Soup is a liquid-based food that may be a clear broth or thickened with egg, rice, lentils, flour, or grains.
Traditional clear soups are bouillon and consommé. Thick soups are classified by the type of thickening agent used. Purées are vegetable soups thickened with starch. Bisques are made from puréed shellfish or vegetables thickened with cream. Cream soups may be thickened with béchamel sauce; and veloutés are thickened with eggs, butter, and cream. Other ingredients commonly used to thicken soups and broths include Many soups include carrots and potatoes. Some of the most common soups are chicken soup, tomato soup, pumpkin soup, and sopa de fideos.
Canned soup can be condensed, which requires adding water (or sometimes milk), or it can be "ready-to-eat," which requires no additional liquid before eating. Condensed soup (invented in 1897 by Campbell Soup Company chemist John T. Dorrance) allows soup to be packaged in a smaller can and sold at a lower price than other canned soups. The "ready-to-eat" variant of soup can be prepared by simply heating the contents of the can on a kitchen stove or in a microwave oven. Soups like these can be used as a side dish. Soups are usually warm and crisp and can be accompanied with many things such as toast, bread and more. A popular British and American dish is tomato soup with grilled cheese.