Ah, yes: Steak and Potatoes. This is what I’ve sometimes incorrectly assumed my friends in the Midwest eat for dinner every day. I know, nothing could be further from the truth. I know a lot of people in Southern California who are 100% meat ‘n potatoes people, while others in Oklahoma and Ohio are laughing while partaking in sushi and Indian cuisine. There’s stereotypes for ya…

But actually, more than one Cheap Eats reader has suggested trying the Campbell’s brand Chunky Steak and Potato Soup after our earlier forays into Progresso Soup. I happened to see a bunch of cans of Chunky soup on sale for a buck and a quarter so I decided to try it out. I think these cans will normally run you about $2.50 to $3.

I’ve had Chunky soup before and my complaint has always been that it’s TOO chunky and thick. It’s like a stoup (Rachel Ray terminology = stew + soup), and while that might be a good thing sometimes, when I’m having soup I want SOUP. Not stew.

It’s actually amazing how accurately I was able to make my soup picture look like the label on the can. (Side note: Need to get a good tripod. I’m starting to hate taking pictures with one hand while holding a spoon of food as still as possible in the other. Ugh.) This is a 18.8 ounce can which is more than enough for lunch for me. The pieces of potato and steak are quite large just like on the can. The soup also contains pieces of mushrooms which I thought was a rather nice and unexpected touch.

Would you believe that they actually use burgundy wine to make the soup? I don’t suppose they can lie on the ingredient label… that’s what it said. The end result is definitely noticeable and pretty nice. I was expecting more of a sludgy, gravy quality to the soup which I’ve gotten in some of the other Chunky Soups. They usually thicken it up with cornstarch or something else.

Instead the broth was pretty rich and flavorful, though there’s a hint of “can” taste and it seems a little more acidic than I’m used to. I actually LIKE the thicker gravy-ish soups. However, it’s definitely better than many other beef-based soups I’ve had.

The pieces of potato were not overcooked at all; they still had some bite to them. Some of the beef pieces taste a bit dry, but the overall effect is just like lean stew meat. There are plenty of chunks in the can. I was pretty surprised how the overall soup tasted. At a buck and a quarter, I’d definitely think about stocking up a few cans for when you’re just too tired to make lunch or dinner. I had my bowl of soup with a few pieces of bread and it was pretty filling.

Price: $1.25 for 18.8oz can
Found At: Albertsons
Cheap Eats Score: 7/10