Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. For people with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, consuming gluten can cause serious health issues. This means reading ingredient labels carefully to avoid gluten is important.
Progresso is a popular canned soup brand. With multiple soup varieties available, some Progresso soups contain gluten while others are gluten-free.
Does Progresso Soup Contain Gluten?
The answer depends on the specific Progresso soup variety. Many Progresso soups contain gluten, as they are made with ingredients like wheat, barley, and rye. However, Progresso does offer some gluten-free soup options that do not contain these grains.
Here is an overview of whether common Progresso soup varieties contain gluten:
Progresso Soups That Contain Gluten
- Chicken Noodle – contains wheat
- Minestrone – contains barley
- Vegetable Classics – some varieties contain barley
- Light Classics – some varieties contain barley
- Hearty Soups – some varieties contain barley
- Savory Soups – some varieties contain barley
As you can see, many traditional Progresso soup varieties contain gluten due to ingredients like wheat and barley.
Progresso Gluten-Free Soup Options
- Gluten-Free Chicken Noodle
- Gluten-Free Minestrone
- Organic Chicken & Wild Rice
- Organic Split Pea & Ham
- Organic Lentil
- Organic Black Bean
- Organic Vegetable
- Organic Tomato Basil
Progresso offers a line of certified gluten-free soups, which are made without gluten-containing grains. They have gluten-free versions of popular soups like Chicken Noodle and Minestrone. Progresso’s organic soup line is also all certified gluten-free.
Identifying Gluten in Progresso Soup Ingredients
Reading the ingredient list on a Progresso soup can, looking for words that indicate gluten, is the best way to determine if that variety contains gluten.
Here are the main ingredients to watch out for:
Wheat
Any Progresso soup variety listing wheat in the ingredients contains gluten. This includes wheat flour, whole wheat, cracked wheat, etc.
Barley
Barley is a common ingredient added to Progresso soups, particularly Vegetable Classics and Hearty varieties. Barley contains gluten, so Progresso soups with barley are not gluten-free.
Rye
Some savory Progresso soups contain rye, a grain which has gluten. Caraway rye and rye crisps are examples.
Malt
Malt is derived from barley, so Progresso soups containing malt extract or malt flavoring are not gluten-free.
Pasta
Many Progresso soups contain pasta, like macaroni, rotini, or elbow pasta. These pastas are typically made from wheat flour, meaning they contain gluten.
“Natural Flavors”
This vague ingredient could potentially indicate the use of gluten-containing grains. When in doubt, contact Progresso to inquire about the source of natural flavors.
Cross-Contamination Risks
Even Progresso soups made without gluten-containing ingredients have a risk of gluten cross-contamination at the manufacturing facility. This is why Progressive gluten-free soups specifically state “gluten-free” on the label, indicating steps have been taken to avoid cross-contamination.
For people highly sensitive to gluten, the cross-contamination risk of Progresso’s non-certified soups may still be too high, even if the ingredients appear gluten-free. Sticking to soups labeled “gluten-free” is the safest approach.
Testing for Gluten in Progresso Soups
Because ingredients can change over time, the only way to definitively test for gluten in a particular Progresso soup variety is to test it. There are a few options:
At-Home Gluten Test Kits
Kits like the GlutenTox Home test can detect trace amounts of gluten in prepared Progresso soup. While convenient, these kits have limitations in specificity and sensitivity compared to lab testing.
Lab Testing for Gluten
Sending a sample of the prepared soup to a lab specializing in food allergen testing like FARRP or ELISA Technologies is the most accurate way to test for gluten content. However, this option is more expensive and time consuming.
Look for Third Party Certification
Progresso soups certified gluten-free by GFCO, NSF, or other reputable third-party testing organizations can be trusted to truly be gluten-free without needing to test them yourself. This certification indicates rigorous gluten testing has already been performed.
Calls for Progresso Soups to Be Gluten-Free By Default
Many consumers have called on Progresso to make all of their soups gluten-free by default, not only offer specialty gluten-free varieties. This would prevent gluten cross-contamination risks entirely.
However, Progresso has not yet committed to this. The company claims making all their soups gluten-free would compromise texture and flavor.
Those advocating for default gluten-free Progresso soups point out many other canned soup brands offer entirely gluten-free product lines. Examples are Amy’s Kitchen, Pacific Foods, and Imagine Foods. If competitors can make tasty, affordable gluten-free soups, why can’t Progresso?
Precautions When Eating Progresso Soup With Gluten Concerns
Here are some tips if you have celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, or any other reason to avoid gluten, but still wish to eat Progresso soup varieties that are not certified gluten-free:
- Carefully inspect the ingredient list each time you purchase Progresso soup, even if a variety was previously gluten-free, in case the formulation changes.
- Thoroughly clean cooking tools, pots, pans, utensils, etc. before preparing soup to avoid cross-contamination.
- Use a fresh, clean pot of water if cooking from dry soup mix instead of broth from a can.
- Avoid stirring soup with utensils that touch gluten-containing foods like bread.
- Wash hands thoroughly before and after handling Progresso soups to prevent accidentally ingesting traces of gluten.
Being extra cautious helps minimize gluten exposure when opting for Progresso varieties that may carry some cross-contamination risk.
Making Progresso Soup Gluten-Free
If you want to enjoy a particular Progresso soup but find it contains gluten, there may be workaround to make it gluten-free:
Omit Gluten-Containing Ingredients
For condensed Progresso soups, you can leave out pasta, barley, wheat-based thickeners when diluting the soup. This eliminates the main sources of gluten.
However, traces of gluten from manufacturing may remain. Plus you’ll sacrifice some texture and protein content.
Substitute Gluten-Free Grains
Replace barley or wheat-based pasta in Progresso soup with gluten-free grains like rice, quinoa, corn, or millet. This mimics the original texture of the soup more closely.
You can either add the substitute grains when cooking soup from a condensed base or try modifying Progresso’s dry soup mixes. But again, manufacturing gluten residues may persist.
Prepare Your Own Broth Base
Rather than use Progresso’s gluten-containing broth from cans or cubes, prepare your own gluten-free broth. Then add gluten-free vegetables, beans, herbs and spices to customize the soup.
This is the safest option for avoiding all traces of gluten, since everything is made from scratch. However it is more work.
Progresso Gluten-Free Soup Options
While many Progresso soups contain gluten, the brand does offer high-quality certified gluten-free options:
Progresso Organic Soups
| Soup Variety | Ingredients |
|---|---|
| Chicken & Wild Rice | Chicken broth, wild rice, carrots, roasted chicken, celery, onions, mushrooms |
| Lentil | Chicken broth, lentils, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, spices |
| Split Pea & Ham | Chicken broth, split peas, ham, carrots, potatoes, celery, onions, garlic |
| Tomato Basil | Tomato puree, tomatoes, carrots, zucchini, onions, garlic, basil |
Progresso’s line of organic soups are all gluten-free. They are made with simple, clean ingredients and come in vegetable broth or tomato bases.
Progresso Gluten-Free Varieties
| Soup | Ingredients |
|---|---|
| Gluten-Free Chicken Noodle | Chicken broth, chicken, carrots, celery, rice pasta |
| Gluten-Free Minestrone | Chicken broth, beans, vegetables, rice pasta |
| Gluten-Free Italian Wedding | Chicken broth, meatballs, spinach, carrots, rice pasta |
| Gluten-Free Hearty Tomato | Tomato broth, beans, vegetables, rice pasta |
These Progresso gluten-free varieties use broth bases and pasta made from gluten-free ingredients. They are certified gluten-free to less than 20 ppm.
Gluten-Free Progresso Soup Options: The Bottom Line
While you’ll need to double check ingredient lists, Progresso does provide high-quality gluten-free soup choices for people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance. Sticking to their certified gluten-free organic and specialty soups minimizes risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Progresso have a gluten free soup list?
Progresso does not publish an official gluten-free soup list, since formulations can change. Your best resource is to carefully read ingredient labels on Progresso soups and look for those certified gluten-free. Soups in the organic line and the gluten-free labeled varieties are safe gluten-free choices.
What soups from Progresso are gluten free?
Progresso’s organic soup line (Chicken & Wild Rice, Lentil, Split Pea & Ham, Tomato Basil, Vegetable) and gluten-free labeled soups (Gluten-Free Chicken Noodle, Gluten-Free Minestrone, Gluten-Free Italian Wedding, Gluten-Free Hearty Tomato) are gluten-free. Other varieties may contain gluten from wheat, barley or rye.
Is Progresso vegetable soup gluten free?
Some flavors of Progresso vegetable soups are gluten-free, while others contain barley and are not gluten-free. Check the ingredients on each specific vegetable soup variety to be sure. Their Organic Vegetable Soup is a gluten-free option.
Is Progresso chicken noodle soup gluten free?
Regular Progresso Chicken Noodle Soup contains gluten from wheat in the noodles. However, Progresso makes a certified Gluten-Free Chicken Noodle variety using rice noodles, ensuring it is safe for gluten-free diets when following proper precautions.
Is Progresso chicken and rice soup gluten free?
No, regular Progresso Chicken and Rice soup contains barley, meaning it is not gluten-free. The certified gluten-free Progresso soup that contains chicken and rice is Organic Chicken & Wild Rice – this one is made without gluten ingredients.
The Bottom Line
Many popular Progresso soups contain gluten. But Progresso does offer excellent certified gluten-free options, both in the organic line and specialty gluten-free labeled soups. Reading ingredient lists carefully and looking for “gluten-free” on the label remains the best practice for avoiding gluten from Progresso. With the right choices and precautions, those with celiac disease and gluten intolerance can safely enjoy Progresso’s gluten-free soups.
