What is the best bouillon & stock base, according to chefs?

MyTastr’s top pick is Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base, chosen by Alyse Whitney; Chris Morocco; Andy Baraghani (Bon Appétit taste test). Beat boxed Swanson to win BA’s chicken round, with one caveat: dilute it, because at full strength it’s “way too intense.”

What are the other top picks for bouillon & stock base?

No. 2 is Knorr Chicken Bouillon (Caldo de Pollo / Suiza), chosen by Claudette Zepeda (chef). No. 3 is Totole Granulated Chicken Soup Base, chosen by Tim Chin (Serious Eats).

How does MyTastr choose these picks?

Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot.

Best bouillon & stock base, according to chefs

Three picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from Chris Morocco, Andy Baraghani, Alyse Whitney, Samantha Maxwell and 7 more. Recommendations come from bonappetit.com, epicurious.com, tastingtable.com and lifeandthyme.com and 5 other sources.

Pantry Staples · The ranking

1
Top pick
Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base
Chosen by
- Alyse WhitneyFood writer · ex-Bon Appétit
- Chris MoroccoFood director, Bon Appétit
- Andy BaraghaniCookbook author · ex-Bon Appétitandybaraghani.com ↗
Also chosen by
- Katherine Sacks · Epicurious source ↗
- Samantha Maxwell · Tasting Table source ↗
Beat boxed Swanson to win BA’s chicken round, with one caveat: dilute it, because at full strength it’s “way too intense.”
Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: bonappetit.com ↗
2
Knorr Chicken Bouillon (Caldo de Pollo / Suiza)
Chosen by
- Claudette ZepedaChef · regional Mexican, San Diego
Also chosen by
- Ashlie D. Stevens · Salon senior food editor source ↗
- Paloma Salazar · Culture Kitchen master cook source ↗
“With Knorr suiza chicken bouillon, canned tomato sauce, corn tortillas, rice and beans, I can literally survive an apocalypse.”
Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: lifeandthyme.com ↗
3
Totole Granulated Chicken Soup Base
Chosen by
- Tim ChinRecipe developer, Serious Eats
Also chosen by
- Taylor Holliday · The Mala Market source ↗
- Vicky Pham · Recipe developer source ↗
“A bit of a secret weapon in the Chinese-American restaurant industry.”
Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: seriouseats.com ↗

We may earn a commission when you buy through links on MyTastr. It never affects the ranking. Disclosure

Questions, answered

What is the best bouillon & stock base, according to chefs?: MyTastr’s top pick is Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base, chosen by Alyse Whitney; Chris Morocco; Andy Baraghani (Bon Appétit taste test). Beat boxed Swanson to win BA’s chicken round, with one caveat: dilute it, because at full strength it’s “way too intense.” Source: bonappetit.com ↗
What are the other top picks for bouillon & stock base?: No. 2 is Knorr Chicken Bouillon (Caldo de Pollo / Suiza), chosen by Claudette Zepeda (chef). No. 3 is Totole Granulated Chicken Soup Base, chosen by Tim Chin (Serious Eats). Each card above links to the original source.
How does MyTastr choose these picks?: Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot. Read how we pick.

The tasters behind this ranking

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