As cold temperatures move in, it’s the time of year to turn to easy soup recipes to warm yourself up from within. Pre-made boxed and canned soups (think, cans of tomato soup and clam chowders) definitely have a time and place—namely when you’re in desperate need of a busy-day soup. But it’s true that nothing soothes the soul quite like the smells, sounds, and flavors of a homemade, bubbling brew. It’s comfort food at its finest!
Believe it or not, a lot of different types of soup are actually surprisingly easy to prepare. Take cheddar broccoli soup, which can be made entirely with frozen vegetables, pre-grated cheese, and a handful of other ingredients that don’t require any prep (like heavy cream and spices). All you have to do is put everything in a pot, let it cook, and dig in when the timer goes off. Even seemingly complicated soups, like dal or ramen, don’t require much more than the occasional stir and the right ingredients to prepare to perfection.
Though you definitely don’t need any fancy kitchen gadgets to prepare many quick soup recipes, there are a few tools that will make the process even easier. Love silky, pureed soups? A handheld blender will be your best friend because it allows you to blend directly in the pot and avoid dirtying your big, bulky, countertop blender. An Instant Pot is another great appliance to have on hand for soup making, because it cooks traditionally slow-cooking ingredients, like dried beans and lentils, in a just a fraction of the time. And a slow cooker can be great for busy weeknights, allowing you to have a delicious, comforting soup ready when you come home from work.
There are also a handful of pantry staples worth keeping around to guarantee that hearty soup recipes are always possible. Canned beans last a really long time and can be used in an enormous assortment of brothy dishes, from minestrone to smoky black bean numbers. Stocking your cabinets with small but mighty ingredients like bouillon powder, tomato paste, and soy sauce will also ensure that you always have the building blocks to make a flavor-packed soup.
These 30 easy soup recipes are as easy to make as they are to eat. From spicy tom yum to sweet butternut squash soup, there’s a tasty idea in this list for every craving. Take a look through these delicious soup recipes, and you may just find a new favorite soup!
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Yang Yang via Yang’s Nourishing Kitchen1 Vegan Mapo Tofu from Yang’s Nourishing Kitchen
Clear your sinuses with this vegan take on the classic spicy number. Instead of ground pork, this recipe uses finely diced king oyster mushrooms to imitate the meatiness without any actual meat.
Get the recipe here.
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Richa Hingle via Vegan Richa2 Toor Dal With Bay Leaf and Crisp Cilantro from Vegan Richa
You can cut the prep time of this recipe in half by using pre-cooked canned pigeon peas instead of dry. You’ll find them in the same aisle where you buy the rest of your usual beans. This dish also happens to be a great soup to freeze, so double the recipe and store the leftovers in your icebox for (another) rainy day.
Get the recipe here.
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Sarah Leung via The Woks of Life3 Tom Yum Soup from The Woks of Life
This classic Thai soup contains a diverse spectrum of flavors—sweet, salty, spicy, and sour. If you’re having trouble tracking down certain ingredients, like galangal or makrut lime leaves, check your local Asian store or order them online. Dried and frozen versions of the ingredients will last far longer than fresh, so a one-time order will ensure you have all the right stuff to make tom yum again and again.
Get the recipe here.
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Aaron Hutcherson via The Hungry Hutch4 Andouille and Collard Greens Soup With Cornmeal Dumplings from The Hungry Hutch
Cornmeal dumplings may sound fancy, but the ones in this recipe truly don’t require a lot of work. Just mix up your batter and drop a spoonful at a time directly into your bubbling soup, and enjoy. Feel free to swap the collards for another hardy leafy green if you don’t have it on hand, and get ready to enjoy this tasty bowl of soup.
Get the recipe here.
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Jenny Park and Teri Lyn Fisher via Spoon Fork Bacon5 One Pot Mulligatawny Soup from Spoon Fork Bacon
This Indian-inspired soup is full of delightful and surprising ingredients that will make your tastebuds sing, like golden raisins, curry-scented chicken, and a broth made from silky coconut milk.
Get the recipe here.
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Rosalynn Daniels6 Sausage Lentil Soup from Rosalynn Daniels
This recipe is just one of many great winter soups that proves that lentils and sausage are an ideal pairing. Apart from a bit of chopping in the beginning, this meal requires almost no prep and takes only 20 minutes total to cook.
Get the recipe here.
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Lindsay Ostrom via Pinch of Yum7 Creamy Mushroom Soup from Pinch of Yum
This creamy soup packs all the flavors without a ton of ingredients. Provided you already have some basics on hand (like butter, garlic, flour, and broth), you’ll only need to pick up a pack of mushrooms and a bottle of white wine on your next shopping trip.
Get the recipe here.
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Shanika via Orchids and Sweet Tea8 Roasted Broccoli Cheddar Soup from Orchids and Sweet Tea
This updated take on classic broccoli cheddar soup opts to roast the broccoli beforehand to lend the dish more depth of flavor. Serve with a side of toasted bread or top with croutons for a bit of crunch.
Get the recipe here.
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Erin Alderson via Naturally Ella9 Tofu Bok Choy Soup With Noodles from Naturally Ella
Although this recipe recommends using ramen, udon, or soba noodles, spaghetti noodles are a fine substitute if that’s all you have.
Get the recipe here.
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Sue Pressey via My Korean Kitchen10 Kimchi Tuna Soup from My Korean Kitchen
This spicy kimchi soup gets a boost of protein from an unexpected ingredient: canned tuna. Opt for a variety that’s packed in water rather than oil to ensure the dish tastes as it should.
Get the recipe here.
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Meiko Drew via Meiko and the Dish11 Creamy Pea Mint Soup from Meiko and the Dish
For a new take on pea soup, give this a try. Despite its vibrant green color, the minty flavor in this soup is actually quite subtle. Not to mention the extra freshness does a great job of balancing the rich flavors from the cream and fried croutons pictured above.
Get the recipe here.
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Jeanine Donofrio via Love and Lemons12 Creamy Potato Soup from Love and Lemons
This potato soup recipe is basically a cheesy baked potato that you can slurp, especially when topped with extras like bacon, cheddar cheese, and sour cream. If you’re a fan of baked potato soup, you need to try this.
Get the recipe here.
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Nik Manning via Lizee Angel13 Fire-Roasted Tomato and Spinach Tortellini Soup from Lizee Angel
Craving Italian? This dish is a great way to have both soup and pasta at the same time. And, apart from mincing a bit of garlic, it doesn’t require any extra chopping. Everything from the canned tomatoes to the baby spinach can be added to the pot as they are. Serve with a grilled cheese for extra comfort.
Get the recipe here.
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Namiko Chen via Just One Cookbook14 Homemade Miso Soup from Just One Cookbook
If you don’t want to go to a restaurant to satisfy your miso soup cravings, the Japanese staple is actually so easy to make right at home. This recipe shows you which ingredients you’ll need to make the base and where to find them, as well as all of your options when it comes to what to put in it—from tofu to root veggies.
Get the recipe here.
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ChihYu Smith via I Heart Umami15 Taiwanese Beef Soup from I Heart Umami
This hearty beef recipe takes a bit longer to prep than some of the others on this list, but not if you use an Instant Pot to make it. Packed with a mix of sweet and savory ingredients—like cinnamon, dates, garlic and soy sauce—it’s even better the next day when the flavors have had a night in the fridge to meld.
Get the recipe here.
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Stephanie and Mike Le via I Am a Food Blog16 Hot and Sour Soup from I Am a Food Blog
The best soup recipes include those you want to eat often—but now can make them right at home. Making this takeout favorite at home takes less time than actually ordering delivery and tastes just as good. If you can’t track down dehydrated shiitake mushrooms, fresh ones will give you similar results.
Get the recipe here.
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Lisa Lin via Healthy Nibbles and Bits17 Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup from Healthy Nibbles and Bits
This chicken noodle soup has everything: noodles and wontons, plenty of veggies, and a broth so good you’ll want to swim in it. The recipe provides instructions on how to make your own stock from scratch, but you can substitute store-bought chicken broth for an equally delicious alternative.
Get the recipe here.
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Michelle Blackwood via Healthier Steps18 Jamaican Gungo Peas Soup from Healthier Steps
This heartwarming Jamaican soup recipe contains pigeon peas, plenty of veggies, and tasty yet easy-to-make dumplings. Feel free to substitute pigeon peas for black eyed peas or brown lentils.
Get the recipe here.
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Marwin Brown via Food Fidelity19 Smoked Chicken and Okra Soup from Food Fidelity
The secret to preventing okra from getting slimy is to quickly pan-fry it at a high heat before using it elsewhere, like in this spicy soup recipe.
Get the recipe here.
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Eric Jones via Dude That Cookz20 Zucchini and Sweet Potato Soup from Dude That Cookz
Use up the last of the summer squash at the farmers market to make this impossibly smooth zucchini and sweet potato dish. Bread bowl is optional but encouraged.
Get the recipe here.
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Andrea Bemis via Dishing up the Dirt21 Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Soup from Dishing up the Dirt
This vegetable soup recipe is packed with veggies of all shapes and sizes, including root vegetables like carrots and parsnips and leafy greens like kale. It’s a perfect busy-day soup since it’s got everything!
Get the recipe here.
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Krysten and Marrekus via Cooks with Soul22 Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup from Cooks with Soul
The wild rice in this dish adds a firm al dente texture to an otherwise creamy and delicately textured soup. Although cream-based soups are notoriously difficult to freeze and reheat, this recipe provides freezing instructions that will ensure it tastes just as good in a few months as it did on day one.
Get the recipe here.
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Kathryne Taylor via Cookie and Kate23 Chickpea Noodle Soup from Cookie and Kate
This vegetarian spin on chicken noodle soup is just as soul soothing and tasty as the original. Buy a pre-chopped mirepoix mix (that’s celery, onion, and carrots) to speed up prep time a lot.
Get the recipe here.
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Esteban Castillo via Chicano Eats24 Sopa de Fideo from Chicano Eats
This Mexican noodle soup consists of a simple yet delicious base of tomatoey broth and broken spaghetti that’s made even more delicious with the right toppings—avocado, lime, and cilantro, to name a few.
Get the recipe here.
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Kathryn Pauline via Cardamom and Tea25 Swiss Chard, Rice, and Yogurt Soup from Cardamom and Tea
This Assyrian dish is known more commonly as booshala, and it’s brimming with bright, earthy and tangy flavors from Swiss chard and sour yogurt. Though traditional recipes use homemade yogurt, you can get similar results from using store-bought.
Get the recipe here.
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Beth Moncel via Budget Bytes26 Smoky Black Bean Soup from Budget Bytes
All you need to do to prep this savory soup is chop an onion, open a few cans, and stir every once in a while. Eat it with a side of cornbread or rice to soak up all that smoky sauce.
Get the recipe here.
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Elizabeth Stark via Brooklyn Supper27 Carrot and Fennel Soup with Orange and Herbs from Brooklyn Supper
Despite the seemingly simple nature of this carrot and fennel soup, it’s surprisingly complex. That’s thanks to a mix of spices and condiments like coriander and cumin seeds, Hungarian paprika, orange zest, and apple cider vinegar.
Get the recipe here.
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Monique Volz via Ambitious Kitchen28 Roasted Garlic Cheddar Cauliflower Soup from Ambitious Kitchen
If you’re a fan of cheddar broccoli soup, then you’re going to love this update with cauliflower and roasted garlic. Know you won’t have time to roast garlic to perfection on a weeknight? Do it on the weekend so you have it ready to use whenever.
Get the recipe here.
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Adrianna Adarme via A Cozy Kitchen29 Enchilada Chicken Tortilla Soup from A Cozy Kitchen
Canned enchilada sauce is the secret ingredient to this updated take on chicken tortilla soup. Save time by topping with store-bought tortilla chips rather than making your own.
Get the recipe here.
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Chungah Rhee via Damn Delicious30 Slow-Cooker Chicken Posole from Damn Delicious
Although this slow-cooker soup recipe takes roughly eight hours total to cook, all you have to do is pour your ingredients into your slow-cooker and let it do its thing. While you go about your business, it’ll be cooking to perfection, and when you’re ready to eat, it will be ready and waiting for you!
Get the recipe here.
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Alex Overhiser via A Couple Cooks31 Squash Soup from A Couple Cooks
This soup is designed to use any kind of winter squash, from butternut to acorn, so it’s a perfect option for when you need to use what you already have on hand.
Get the recipe here.
