Soup is good for the soul. It's comfort food at its finest, breathtakingly versatile. You can make soup with water, wine, tomato juice, any liquid. If the basic ingredients are really hearty, such as split peas and ham hocks, water won't mask their flavors. However, the unalterable fact of soup life is that, in most cases, the secret to exceptional soups is great broth.
Canned broth is better.
In many soup recipes, chicken broth is called for, but you can often use any kind of broth. Loves Chicken Soup. Don't salt until all cooking is finished. Homemade broth is best of all. We feel so strongly on the subject that we urge you to make your own chicken broth at least once.