4 ways to turn summer street foods into delicious soups

Summertime days spent at the beach (or the boardwalk, or even just around the neighborhood) are perfect for indulging in street foods fresh from a vendor’s cart or food truck. For the times when diners want those flavors but can’t get to their favorite spot (for instance, during work-week lunch hours), soup from local restaurants can offer a delicious alternative. Check out these four ways to turn summertime street food faves into conveniently portioned soups.

Elote, a popular Mexican snack involving sweet corn, cotija cheese, mayonnaise, caynenne pepper, cilantro and lime is a salty-sweet indulgence that’s ubiquitous in the summertime. As a soup, it’s flavors of spicy, sour and creamy are all present in Chicken Corn Chowder with Sweet Peppers. Diners can top their bowls with a sprinkling of salty Mexican cheese and add in a squeeze of lime to experience these summer flavors in a convenient bowl.

This crunchy and salty favorite is a hit at the ballpark and at the beach, and its another snack that easily translates to soup. Diners can enjoy Roasted Poblano & White Cheddar Soup with Tomatillos to get similar flavors, all while having a complete meal (not just a snack of chips and cheese!). Made with fire-roasted poblanos, green chilies and tangy tomatillos, this soup has a base of sharp white cheddar and sweet cream and is rounded out with a zingy squeeze of lime. For a more authentic experience, diners can garnish their soup with crushed corn chips.

A summertime treat for New Englanders, fried clam strips are a well-loved snack or meal to enjoy near the beach or on the boardwalk. But during the work week, diners can substitute that nostalgic experience with a bowl of rich and creamy New England Clam Chowder. This classic soup is made with potatoes, tender clams, celery and onions in a savory, craveable clam broth. Operators can offer it in a cup or can offer this soup in a bread bowl for a small up-charge.

Another popular seafood treat during summer months is the lobster roll. Whether diners are on the side of dressing theirs with drawn butter, mayonnaise, or a combination is a never-ending debate, but one thing’s for sure: when they want lobster, only lobster will do. For those diners, Lobster Bisque with Sherry is made with real lobster, fresh cream and real butter with sherry laced throughout for that unmistakable flavor. An indulgent classic, this soup is perfect on its own, but for additional indulgence operators can offer it with a fresh lobster garnish, or with croutons and a sprinkling of cheese.

Summertime street foods offer familiar flavor that consumers love. For those times when sneaking down to the beach or a favorite food truck isn’t possible, these soups offer a delicious alternative.

At Campbell’s Foodservice, we know you work hard to delight your guests. That’s why we work to do the same for you. We’re committed to serving products your guests trust with ingredients they recognize. We’re always innovating to make sure we deliver on the needs of not just today but tomorrow as well. Because as the seasons change, so do guests’ tastes. Our prepared soups can drive more sales for you throughout the entire year. Whether you’re refreshing your menu for summer or adding a new twist on a cold-weather favorite, our soups are your key to getting the most out of each passing season.