It doesn’t matter if it’s thick or thin, hot or cold, if there’s one thing we all know, soup always hits the right spot. And while there are tons of delicious soup recipes out there, most folks have the misfortune of only trying a handful of soups within their lifetimes.
Who doesn’t love a simmering and steamy bowl of soup on a cold day? On the other hand, hearty soups like chili and beef stew can be an entire meal by themselves. For hot summer days, a light soup is much less filling than a heavy meal, and there are even cold soups.
This is why we decided to put together some of the best soup recipes, featuring some classics like chicken noodle and vegetable soup.
Soups are an essential part of culinary traditions across the globe, enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds. They can be warm and comforting, light and refreshing, or packed with bold flavors and spices. Depending on personal preferences and dietary needs, soup recipes can be easily customized to suit every individual’s tastes.
From classic favorites like chicken noodle and tomato soup to adventurous concoctions like Thai coconut curry and chilled gazpacho, the versatility of soups is boundless. Soup recipes often include a variety of vegetables, proteins, grains, and herbs, providing a nourishing and satisfying meal option for any time of the day. Many soup recipes can be prepared ahead of time and stored, making them ideal for meal planning and busy weeknights.
Experimenting with different ingredients and textures can lead to the discovery of new and exciting soup recipes. By exploring various culinary traditions, techniques, and adaptations, one can create a collection of timeless and delicious recipes that will warm the heart and soul. Happy soup-making!
We also included some of the best soups you’ve probably never tried, such as Gazpacho and Indian Mulligatawny Soup.
These savory and hearty soup recipes feature a range of flavors sure to appeal to your tastes, from subtle to robustly seasoned.
It doesn’t get much simpler than cheesy, creamy, hearty potato soup when it comes to simple soup recipes.
In this recipe, you have flavorful chunks of potatoes, garlic, carrots, better than bouillon chicken base, parsley, butter, flour, whole milk, salt, and pepper.
With these simple ingredients, you’ll create a mouthwatering potato soup that’s not only filling but also bowl-licking delicious!
Top off your creation with sour cream, chives, and a bit of bacon if you’d like.
Along with the beautiful fall leaves, authentic New England clam chowder is one of the most savory soup ideas that brings thousands of folks up to the frigid coast.
But no matter how cold it is outside, a hot bowl of clam chowder is sure to warm your bones and soul.
This recipe features savory ingredients such as clams, bacon, carrots, celery, onion, and more.
However, despite its name, this recipe doesn’t have one drop of cream. Instead, this dairy-free dish features the flavors of onion, garlic, and cauliflower blended into one insanely delicious soup.
This soup is the perfect way to get more veggies in your diet.
One of the most savory and decadent soups out there is this recipe for lasagna soup.
Rich, filling, hearty, and loaded with savory Italian sausage, this soup also features thick lasagna noodles swimming in a deliciously-seasoned tomato broth.
And when you add on your cheesy toppings, such as mozzarella or an Italian cheese blend, you’ve got yourself a soup that’s insulted by even the mere suggestion of being just an “appetizer.”
When it comes to the ultimate comfort food, it’s hard to resist a hot bowl of chicken and rice soup.
And this recipe features lots of incredible ingredients and seasonings, such as shredded chicken breast, onion, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme, long-grain basmati or jasmine rice, and much more.
For many, cleaning out pumpkins can be a bit of a messy chore, but with this pumpkin soup recipe, you can skip that step by using canned pumpkin puree.
Aside from the puree, this soup is otherwise homemade, featuring ingredients like onion, olive oil, garlic, vegetable broth, curry powder, coconut milk, maple syrup, and more.
One of the best seafood soups on the planet is lobster bisque.
And this recipe features juicy lobster meat in a homemade broth that’s made using lobster shells.
Now we should note, the recipe calls for “fresh lobsters,” which means live lobsters. You will have to either boil them or, if you want to kill them humanely, freeze them for at least 15 minutes before letting them thaw.
We can’t guarantee the same quality of taste if you choose to use frozen lobster.
However, once it’s finished, you’ll have the most savory bowl of lobster bisque you’ve ever tasted, featuring ingredients such as celery, carrot, garlic, dried tarragon, tomato paste, cayenne pepper, and more.
And this copycat recipe for Olive Garden minestrone soup delivers the flavors of one of their most popular soups for one amazing meal.
Loaded doesn’t even begin to describe this soup with ingredients such as onion, celery, carrots, zucchini, garlic, tomatoes, white beans, kidney beans, green beans, pasta shells, baby spinach, Italian seasonings, and much more!
The recipe features lots of savory ground beef, delicious taco spices, cream cheese, beans, corn, and all of your favorite toppings such as tortilla strips, avocado, cilantro, and pico.
We think the cream cheese really brings something special to the table, giving the soup a certain creamy tanginess others don’t have.
If you’re looking for a bold upgrade for your potato soup, look no further than this recipe for loaded baked potato soup.
One of the best things about this recipe is how simple, quick, and easy it is to make.
Your ingredients include thick-cut bacon, cubed ham, butter, flour, milk, onion, Russet baking potatoes, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions.
We highly recommend this Thai Spicy Noodle Soup recipe for a spicy soup with bold flavors you may have never tasted.
This flavorful spin on western chicken noodle soup is perfect for heating things up on a cold day.
Plus, the colors and fragrant smells in this dish just jump out at you.
For ingredients, we have chicken breasts, safflower oil, kosher salt, brown rice noodles, onion, shallots, red Fresno chilis, carrots, mushrooms, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, red curry paste, coconut milk, chicken stock, limes, and fish sauce.
This dish is garnished with cilantro leaves, thinly sliced scallions, and lime wedges.
Looking at the ingredients, we have extra-virgin olive oil, onion, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, carrot, sweet potatoes, dry white wine, fire-roasted tomatoes, garlic, dried oregano (or rosemary or fresh theme), cherry tomatoes, green beans, zucchini, chickpeas, chopped kale, as well as other herbs and spices.
Now, if you’re looking for a super healthy soup, this recipe for bean soup is hard to beat!
Let’s dive right into the ingredients. We have assorted dried beans, water (or vegetable stock), ham hock, bay leaf, vegetable oil, onions, garlic, celery, carrots, tomatoes, chipotle pepper, balsamic vinegar, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper.
This recipe for seafood soup features plump shrimp, littleneck clams, cod, diced tomatoes, parsley, red onion, garlic, white wine, heavy cream smoked paprika, and more.
Forget about takeout. This recipe for Spicy Thai Coconut Curry Soup is loaded with deliciousness with ingredients such as red and yellow bell peppers, onions, curry paste, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, brown sugar, shrimp, and more.
This simple and delicious ham and potato soup recipe features flavorful diced ham, carrots, Russet potatoes, and white cheddar cheese, all within a creamy, thick, and savory broth.
It doesn’t get much more basic than your classic chicken noodle soup.
However, this recipe takes all the ingredients we love, such as shredded chicken breast, carrots, celery, egg noodles, and puts them into a deliciously seasoned, savory broth.
This is definitely a soup that’s good for the soul.
Now, some folks kind of scrunch their faces when you mention “split pea soup,” this likely has something to do with recipes or baby food they ate as children.
Unfortunately, not many recipes bring out the greatness of this dish, but this recipe changes everything.
Not only is this soup super-healthy, but it’s packed with delicious flavors sure to change a lot of minds.
One of the most savory and unique soups out there is roasted carrot soup.
This recipe is ready to serve in 30 minutes and features the flavors of carrots roasted in olive oil and honey along with a few other ingredients such as onion and garlic.
For a completely different soup experience, you’ve got to try this homemade Ramen soup recipe.
If you’ve not had authentic ramen before (and we’re not talking about the dried apocalypse-ready food they sell in stores), then you’re in for a treat!
These bowls are loaded with ingredients like sliced pork, noodles, shitake mushrooms, green onion, and hard-boiled eggs, just to name a few.
Another classic favorite is hearty ham and bean soup, featuring deliciously flavored cuts of ham, white beans, celery, carrots, all swimming in a well-seasoned broth.
Now, when it comes to soups that can fill you up, few can compete with the savory richness of thick and hearty corn chowder.
And this corn chowder recipe includes our favorite secret ingredient – bacon!
The recipe author also advises using some of your bacon drippings to make the soup base and throwing in your used corn cobs to give that extra “corny” flavor.
This recipe for Indian Mulligatawny Soup delivers lots of savory flavors in every spoonful.
Now, when it comes to ingredients, this recipe isn’t one of those simple five or six-ingredient meals, but it’s still easy to prepare.
You’ve got ingredients like butter, onion, carrot, red jalapeno, garlic, ginger root, apples, tomatoes, curry powder, paprika, cinnamon, and turmeric, just to name a few that really makes this dish one supremely delicious and filling meal.
Here we have a quick, easy, and very healthy black bean soup recipe that you can make with your favorite canned black beans and other everyday ingredients.
This flavorful soup is very vegan-friendly and gluten-free.
Now, if you would like a thicker consistency in your soup, remove your bay leaf and puree some of the soup and add it back into the pot.
This classic recipe for French onion soup is topped with delicious melted parmesan and gruyère cheeses, making it the creme de la creme of French onion soup recipes.
The key to making this recipe successful is allowing the onions to cook slowly on low heat. This way, they sweeten and caramelize, turning a rich brown color without burning.
Also, another trick used by French restaurants is adding just a touch of sugar to help enhance the onion’s, natural sweetness. And you can add a bit of flour to give the broth more body.
Finally, top your dish with your cheeses and a few croutons.
Bon Appetite!
This soup is perfect with a few hot and fresh pieces of French bread.
Wonton soup is one of those dishes most of us would never think we could make from home. Often we have to settle for soups made at Chinese restaurants, many of which are pretty good, and some that are pretty terrible.
But, instead of dropping dough on takeout, you can make the best wonton soup at home with just a few simple ingredients.
And this recipe is entirely homemade, meaning you make the wontons yourself using wonton wrappers which you can find at an Asian grocery store or online.
There’s no doubt, this recipe can take a bit more time, but your efforts will be rewarded with the most amazingly flavorful wonton soup you’ve ever tasted.
One dish that’s as fun to say as it is to eat is Gazpacho soup. And this recipe for Summer Gazpacho is actually a very easy-to-make “no-cook” recipe that comes together using your blender.
Now, you can’t get away with using just any old tomatoes because of the raw preparation. You’ll want to use quality products like heirlooms with cherry tomatoes for your garnish.
Also, if you’re going to make your soup the same day, you purchase your tomatoes, be sure to store them on your countertop to preserve flavor and rinse them first to prevent fruit flies.
Once done, you’ll have a fabulous cold soup you can top with chives, cherry tomatoes, red pepper pieces, and reserved cucumber.
Another delicious soup recipe that’s way better than anything you can pour out of a can is this one for beef and barley soup.
This hearty soup offers a delicious combination of veggies, beef, mushrooms, celery, carrot, and barley, all simmered together to form a flavorful and succulent soup.
Just looking at the picture above is enough to make your stomach get chatty.
Another favorite we love ordering at our favorite Italian restaurant is tortellini soup.
And now you can save a drive or expensive delivery bill by making the very best tortellini soup at home.
The recipe calls for tortellini, which you can make yourself or buy pre-made at the grocery store; onion, carrots, garlic, fennel, fresh thyme, diced tomatoes (plus their juices), balsamic vinegar, kale, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
This recipe for creamy sweet potato soup strikes all the right notes for a sweeter variation of classic potato soup.
The texture is silky smooth, thanks in part to the use of coconut milk, and then there’s the bacon, which really compliments the sweet flavor with a hint of smokey saltiness.
This recipe also calls for sweet potatoes, chicken broth, celery, onion, dried thyme, and garlic.
This traditional French stew combines veggies such as tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers with delicious herbs and spices to form one sensationally delicious and vegan-friendly meal.
For so many recipes, red pepper plays mostly a supporting role. However, in this recipe for Roasted Red Pepper Soup, it’s definitely the star of the show!
Best of all, it only takes 30 minutes to enjoy a deliciously flavorful soup that has jarred roasted red peppers, heavy cream, smoked gouda, and dried herbs.
This mac and cheese soup recipe adds a special ingredient, pureed winter squash, which adds a note of sweetness along with a distinctive orange color to the soup.
You can also use frozen squash, which makes this recipe a very convenient meal you can put together in under 30 minutes.
Another one of our favorite Mexican soup dishes is this recipe for chicken tortilla soup made with delicious ingredients such as butter, shredded chicken breast, onion, jalapeno pepper, garlic, diced tomatoes, and much more.
This dish has just the right amount of spice for us, but you may decide to add, reduce, or leave out the hot sauce based on your tolerance.
Another crowd favorite is Italian Wedding soup, and this recipe is definitely the best one we’ve tried so far.
This recipe is so delicious and down-home-tasting that you’d swear it’s someone’s Italian grandmother’s recipe!
It has juicy, flavorful meatballs, fresh herbs, fresh bread crumbs, garlic, shredded parmesan, and tiny balls of pasta for an absolutely fantastic culinary experience.
We’ve also got a fantastic recipe for classic lentil soup that has carrots, celery, garlic, vegetable broth, onion, brown or green lentils, diced tomato, cannellini beans, spinach, parmesan cheese, herbs and spices, and loads of other savory ingredients.
Now, tomato soup might not be the thing that typically gets a lot of folks excited. However, once they taste this recipe, they’ll definitely do a double-take!
This recipe’s bursting with a rich, creamy texture with beautiful bright color and incredible flavors.
This soup makes the perfect companion to any grilled cheese.
Another decadent soup we love is this recipe for cheeseburger soup made with savory bits of ground beef, huge tender chunks of potatoes, bacon, onion, celery, carrots, and a savory seasoned broth.
If you’re really looking to expand your soup palette with something unique, then Soupe de Poisson à La Rouille is just what you’re looking for.
This french soup was originally considered a “poor man’s dish” (often the tastiest kind) and happened to be a close cousin of the more well-known bouillabaisse.
This recipe features homemade croutons, a thick savory rouille, and a grated Gruyère.
Cassie brings decades of experience to the Kitchen Community. She is a noted chef and avid gardener. Her new book "Healthy Eating Through the Garden" will be released shortly. When not writing or speaking about food and gardens Cassie can be found puttering around farmer's markets and greenhouses looking for the next great idea.
