Soups

Recent Soup Reviews

AlpineAire Shakshuka

Shakshuka: a spicy north African stew of eggs, tomatoes, and vegetables traditionally served with fresh, warm pita bread here presented as a rice-based freeze-dried meal. Once again, trying out unconventional meals in search of the perfect backpacking breakfast :) This isn't it, but it is a tasty, satisfying meal—and definitely off the beaten path. Preparation and Ingredients:I followed the package directions: 2 cups boiling water, stir. I gave it an extra stir at 5 minutes before the final stir… Full review

AlpineAire Spicy African Peanut Stew with Sweet Potatoes

This is a really different, generally satisfying meal. It won't become a go-to in my cookbox, but it certainly has a place as a change of pace. This was an absolutely intriguing offering. I was definitely concerned about the idea of a peanut stew—would this be like eating watered-down peanut butter with some vegetables thrown in? Was is going to be a basic vegetable stew with whole peanuts floating in it? There was only one way to find out: buy it and try it. Tearing open the bag for the first… Full review

Stowaway Gourmet Wild Boar Bacon Bean Stew

Restaurant quality, at lower than restaurant prices...on the trail, no less. This is one of the best things I have put in my mouth, ever. Continuing to work my way through the Stowaway Gourmet catalog (as it becomes available), we come to their Wild Boar Bacon and Bean Stew. What is Wild Boar Bacon?  Apparently, it is "feral pig" meat, cured as a bacon. Easy. Thick cuts of belly meat, just like standard upscale supermarket bacon, as evidenced by strong marbling and a great whack of salt. (I suspect… Full review

Readywise Open Range Cheesy Potato Soup

SALT. BOMB. Years ago, Backpacker's Pantry offered a cheesy bacon mashed potato "sidedish" that was the perfect breakfast. It went out of production, and I have been searching for a suitable replacement ever since.   This isn't it. If I had read the packaging a little more closely, I would have noted that this "meal" contains 104% of one's rda of sodium. If I had read the packaging a little more closely, I would have noticed that sodium is listed in the ingredients in no less than ELEVEN separate… Full review

Wild Zora Mountain Beef Stew

This product has no gluten and is a paleo meal. Organic ingredients packed with 410 calories and 37 grams of protein. I wanted to try a paleo meal to see what the difference was compared to other meals on the market.   No gluten, nuts, milk, or added sugar. It has organic broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, kale. It doesn't come in a typical gravy sauce like most stews. It comes with spices like garlic, marjoram, and sea salt. The meal once I opened it had an earthy smell to it. I added Himalayan salt… Full review

Patagonia Provisions Organic Green Lentil Soup

Excellent balance of flavors and a delightful texture. I really enjoy this soup; it's probably my favorite on the trail. It has bulgur wheat along with the lentils, which gives it a great texture. The flavor is quite good, although I add just a touch of garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper to punch it up. At about 100 calories per ounce, it's good for packing and thoroughly satisfying. There is no issue with reconstitution—everything cooks up perfectly with about five minutes of hard… Full review

Good To-Go New England Corn Chowdah

With complex flavors and an intoxicating aroma, this meal is particularly well-suited for winter backcountry trips. C'mon, who doesn't love a good chowder after a day in the snow? It includes dehydrated fish flakes, which was a pleasant surprise, but I did experience some rehydration issues with other ingredients. To give you a little background on how and in what conditions I tested this meal, below is a description of two separate tests.   Testing Meal #1 - After a 3.5-mile sunset hike in chilly,… Full review

Patagonia Provisions Organic Red Bean Chili

A fully organic chili with high protein and a flavor profile dominated by red chili, this meal will fill you up and provide good energy, but may not tantalize your taste buds (unless you really dig a strong red chili flavor). Ingredients: Organic Red Beans, Organic Pinto Beans, Organic Dehydrated Tomato Powder, Organic Dehydrated Diced Tomato, Organic Ground Red Chili, Organic Dehydrated Carrots, Organic Dehydrated Red Bell Pepper, Salt, Organic Ground Rice Hulls, Organic Ground Cumin, Organic Dehydrated… Full review

Patagonia Provisions Organic Green Lentil Soup

A very simple organic soup, spiced right, that summons the memory of Americanized Indian food to my palate. It’s a little pricey for dehydrated soup but a worthy splurge. Ingredients Organic Dehydrated Lentils, Organic Bulgur Wheat, Organic Dehydrated Chopped Onion, Salt, Organic Spices, Organic Dehydrated Green Bell Pepper, Organic Dehydrated Minced Garlic, Organic Dehydrated Red Bell Pepper, Organic Onion Powder, Organic Ground Rice Hulls, Organic Yeast Extract, Organic Sunflower Oil Nutrition… Full review