Broth Types

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  We reach for chicken broth for the bulk of the liquid in our slow-cooker soups and stews. Not surprisingly, while searching for the best-tasting commercial broth, we found that few came close to the rich flavor and consistency of homemade. That said, we preferred brands with short ingredient lists that included vegetables like carrots, celery, and onions. our favorite? Swanson Chicken Stock, which tastes rich and meaty thanks to its relatively high percentage of meat-based protein. With 510 milligrams of sodium per cup, our winning chicken broth can easily push the sodium level of a serving very high given how much is used when making soup. So if you need to watch your sodium intake, we recommend Swanson’s Unsalted Chicken Stock, which has only 130 milligrams of sodium per cup.

  ➜ View Chicken Broth Taste Test

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  We don’t often reach for beef broth, but when we do, we use our winning brand, Better Than Bouillon Beef Base. This jar makes up to 38 cups of broth. This concentrated paste (it must be reconstituted with hot water) is an economical choice that stores easily, costs just 16 cents per cup, and does a good job of boosting savory depth in soups and stews.

  ➜ View Beef Broth Taste Test

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  Our favorite is a vegan “chicken-flavored” broth, Orrington Farms Vegan Chicken Flavored Broth Base & Seasoning. Tasters preferred its mild savoriness to traditional vegetable broth. This jar of powder makes up to 28 cups of broth. To limit your sodium intake we recommend Edward & Sons Low-Sodium Not-Chick’n Natural Bouillon Cubes with 130 milligrams of sodium per cup.

  ➜ View Vegetarian Broth Taste Test

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  When we need bold, briny flavor for a seafood chowder or stew, we reach for clam juice, made by briefly steaming fresh clams in salted water and filtering the resulting broth before bottling. Moderation is key with clam juice when you are keeping an eye on sodium intake since 1 cup has 480 milligrams of sodium. Fortunately, a little goes a long way. Our winning brand, Bar Harbor Clam Juice, hails from clam country in Maine and brings a “bright” and “mineral-y” flavor to seafood dishes.