Simple Ways to Reduce Sourness in Soup: 7 Steps (with Pictures) (2024)

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methods

1Using Baking Soda

2Adjusting Your Ingredients

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Co-authored bySasha Reyesand Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: September 19, 2022

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Soups are an easy and delicious meal, but it can be really frustrating when they’re too sour to enjoy properly. Before tossing out your dish altogether, take a quick look in your spice rack or pantry! With a few careful adjustments and some basic ingredients, you may be able to get your soup back to normal.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using Baking Soda

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  1. 1

    Mix 1 tsp (4.8 g) of baking soda into a bowl or cup of soup. Stir the baking soda completely into your soup. Don’t worry if the soup bubbles or fizzes—this is completely normal, and means that the baking soda is mixing into the rest of the stew.[1]

    • If your soup is only slightly acidic, it’s better to start with a small amount of baking soda.

    Tip: If your soup is really acidic, you can raise the ratio a bit. For every 1c (240mL) of soup, stir in ¼ cup (45 g) of baking soda.[2]

  2. Simple Ways to Reduce Sourness in Soup: 7 Steps (with Pictures) (5)

    2

    Sample your soup to see if it tastes any better. Wait for the baking soda to stop bubbling, then taste a small spoonful of the stew. If the acidity is gone, feel free to serve the soup as usual. If you still aren’t thrilled with the taste, you may need to add more baking soda.[3]

    • There isn’t an exact science to mixing baking soda into your soup. A lot of it is trial and error, so don’t give up!

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  3. Simple Ways to Reduce Sourness in Soup: 7 Steps (with Pictures) (6)

    3

    Add an extra 1 tsp (4.8 g) of baking soda to your soup if it’s still sour. Stir the baking soda into your soup, once again waiting for the powder to bubble and settle. Taste the soup again to see if the flavor is any better. If not, continue adding baking soda in 1 tsp (4.8 g) to your soup.[4]

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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Adjusting Your Ingredients

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  1. Simple Ways to Reduce Sourness in Soup: 7 Steps (with Pictures) (8)

    1

    Mix in a small spoonful of sugar into lighter soups. Stir the sugar thoroughly into your container of soup, then taste test it. If the soup still tastes a bit acidic, stir in another small spoonful of sugar into the dish.[5]

    • This solution works better with dishes that have lighter flavors, like lemon.
    • Don’t overdo it! You don’t want to make your soup taste extra sweet on accident.
  2. 2

    Stir in a spoonful of salt if you’re preparing a savory soup. Mix in the salt completely, then try a spoonful of the soup to see how it tastes. Serve the dish if it tastes acceptable, or mix in another small spoonful of salt if it’s still on the acidic side.[6]

    • Salt is a great addition to more savory dishes and sauces, like tomato soup.

    Did You Know? The same logic applies to other dishes, as well. For instance, if you add too much vinegar to your stir fry sauce, some salty soy sauce can cancel out the acidity.

  3. Simple Ways to Reduce Sourness in Soup: 7 Steps (with Pictures) (10)

    3

    Add 1tsp (4.9mL) of butter to creamier soups. Melt a small spoonful of butter in the microwave, then mix it into the soup. Sample the soup to see if it tastes less acidic, or add an extra spoonful of melted butter if needed.[7]

    • This works best with soups that have creamy broths, like a creamy tomato soup.
    • It’s best to try mixing in baking soda before mixing in any butter.
    • You can make any dish tasty by adding garlic or garlic salt.
    • Use extra virgin olive oil for roasting vegetables. It adds flavor and is good for health. You can even use sesame oil.
    • Add a little powdered ginger when you make an Asian-style dish.
  4. 4

    Avoid using any ingredients that are out of date. Check the label on the spices you use, as well as the freshness of any produce. Old, out-of-date foods may make your soup taste a bit rancid.[8]

    • Every few months, check the “use by” date on your spices to see if you need to purchase a replacement.
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      Tips

      • Cut back on onions if you’re making the soup from scratch.[9]

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      Things You’ll Need

      Using Baking Soda

      • Spoon or measuring cup
      • Baking soda

      Adjusting Your Ingredients

      • Salt
      • Sugar
      • Butter
      • Small bowl
      • Spoon

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      About This Article

      Simple Ways to Reduce Sourness in Soup: 7 Steps (with Pictures) (18)

      Co-authored by:

      Sasha Reyes

      Executive Chef

      This article was co-authored by Sasha Reyes and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Chef Sasha Reyes is the Executive Chef and Owner of Artisan Personal Chefs. With over 20 years of food industry experience, she specializes in private dinner parties, custom sports nutrition plans for professional athletes, and cooking lessons. Chef Reyes graduated from Arizona Culinary Institute in 2011 with a degree in Culinary Arts, Baking, and Restaurant Management. This article has been viewed 87,788 times.

      14 votes - 71%

      Co-authors: 3

      Updated: September 19, 2022

      Views:87,788

      Categories: Soups

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      Reader Success Stories

      • Simple Ways to Reduce Sourness in Soup: 7 Steps (with Pictures) (19)

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        Sep 4, 2022

        "Worked a treat! I Ieft soup in my pressure cooker overnight and was really upset it was sour this morning. I used a..." more

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      Simple Ways to Reduce Sourness in Soup: 7 Steps (with Pictures) (2024)

      FAQs

      How to neutralize sour taste in soup? ›

      How Do You Neutralize Sour Taste in Food? If a dish is too sour, add a little bit of sugar! Sweetness balances out sour flavors, so if something makes your mouth pucker, a dash of sugar may help soften the blow of the sour food.

      How to make a soup less tart? ›

      Add an extra 1 tsp (4.8 g) of baking soda to your soup if it's still sour. Stir the baking soda into your soup, once again waiting for the powder to bubble and settle. Taste the soup again to see if the flavor is any better. If not, continue adding baking soda in 1 tsp (4.8 g) to your soup.

      What to add to reduce sourness? ›

      Sourness comes from acidic ingredients (including tomatoes, wine and vinegar). If your dish tastes too sour try to add sweetness—think sugar, honey (it's healthy!), cream or even caramelized onions. You can also dilute the dish (same as you would with a dish with too much salt).

      How do you balance too much acid in soup? ›

      I found this hack today. I made tomato soup and it was super acidic so I added 1/4 of a teaspoon of baking soda and it completely neutralised it! All fizzed up and then tasted incredible!!

      What cancels out sour in cooking? ›

      Sweetness: From sugar, honey, fruits or otherwise, sweetness will counteract bitter and sour flavours. It can also be used to cut down the heat of a particularly spicy meal.

      What makes the sour taste go away? ›

      Rinse your mouth: Make a rinse using a half-teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of baking soda added to a glass of water. Swishing with this solution can help clear out a bad taste. Avoid spicy or fatty foods: Try to limit or avoid any foods or beverages that trigger acid reflux.

      How do you tone down tart? ›

      Too Sour. The Fix: Overly sour foods can make you pucker and wince —but combining them with sweet, salty, and bitter ingredients can soften these effects. Tart apple pie is delicious with a drizzle of salted caramel sauce, while a sour-flavored cheese (such as goat cheese) gets a lift from fruit preserves.

      How do you mellow out tartness? ›

      Add a fat such as butter, heavy cream, sour cream, cheese, or olive oil to coat the tongue and physically block some of the acidity from your taste buds. You might also try adding a sweetener such as sugar, honey, or maple syrup.

      What can be used to remove sour taste from stew? ›

      If the tomato was just a little sour you can try:
      1. A little bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) to reduce the sourness or.
      2. add a little sugar to balance the acid in the tomato.
      3. Add a little lemon juice, vinegar or hot sauce and just go with a sour stew.
      Jun 16, 2021

      What beats sour? ›

      too sour or acidic. Ever made a salad dressing or tomato sauce that makes your mouth pucker a little bit too much? Add a pinch of sugar and some salt for a quick fix.

      What stops sour? ›

      Rinsing your mouth with a half-teaspoon of salt plus a teaspoon of baking soda added to a glass of water may help reduce the sour taste. Avoid spicy or fatty foods, which promote acid reflux.

      How do you mask sour taste in food? ›

      Tamarind is a spice put into food to make it taste tangy or sour. Red chilli powder are added to food items to make them spicy. Mustard and fennel seeds are spices that provide flavour when added to food items. Q.

      How to get rid of sour taste in soup? ›

      Add sugar/ salt or some spices or herbs. F. Saute some onion and garlic and mix with soup.

      Why does my homemade soup taste sour? ›

      A lot of types of bacteria (and sometimes other microbes) produce waste products that can taste "sour." And soup/stock is a good growth medium for microbes, which is why most food safety organizations recommend only keeping soup for 3-4 days in the fridge.

      How do you tone down acid taste? ›

      For more pronounced sour balance issues, try honey, sugar, or cream and if all that fails a pinch of bicarbonate of soda will bring some alkaline to the dish to neutralise the acidity. For dishes that are a bit too tart, use sugar, honey or maple syrup to tone down the flavour.

      How do you fix bad taste in soup? ›

      Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples

      Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt.

      How do you get rid of the bitter taste in soup? ›

      Mix in a little bit of sugar to hide the bitterness. Add a pinch of salt to a bitter dish. Sprinkle in a pinch of baking soda. Add acidic flavors to the dish, like lemon juice or vinegar.

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