The things we got wrong
This is a log of corrections—not a list of successes. It’s here so you can judge for yourself whether we do what we say we do. Every recipe, every tip, every method we publish is supposed to work. When it doesn’t, we fix it. When we miss it, we learn.
Most sites hide mistakes. We publish them because it’s the only way to prove we care about the work, not just the idea of it. If a number is wrong, a method fails, or a dish flops, you’ll find it here—along with how we fixed it, and who caught it.
Three we had to fix
These are the first three mistakes that made it into the public version of our site. They’re ordinary failures—nothing fancy, nothing we’d call ‘character-building.’ Just proof that even the best-intentioned recipes can go wrong, and that we’re willing to admit it.
The mistakes we caught (and fixed)
- 1The wrong salt measurement in Creamy Tomato Soup
The recipe called for 1.5 teaspoons of salt, but the actual taste test showed it needed half that. The error stood for three weeks before a reader in Portland emailed us—though we only noticed because the contact page flagged it as ‘suspiciously similar’ to past corrections. We updated it immediately. Colleen Ocampo caught it when reviewing the inbox.
- 2The caramelization step in French Onion Soup
The method said to cook onions for 45 minutes, but the onions burned before then in every test kitchen. We’d assumed a high-heat stovetop would work; it didn’t. The fix was a lower heat and a lid, but the original stayed live for two months. A home cook in Brooklyn sent a photo of the blackened onions. Colleen Ocampo rewrote the step after verifying it three times.
- 3The missing yield note in Lentil Stew
The recipe served six but didn’t say so. A reader left a comment asking how much it made, and we realized we’d never included it—even though we’d tested it that way. The omission wasn’t harmful, just sloppy. We added the yield to every recipe template moving forward. Colleen Ocampo spotted it during a routine audit.
What those three changed
These mistakes weren’t just fixes—they rewrote how we work. No more assuming a method will hold up, no more skipping yield notes, and no more trusting a single test without a second check.
Rules that came from mistakes
- Double-check salt measurements against taste, not just the recipe. *(From Creamy Tomato Soup)*
- Test caramelization times with a lid and lower heat—never assume high heat works. *(From French Onion Soup)*
- Include yield in every recipe, even if it seems obvious. *(From Lentil Stew)*
The people behind this
I’m Colleen Ocampo, the founder and editor of *Soup Recipes*. You’ve just met me through the things I got wrong—which is the only way to know someone who does this work.
I’m the one who signs the corrections, the one who still winces when I see a mistake slip through, and the one who keeps this log because transparency isn’t a virtue if it’s just for show.
Keeping a list like this is uncomfortable. It means admitting you’re human in a world that treats cooking like a perfect science. But the alternative—pretending everything is flawless—is worse. The real test isn’t whether you’re right all the time; it’s whether you’ll own it when you’re wrong.
That’s the kind of person who stays in this kitchen.
My worst mistake wasn’t public. It was the time I over-salted a batch of biscuits so badly I had to throw them out. My mom walked in, saw the pan, and just said, ‘Again?’ No lecture, no scolding—just the quiet knowledge that even the best cooks mess up.
That’s the kind of lesson you don’t put in a log. You just remember it.
If you find something we got wrong, don’t just tell us. Try it yourself first. See if you can fix it. And if you can’t, send it our way. The contact page is where it starts.
There will be a next one
This list isn’t finished. We’ll add to it every time we catch a mistake—whether it’s ours or a reader’s. If you spot something that doesn’t add up, let us know. No shame, no drama, just a chance to make it right. The contact page is where it begins.
The recipes are grouped by category: Appetizers, Beverages, Breakfast & Brunch, Desserts, Main Courses and Reviews.