Overcooked Pasta Gets A Tasty Second Life With This Canned Ingredient

Picture it: You're having another cozy evening in the kitchen, cooking up a pot of pasta, when an innocent distraction captures your attention. Maybe it's your phone ringing, or maybe your pets are demanding some affection. Whatever the case, the worst happens and you cook the pasta too long. Not into total mush, or into surprisingly versatile burnt noodles, but overcooked none the less. 

Don't panic — all is not lost! You can save the pasta with a simple can of soup. Pasta in soup is meant to be softer and more tender than pasta on its own, so slightly overcooked pasta is actually a perfect way to turn a can of soup into a delicious bowl of noodle soup.

While chicken soup with noodles is a beloved classic, you can use any of your favorite canned soups for the "overcooked pasta rescue operation." For example, a can of tomato soup with pasta will make for a soup that's an answer to spaghetti marinara. A can of rich French onion soup with pasta can be a hearty, comforting meal, while canned tortilla soup with noodles is a slightly spicy Southwest-inspired bowl full of flavor.

Canned soup on its own can rescue a slightly overcooked pot of pasta, but jazzing it up a bit with a potential canned soup upgrade will turn the dish from last-minute dinner savior into a full-on meal that's filling and packed with flavor. For instance, the aforementioned canned tomato soup with pasta brings to mind spaghetti marinara, and what pairs better with spaghetti than meatballs? Adding store-bought cooked meatballs to the canned soup and pasta creates a savory, protein-filled soup that would tempt Lady and the Tramp.

What other ingredients can you add to your pasta-enhanced soup? That depends largely on the soup itself. If you're making chicken noodle soup with your overcooked pasta, you might want to add cooked chicken, diced carrots, and chopped celery to bring in protein and round out the flavors. On the other hand, if you're going for a French onion variation, take some advice from classic French cooking and top your soup with sliced baguette rounds and a layer of rich melted cheese, then toast the whole bowl in the oven until it's slightly browned.