53 Soothing Soup Recipes for When You Need a Little Extra Comfort
Whether you’re shivering your way through winter holding a bowl of Italian bean soup or finding cooling relief in a summer gazpacho, you’ll find the best soup recipes have something in common: They channel the height of comfort. From a quick and easy weeknight chicken tortilla soup to an hours-of-worthwhile-prep chicken pho, our favorite soup recipes prove that there’s nothing better than dinner in a bowl. Here, you’ll find old-fashioned chicken noodle, energizing ramen, creamy tomato soup, so-simple-you-won’t-believe-it miso soup, and so much more. Pro-tip: Many of these recipes freeze well—an excellent reason to make a double batch and stash half away for a later date.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Anna Hampton1/53Cheesy Potato Soup With Bacon
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell2/53Lentil Soup With Wheat Berries and Kale
Skip the French onion soup in favor of this nourishing vegetarian soup, packed with green lentils, kale, and wheat berries. Use stock instead of water if you’d like—but truly, you don’t need it.
Photo by Gentl & Hyers4/53Pasta e Fagioli with Escarole
Plenty of garlic and Parmesan give a nice punch of flavor to this hearty and filling soup, which can be served alongside other Italian classics, like spaghetti with tomato-butter sauce or lasagna. It’s hearty and filling, perfect for cold weather.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Laura Rege5/53Apple and Butternut Squash Soup
Creamy but without cream, this soup makes a light start to any meal. The garnishes of tangy sour cream, crispy bacon, and snappy apple matchsticks really pull it all together.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Pearl Jones7/53Roasted Carrot and Fennel Soup With Miso-Glazed Mushrooms and Cashew Cream
This superlatively creamy take on puréed vegetable soup is one of our favorite recipes for vegans and vegetarians—but meat eaters will love it too. Carrots and fennel get even sweeter when they’re roasted in the oven; instead of croutons, this soup is topped with savory, miso-glazed shiitake mushrooms.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Christopher Barsch8/53Shrimp With Chochoyotes in Smoky, Herby Broth
This brothy soup feels like coastal Oaxaca in a bowl. It has tons of herbs, buttery shrimp, a light spicy-smoky broth, and chochoyotes, dumplings made from masa.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich9/53Sayur Lodeh (Vegetable Soup With Pressed Rice Cakes)
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by John Bjostad10/53Creamy Leek Soup
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton12/53Sonoran-Style Potato, Cheese, and Tomato Soup
This is Epi contributor Christian Reynoso’s version of an unsung regional Mexican dish that’s deeply satisfying, yet remarkably light. In Spanish it’s called caldo de queso, and it features chunks of potato simmered in tomato-tinted broth until soft, with fresh cheese such as queso fresco added to each bowl.
Photo & Food Styling by Joseph De Leo13/53Miso-Squash Ramen
Noodle soup recipes don’t have to start with chicken. This ramen, for example, gets rich flavor from squash that’s slathered in miso before roasting.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce14/53Spicy Coconut Pumpkin Soup
This coconut soup is ideal for fall, when squash and pumpkin are readily available. Serve it with crusty bread or roti and a hearty green salad for a perfect autumn lunch.
