The Cheap Aldi Sauce That Doubles As A Tasty Soup Base

If you've ever looked through Aldi's jarred sauce selection, you'll know that they have plenty of tasty, super affordable ways to top a pizza, dress a pasta, or boost a casserole. However, even if you've previously enjoyed Aldi's Specially Selected Vodka Pasta Sauce, you might not have realized that it can be more than a sauce: It can also be a soup base. Adding some hot water and stirring until the texture is uniform can make for a cheap, quick variation on cream of tomato soup.

While you can make this tomato soup using just sauce and hot water, making it even simpler than three-ingredient tomato soup, you can also add seasonings like salt, pepper, basil, and oregano to taste. Further, one of the advantages of making vodka sauce into soup, aside from how quick and inexpensive it is, is that you can make the soup whatever consistency you would like. 

All you have to do is add more water for a thinner soup that's closer to a creamy broth, or less water for a thicker soup that stays closer to its origins as a sauce.

While Aldi's vodka sauce alone can easily be made into a soup, there's no need to stop there. As a base, it can be a great jumping-off point to add in a variety of ingredients to turn this simple soup into a heartier meal. Vegetables like mushrooms or spinach can add texture and flavor to the soup, as will the addition of cooked noodles or rice. You can also give your vodka sauce tomato soup a richer flavor by raiding your stash of condiments, including something like Tabasco for a punch of heat. On the other hand, you can take a leaf out of Alton Brown's tomato soup book and put in a single anchovy for a salty hint of umami. 

While adding carbohydrates, like the noodles and rice mentioned above, can make the soup more filling, protein can help turn it into something that keeps you satiated for a longer time. Since vodka sauce-based tomato soup is already rooted in Italian flavors, you can add in meatballs for a pasta-meets-soup hybrid. 

Other options for a protein punch include roast chicken or cooked shrimp. You can also make the soup richer and creamier with the addition of cheese. Adding grated parmesan, or topping the soup with some mozzarella, gives it a creamier, more delectable flavor as well as making it richer and more filling overall.