priced at 60p per tin (15p per 100g). Available from M&S at Ocado(not in store).
- Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup – 69%. The top brand was rated well for texture and appearance, but 58% were disappointed by the weak tomato flavour. It was also expensive, at £1.40 per tin (27p per 100g). Available from Aldi, Asda, Iceland, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco or Waitrose.
- Aldi Bramwells Cream of Tomato Soup – 68%. The tomato flavour was too weak for 59% of testers and more than half found the texture too thin for their liking. It's the cheapest of all the soups on test at 45p per tin (11p per 100g), but it might not hit the spot. Available from Aldi.
- Baxters Favourites Cream of Tomato Soup – 57%. Baxters didn't prove to be a favourite among our tasters. Close to three-quarters said the texture was too thin, while two-thirds found the tomato flavour too weak. And it was the most expensive, at £1.60 per tin (40p per 100g). Available from Ocado, Sainsbury’s or Waitrose.
Unfortunately, we couldn't confirm the ongoing availability of Lidl Newgate Cream of Tomato soup with Lidl, so we were unable to include it in our test.
How to save on Heinz soup
If you’re a die-hard Heinz soup fan, you should find regular opportunities to avoid paying full whack for your favourite bowlful.
It's pricier than supermarket rivals, but the trick is to buy it when on offer, which it cycles on and off.
Multibuys, such as four cans for the price of three, often crop up at supermarkets. Opting for multipacks of four or six can bring the price down to as low as 75p per can – just over half the full price (though still considerably more than top supermarket options).
Look out for special offers, and stock up when you spot a lower price. The tins have a shelf life of more than two years, so there's no rush to get through them.
Is tomato soup healthy?
Happily, half a tin of tomato soup counts as one of your five fruit and veg a day. Tinned tomato soup is relatively low in fat and has a middling salt and sugar content. On average, it contains between 110 and 120 calories per half tin.
But, bear in mind it is a processed food, and keep an eye on your sugar intake, as a single portion of these soups contains around 2-3 tsp sugar.
Which? nutrition expert Shefalee Loth advises: 'On its own, half a tin of soup is not a very substantial meal. Adding a wholemeal roll plus a sprinkling of seeds on top of the soup will increase fibre and healthy-fat content. A portion of protein such as cheese, sliced meat, egg or houmous on the side will keep you feeling fuller for longer.'
Is tomato soup vegan?
You might hope tomato soup would be, but tinned versions are usually 'cream of tomato' which puts a spanner in the works.
None of the canned tomato soups we tested were vegan, as they all contain dairy in the form of cream. Baxters and M&S soups also contain butter.
If you’re after a vegan-friendly tomato soup, Suma Organic Tomato soup fits the bill. It’s not cheap, though, costing around £3.90 for 2 x 400g tins (equivalent to 49p per 100g).
Alternatively, you could whip up a quick, low-cost vegan tomato soup yourself at home:
- Fry half an onion in a little oil, add a tin of tomatoes and some seasoning and simmer for 30 minutes or so.
- Whizz it all up with a stick blender in the saucepan, check the temperature and seasoning, and serve.
If you have a pile of fresh tomatoes to hand and a little more time, try out this tomato soup recipe from BBC Good Food.
How we tested tomato soup
The tomato soups were assessed in October 2022 by a large panel of consumers, who regularly buy and consume tinned soup.
The make-up of the panel broadly represents the demographic profile of adults in the UK. Each soup was assessed by 72 people.
The panellists rated the taste, texture, aroma and appearance of each soup and told us what they liked and disliked about each one.
The taste test was blind, so the panellists didn’t know which brand they were trying. The order they sampled the soups was fully rotated to avoid any bias. Each panellist had a private booth, so they couldn’t discuss what they were tasting or be influenced by others.
The overall score is based on:
- 50% taste
- 15% appearance
- 15% texture
- 20% aroma
These weightings are based on consumer rankings of the importance of different soup attributes.
How to recycle soup tins
Soup tins can usually go in your household recycling bin. Rinse out the can and remove the paper label and separate as required.
*prices correct as of 13 October 2022. All cans are 400g
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/heinz-tomato-soup-beaten-by-cheaper-supermarket-rivals-a9fxz9d7MIoH