The 40 Essential Soups You Need to Make This Winter

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Published on November 26, 2021

Spaghetti Squash Soup — Photo: Caitlin Bensel

Mix up your cooking routine with some of these delicious soups that highlight hardy winter veggies, like potatoes, kale, cabbage and winter squash. There are plenty of classics on this list, like French onion soup and creamy cauliflower soup, plus some of our newer favorites, like honeynut squash soup and brothy cabbage soups that can help you lose weight. Recipes like our Slow-Cooker Mushroom Soup with Sherry and Spaghetti Squash Soup with Sausage are healthy, tasty ways to stay warm and cozy in the cold weather.

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Easy Italian Wedding Soup

Bowl of Easy Italian Wedding Soup on a gray cloth background

Forget the marble-size meatballs you find in many versions of this soup. In this easy recipe, they're full-size, full-flavored and plenty filling.

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Spicy Weight-Loss Cabbage Soup

Spicy Weight-Loss Cabbage Soup

Based on a popular weight-loss plan, this healthy cabbage soup recipe gets tons of flavor and a metabolism-boosting kick from spicy chiles.

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Slow-Cooker Chicken & Chickpea Soup

Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Chicken & Chickpea Soup

This set-it-and-forget-it slow-cooker recipe simmers away all day so you come home to a warm and healthy dinner the whole family will love. Using bone-in chicken is the key to making rich soup without adding broth.

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Slow-Cooker Mushroom Soup with Sherry

Slow-Cooker Mushroom Soup with Sherry

This comforting and creamy slow-cooker soup is loaded with earthy, umami flavor from the mushrooms and soy sauce. Puréeing only some of the slow-cooker mushroom soup gives the dish complex texture and eye appeal. Garnish with additional black pepper and chopped fresh thyme, if desired.

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Vegan Lentil Soup

Vegan Lentil Soup

This vegan lentil soup recipe is packed with fresh ingredients and plenty of lentils that deliver a healthy dose of fiber in each bite. This vegan soup is the perfect cold-weather lunch or healthy dinner the whole family will love.

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Spaghetti Squash Soup with Sausage

Spaghetti Squash Soup — Caitlin Bensel

This easy soup is a great way to showcase the versatility of spaghetti squash. Sweet Italian sausage pairs well with the subtle sweetness of the squash. The broth that coats the thin strands of spaghetti squash is flavorful and light.

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One-Pot Chicken & Cabbage Soup

One-Pot Chicken & Cabbage Soup — Antonis Achilleos

This simple, yet flavorful, chicken-cabbage soup is perfect for enjoying on a cold day. Sherry vinegar adds a touch of brightness and pairs well with the medley of vegetables. Serve with crusty bread.

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Comforting Cabbage Soup with Ginger

Healing Cabbage Soup — Photography / Kelsey Hansen, Styling / Greg Luna

Cabbage turns tender and flavorful in this comforting soup. The aromatic broth is full of spices, including ginger and turmeric, making it perfect for enjoying on a cold day or keeping you hydrated if you're sick.

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Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup — Antonis Achilleos

This roasted cauliflower soup recipe is the perfect balance of texture and flavor. Lemon juice adds brightness while crushed red pepper adds a touch of heat. Toasted nuts bring a bit of crunch to this creamy soup.

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Honeynut Squash Soup

Honeynut Squash Soup — Caitlin Bensel

The natural sweetness of this vegetarian honeynut squash soup is amplified with honey and vegetable broth. Sage flavors the soup and sour cream brings in a little tang, balancing the earthy flavors.

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Cauliflower Leek Soup

Antonis Achilleos — Cauliflower Leek Soup

Turmeric adds color and a depth of flavor in this cauliflower leek soup, while fried leeks provide a textural contrast. Serve with crusty bread.

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Vegetarian Potato-Kale Soup

Vegetarian Potato-Kale Soup — Photography / Antonis Achilleos, Styling / Christine Keely, Ali Ramee

This potato-kale soup has a rich, yet light and velvety texture. Opt for baby, two-bite red potatoes as they cook faster in the creamy, brothy soup. Serve with crusty bread and a glass of wine for a cozy meal.

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Southwestern Vegetable & Chicken Soup

Southwestern Vegetable & Chicken Soup

Who wouldn't want to eat their vegetables when they're tucked into a fragrant broth with bits of tasty chicken and spiked with a shot of fresh lime and cilantro? This healthy chicken vegetable soup seems even richer with the smoky flavor from roasted poblano peppers and garlic. Serve this healthy chicken soup recipe with tortilla chips.

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Borscht with Beef

Even people who think they don't like beets love this vibrantly colored, vegetable-packed borscht soup recipe, inspired by the legendary borscht soup served at New York's Russian Tea Room. Plenty of mushrooms, cabbage and carrots along with a judicious amount of beef make this healthy borscht recipe special.

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Slow-Cooker Potato Soup Four Ways

Be sure to use waxy potatoes, such as red or Yukon Gold, in this crockpot potato soup recipe. The result will be creamier than if you use starchy varieties like russets. Load your bowl up like a classic baked potato or see Tip (below) for more ways to mix it up.

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Butternut Squash & Cauliflower Soup with Chickpea Croutons

Butternut Squash & Cauliflower Soup with Chickpea Croutons

Bulk up boxed butternut squash soup with frozen cauliflower florets, then top off your bowl with crispy chickpea snacks for major crunch (look for them near the dried fruit and nuts at your grocery store). This impressively easy dinner comes together with just those three ingredients, not including salt, pepper and oil. Because prepared soups are typically higher in sodium, look for light or reduced-sodium versions of your favorites.

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Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Rotisserie Chicken

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Rotisserie Chicken

This rich-tasting but better-for-you creamy chicken soup has a delicious chicken pot pie feel to it. We call for rotisserie chicken to streamline your prep time--look for a nice big one with lots of breast meat on it. Pair this comforting and easy soup recipe with a green salad, or, if you're really hungry, a grilled cheese sandwich.

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Cream of Turkey & Wild Rice Soup

Cream of Turkey & Wild Rice Soup

Got leftover cooked chicken or turkey? Cook up a pot of soup! This recipe is a healthier twist on a classic creamy turkey and wild rice soup that hails from Minnesota. Serve with a crisp romaine salad and whole-grain bread.

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Cabbage Diet Soup

Cabbage Diet Soup

Loaded with cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, tomato and plenty of seasoning, this healthy vegetable soup packs in lots of flavor and is ultra-satisfying. This easy recipe makes a big batch for lunches or veggie-packed snacks all week. If you want to bump up the satisfaction factor even more, top with a little cheese or avocado.

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Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Kale

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Kale

This healthy, easy soup is loaded with vegetables, protein and fiber to keep you full and fueled. Serve this winter soup topped with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, and a side of garlic toast.

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One-Pot Lentil & Vegetable Soup with Parmesan

One-Pot Lentil & Vegetable Soup with Parmesan — Antonis Achilleos

This lentil-vegetable soup is packed with kale and tomatoes for a filling, flavorful main dish. If you have it, the Parmesan cheese rind adds nuttiness and gives the broth some body.

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Sausage, Brussels Sprout & Potato Soup

Bake up some Manchego cheese toasts and uncork a bottle of Ribera del Duero to enjoy alongside this healthy pot of soup. Both sweet and hot Italian sausage work well.

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Chicken & Kale Soup

chicken kale soup

This easy chicken and kale soup will keep you warm on a cold and rainy day or any day that calls for a simple, hearty soup. For convenience, you can make this soup with frozen kale without the need to thaw it beforehand.

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Creamy Wild Rice & Mushroom Soup

Creamy Wild Rice & Mushroom Soup

Mushrooms add earthiness and umami flavor in this creamy, one-pot soup recipe. This vegetarian soup will thicken as it sits, so be mindful that the consistency may change when you're done cooking.

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Cauliflower Soup

A healthy take on a loaded baked potato, this creamy cauliflower soup recipe has all the fixings of a loaded potato (bacon included) but for way fewer calories and carbs. Ready in a quick 20 minutes, this easy soup is great for busy weeknights or can be meal prepped ahead of time to take for lunch or frozen for a ready-made meal down the road. This recipe was originally made for one serving but can be easily adapted to serve more.

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Slow-Cooker Turkey & Kale Minestrone Soup

Slow-Cooker Turkey & Kale Minestrone Soup

Adjust the heat level in the dish by choosing either hot or mild Italian sausage. You can add red pepper, too, to make it extra hot. Serve this slow-cooker minestrone with crusty bread, if desired.

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Pumpkin & Black Bean Soup

Pumpkin & Black Bean Soup — Fred Hardy

This quick and easy vegan pumpkin black bean soup is filled with veggies. Convenient canned pumpkin, beans and coconut milk flavored with curry make it a hearty fall meal.

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Moroccan-Inspired Chicken & Sweet Potato Soup

This healthy chicken soup recipe gets bold Moroccan flavor from sweet potatoes, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and a touch of fiery harissa. To get a homemade stock flavor using store-bought broth, we simmer bone-in chicken breasts in the broth before adding the rest of the soup ingredients.

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Bean & Barley Soup

This hearty bean and barley soup tastes like it has simmered for hours, but actually it's quite quick to throw together. Plus this recipe for healthy bean and barley soup freezes beautifully. If you have cooked barley on hand, omit the quick-cooking barley and stir in 1 1/2 cups cooked barley along with the broth in Step 2.

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Spicy Potato & Kale Soup

Spicy Potato-Kale Soup — Kelsey Hansen

Spicy sausage--in this case, chorizo--pairs beautifully with hearty greens. If you like, substitute collard or mustard greens for the kale. If you can't get chorizo, hot Italian sausage will also work in this soup.

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Lemony Lentil Soup with Collards

You don't need broth for this lentil soup recipe--it's rich thanks to the browned bits in the bottom of the pan that meld into the soup, packing it with flavor. Ground coriander, from the seed of the cilantro plant, has a floral, citrusy flavor that dovetails nicely with the lemon.

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Slow-Cooker Cabbage Soup with Sherry

Slow-Cooker Cabbage Soup with Sherry — Victor Protasio

Sherry adds sweetness and flavor to this slow-cooker vegetarian cabbage soup. It's balanced nicely by the crushed red pepper, fire-roasted tomatoes and a pop of acidity from the sherry vinegar. Potatoes give the soup heft and substance. Serve with crusty bread.

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Slow-Cooker French Onion Soup

In this genius slow-cooker soup recipe, two types of onions are caramelized for hours before adding a sherry-spiked broth. For a bistro-worthy presentation, ladle the soup into ovenproof crocks, top with the bread and cheese and broil.

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Sweet Potato Soup with Toasted Pecans

Sweet Potato Soup with Pecans — Ali Redmond

Thick and creamy, yet low in calories, this sweet potato soup makes a great side dish. Chopped pecans add a layer of texture to the velvety soup.

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Alaskan Cod Chowder

In this healthy fish chowder recipe, heavy cream is replaced with milk and flour-thickened fish (or seafood) broth and we keep sodium amounts reasonable with lower-sodium broth. By making your own homemade fish chowder, you'll save up to 300 calories, 20 grams of saturated fat and 500 milligrams of sodium per serving compared to many store-bought or restaurant chowders.

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Slow-Cooker Borscht

Slow-Cooker Borscht

Borscht is an Eastern European soup that typically features beets as a prominent ingredient, thus the resulting dish has a purple-red color. Our slow-cooker rendition is literally beefed up with brisket and showcases whole-grain rye berries, a source of fiber.

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Sausage, Potato & Kale Soup

Mild Italian sausage and potatoes are the foundation for this simple sausage, potato and kale soup. Serve it with slices of whole-wheat bread or a side salad for a complete and satisfying lunch or dinner.

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Egyptian Lentil Soup

Use red, yellow or even brown lentils to make this iconic and super-simple Middle Eastern soup. Skip green or black lentils, which won't soften enough to puree smoothly. (Recipe adapted from Zooba Restaurant.)

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Slow-Cooker Carrot-Leek Bisque

Slow-Cooker Carrot-Leek Bisque

Creamy and delicate slow-cooker carrot soup is a welcome appetizer. The addition of millet--a whole grain similar to quinoa--adds body to the soup as well as protein and fiber. Garnish with additional black pepper, if desired.

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Loaded Baked Potato Soup

bowl of soup in a black mug-style bowl

This healthy loaded baked potato soup recipe is inspired by the comforting flavor of fully loaded baked potatoes with bacon, Cheddar, sour cream and chives. To make a vegetarian version of this potato soup, omit the bacon and use "no-chicken" broth. Serve it with a green salad and crusty bread to clean up the bowl.

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