Product Review:  Dr. McDougall’s Instant Vegetarian Pinto Beans and Rice Soup – Southwestern Style.

I was given a single serving of Dr McDougall’s Vegetarian Pinto Beans and Rice soup.  Instant Soups are a great BW camping meal because they require very little prep and are just one more way to take in liquid.  

This soup comes in a single serving paper cup.  The idea behind it is that you peel back the lit, fill the cup with boiling water, wait five minutes and eat.  It is not a bad concept but this implementation was somewhat lacking.  I was warned that the soup took longer than advertised to rehydrate so I allowed seven minutes rather than five.  After seven minutes, the beans were still a bit crunchy so I set it back down and waited.  After twelve minutes they were less crunchy but still not quite hydrated.  Even as I ate the soup, I found that the vegetables and grains did not rehydrate at the same rate causing some to be almost crunchy.

The soup had burnt edge to the taste that was a little harsh.  It wasn’t overly unpleasant, but it was lacking something.  I don’t know, maybe if I was sitting on shield rock next to a deep blue lake it might have tasted better.

Overall, I would probably avoid Dr. McDougall’s Vegetarian Pinto Beans and Rice. I have eaten some southwestern style soups that I have liked, but this one was not one of them.  

Thanks for the tip.  These negative ones are as useful, if not more, as the good ones.

BTW - I am still a Campbells Cup-o-Soup fan.  Hearty Chicken is my favorite.  I had some yesterday during a break on my paddle.

Same here Bannock.

Cup-o-soup packs small, easy to prepare and very tasty. I also like chicken noodle.