- Prepare the Ingredients
Gather all ingredients. Finely chop 1 medium yellow onion, 2 medium carrots, and 1 celery stalk. Mince 2 garlic cloves. Peel and dice 1 medium russet potato into ½-inch cubes. Measure out 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tbsp flour, ½ tsp dried thyme, ½ tsp sweet paprika, ¾ cup alphabet pasta, and ½ cup heavy cream. Have 4 cups vegetable broth ready.
- Build the Flavor Base
In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt 3 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and the onion is translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant. Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to deepen its flavor.
- Thicken and Simmer
Sprinkle the 2 tbsp of flour over the vegetable mixture and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly pour in the 4 cups of vegetable broth while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add the diced potato, thyme, and paprika. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, or until the potato is very tender.
- Blend & Add Pasta
Using an immersion blender, carefully purée the soup directly in the pot until completely smooth. Alternatively, blend in batches in a countertop blender. Return the smooth soup to the pot if needed and bring back to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add the ¾ cup alphabet pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
- Finish and Serve
Turn off the heat. Stir in the ½ cup heavy cream. Season with 1 tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper, tasting and adjusting as needed. Ladle the hot, creamy soup into bowls. Garnish with a drizzle of cream, a crack of pepper, and fresh herbs like chives or parsley if desired. Serve immediately while hot.
- Calories:280 kcal
- Protein:6 g
- Carbohydrates:35 g
- Sugar:8 g
- Salt:1.2 g
- Energy:1170 kJ
- Fat:13 g
Picture this: it’s a gray, drizzly afternoon, and your only mission is to coax warmth from the kitchen. You want something smooth, savory, and simple enough that you can almost make it with your eyes closed. That’s the exact moment my mind drifts to the glorious nostalgia of a good **Campbell’s ABC soup**. For me, it’s the ultimate culinary security blanket—a creamy tomato base alive with tiny letter-shaped pasta and sweet little carrots, making every spoonful a cozy hug. I used to think the canned version was the only path to this particular comfort, but then I realized something liberating: making a truly fantastic, from-scratch version is almost as easy, and the flavor payoff is immense.
What Makes This Campbell’s ABC Soup Special
It all starts with building a mirepoix base—onions, carrots, and celery—gently sweated in butter until they’re soft and sweet. That foundational sweetness is what lifts the entire pot from being a mere tomato soup to something with incredible depth. From there, we add a dash of tomato paste for umami, some broth for body, and a surprising but utterly essential ingredient: a single russet potato. Simmered and then blended with a touch of cream, that potato gives this ABC soup a luxurious, silky-smooth body that you simply can’t get from a can. It’s the secret to that rich, cling-to-the-spoon texture that makes this dish so satisfying.
Your Secret to the Perfect Velvet Texture
My biggest ‘aha!’ moment with this recipe was the potato. After years of making tomato soup that was good but never quite right, I discovered that a single peeled and diced russet, simmered until fork-tender and then puréed, acts as a natural thickener. It provides a starchy, creamy body without weighing the soup down. Blending while the soup is hot is key; it emulsifies the butter and vegetables into a perfectly smooth, velvety liquid. If you don’t have an immersion blender, a regular countertop blender works wonderfully—just be careful to vent the lid and blend in batches to avoid a hot soup explosion.
How to Serve & Elevate This Classic Dish
This isn’t just a sidekick to a sandwich (though, let’s be honest, a grilled cheese dipper is a heavenly pairing). Think of it as a star in its own right. Ladle it into a deep bowl, making sure to get plenty of those little pasta letters, and finish with a swirl of good extra-virgin olive oil, a crack of black pepper, and a few fresh chives. It’s also surprisingly great with a bright, acidic side to cut the richness. I love a simple arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette, or a few buttery garlic croutons scattered on top for crunch. For a perfect sip, a crisp, dry rosé or a light lager complements its creamy-tangy profile beautifully.
Customizing Your Pot of Soup
The beauty of this template is its flexibility. Need to keep it dairy-free? Skip the cream and use a splash of full-fat coconut milk for a similar richness. For a heartier vegetarian version, add a can of rinsed white beans before blending. Want a smoky twist? Swap the sweet paprika for a pinch of smoked paprika. If you can’t find alphabet pasta, any small soup pasta like ditalini or orzo works perfectly. The goal is to capture that spirit of childhood comfort, tailored just for you. For more great takes on classic comfort foods, check out Serious Eats.
Your Questions, Answered
Can I make this ahead of time? Absolutely. In fact, I think it tastes even better the next day. Let it cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth or water if it’s thickened up.
Can I freeze it? You can, but I recommend doing so *before* adding the pasta. The pasta will become mushy when frozen and thawed. Freeze the base soup for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat, and cook the pasta fresh in the simmering soup for the best texture.
My soup is a bit too acidic. How can I fix it? A tiny pinch of baking soda (start with 1/8 teaspoon) can neutralize excess acid without affecting flavor. Alternatively, a teaspoon of sugar or honey stirred in at the end can round out the sharp edges beautifully.
So there you have it—your guide to reclaiming a lunchtime classic and making it your own. This homemade **Campbell’s ABC soup** recipe delivers all the comfort you’re craving with a depth of flavor that will have you leaving the can on the shelf for good. It’s a reminder that sometimes the simplest foods, made with a little love and a good technique, are the ones that truly nourish us. I hope you give it a try. Let me know how your version turns out in the comments!
