40 Vegetable Soups Better Than A Salad
These soups make eating your vegetables as easy (and as delicious!) as pie.
When it starts to get chilly in fall and winter (or when you're just under the weather the rest of the year), *nothing* is more comforting than a bowl of soup. Can you say the same of salad? We think not! But why stop there? With soup recipes this delicious (and packed with vegetables), they beg to be enjoyed all. year. round. Full of good-for-you veggies and irresistible flavors, you'll be reaching for these 40 bowls of warming soups for your main meal or easy side dish again and again.
We've included all the classic veggie soup favorites, like our best-ever tomato soup, our cream of mushroom soup, our butternut squash soup, our classic broccoli cheddar soup, and more. We've also rounded up our favorite creative recipes that both showcase underrated vegetables (looking at you, cauliflower leek soup and borsht) and creative flavor pairings (hellooo esquites corn chowder and creamy tortellini minestrone) . Whether you prefer your soups to be ultra-creamy, mainly broth, or fully blended, we've got recipes here to fix any craving.
Soups are one of the best things to make when you just don't feel like putting in too much effort (we feel you). With that in mind, we've also included plenty of Instant Pot soups for dinner in half the time, and crockpot soup recipes when you just want to toss it all in a pot and forget about it.
While many of these soups are fully vegetarian meals (we've got plenty of vegan too!), we've also got recipes to satisfy any meat eater. From crispy bacon toppings to soups full of hearty ground beef like our cabbage roll soup or our stuffed pepper soup, every diet will find a veggie soup here to keep them full and satisfied. Time to grab a spoon, and dig in!
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
It’s difficult to find a soup more comforting than broccoli cheddar—this one is thick, hearty, cheesy, and just rich enough to make it a staple comfort food recipe during chilly nights. Bonus: it's got all that stick-to-your bones goodness you crave, with a good dose of veggies too.
Get the Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe.
Potato Soup
Searching for a potato soup that doesn’t suffer from a bacon-crutch? Look no further! Whether you're a seasoned vegetarian, looking to explore more plant-based recipes, or just want a potato-focused recipe, this easy, creamy soup is the perfect way to showcase the humble potato in all its comforting glory.
Get the Potato Soup recipe.
One-Pot Harissa Beet Soup
This vegetarian soup can (and should!) be enjoyed year-round. It has a perfect balance between sweet, smoky, and spicy. The ruby red beets add sweetness and a mellow, earthy flavor. Potatoes help thicken the soup and add body without including any extra dairy or gluten, while the harissa paste adds a peppery kick. Yum!
Get the One-Pot Harissa Beet Soup recipe.
Minestrone Soup
Whether we’re looking for a hearty lunch or a comforting dinner, it’s difficult to beat a big bowl of minestrone with a mountain of grated cheese and a hunk of crusty sourdough bread. This nurturing, fulfilling, and deeply satisfying recipe is one you’re going to want to hang on to.
Get the Minestrone Soup recipe.
Butternut Squash Soup
As far as cozy, hearty fall soups go, butternut squash soup will always be the go-to choice in our book. The sweet and slightly earthy flavor that comes from a butternut squash makes it our ideal choice when it comes to whipping up a warming bowl of comforting goodness.
Get the Butternut Squash Soup recipe.
Vegetable Soup
Though vegetable soup is often just made up of random ingredients hanging around your fridge and pantry, it deserves to be exceptional. With a few tricks and tips (bouillon paste, a Parmesan rind, and frozen veggies are key!), it’s easy to take it from basic to “chef’s kiss”.
Get the Vegetable Soup recipe.
Cabbage Roll Soup
Feeling nostalgic for cabbage rolls, but want a quick dinner instead? Try a savory bowl of cabbage roll soup instead. It’s a hearty, warm bowl of comfort food that embraces all the goodness of cabbage rolls: ground beef, rice, tomatoes, and tons of green cabbage.
Get the Cabbage Roll Soup recipe.
Creamy Tortellini Minestrone
When it comes to classic Italian minestrone soup, we say the more, the merrier. Sure, typically that's in reference to lots and lots of vegetables, but we took it a different direction and added a touch of creaminess, plus cheese-filled tortellini.
Get the Creamy Tortellini Minestrone recipe.
Slow Cooker Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
A simmering pot of soup on a chilly fall afternoon is the best. It's made even better when the soup is ridiculously easy. This vegan butternut squash soup is made in a slow cooker, so after you chop up all your vegetables, it’s essentially hands-off.
Tomato Soup
There's really nothing more comforting than a steaming hot bowl of tomato soup. We prefer using canned tomatoes rather than fresh because they tend to be packed in peak season—that means they're perfectly ripe. PLUS, the skins are removed (less work for you!).
Get the Tomato Soup recipe.
Cream Of Mushroom Soup
If you've only had cream of mushroom soup from a can or in recipes, you have to try it on its own. A generous glug of heavy cream makes this soup extra-decadent, while the flavor of two types of mushrooms and herbs make it a comforting, super-flavorful classic.
Get the Cream Of Mushroom Soup recipe.
Green Goddess Soup
It’s not always easy eating your greens, especially in winter. We’re huge fans of salad year-round, but when the temperature gets extra-cold outside, all we want is a big, comforting bowl of soup. For this recipe, we took inspiration from one of our favorite salad dressings, green goddess.
Get the Green Goddess Soup recipe.
Elote Corn Soup
Fresh and bright, this recipe transforms a classic Mexican street food, elote, into an irresistible bowl of soup. Chili-spiced and lime-spiked, these sweet and creamy bowls take the corn off the cob, turning it into the perfect summer starter or main.
Get the Elote Corn Soup recipe.
Cream Of Broccoli Soup
Cozy up to a bowl of this creamy, healthy soup when the nights get cold. Packed with broccoli, potatoes, and a healthy dose of heavy cream (use coconut cream if dairy-free!), this fall soup is SO satisfying.
Get the Cream Of Broccoli Soup recipe.
Chicken Spinach Artichoke Soup
Spinach and artichoke dip lovers—let us introduce your new favorite cozy winter dinner. We transformed our favorite party dip into a hearty weeknight dinner by adding chicken breasts and broth without sacrificing any of the classic flavors you know and love.
Slow-Cooker Split Pea Soup
A warm, hearty soup is what we crave from September through March, and this is the one we turn to time and time again. It's simple, filling, and full of flavor. And while it's especially good for those cold winter times, this soup is so easy to throw together, it's great all year round.
Get the Slow-Cooker Split Pea Soup recipe.
Best-Ever Borsht
Borsht, a bright pink soup loaded with beets and cabbage, is popular in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. The brightly olored soup goes perfectly with a dollop of sour cream and is also made to be dipped with a slice of homemade bread.
Get the Best-Ever Borsht recipe.
Leek & Potato Soup
This savory leek and potato soup can be left chunky or blended smooth, but the best part is the crunchy garnish that tops each bowl. While many recipes using leeks call for discarding the tougher, more fibrous green tops, we reserve them, slice 'em real thin, and stir-fry them until golden for a crispy topping!
Get the Leek & Potato Soup recipe.
Pho is on of our all-time favorite cold weather comfort foods, and vegan pho is no less satisfying. The trick to a super-flavorful vegan pho broth is to toast the whole spices—star anise, cinnamon, and cloves—and to let the the onion and ginger get VERY browned in the pot before adding veggie broth.
Get the Vegan Pho recipe.
