List: 15 Tasty Soups for National Soup Month
Anyone else a self-proclaimed soup junkie like me? I seriously can’t get enough of the stuff. Whether it’s rich and brothy or thick and creamy, you better believe I’ll eat bowlful after bowlful.
I also love soups because they’re generally healthy, as long as you keep tabs on the sodium level. You can pack them with veggies and plant-based protein like beans, lentils and quinoa; plus, a ton of soups can be made in the crock pot or simply simmer away in a Dutch oven.
Healthy? Check. Delicious? Check. Easy? Check. Go ahead and celebrate National Soup Month this January with 15 of my favorite soup recipes!
SLOW COOKER MINESTRONE SOUP
Two things make this soup super unique: the addition of a Parmesan rind and two tablespoons of Julienne Sliced Sun Dried Tomatoes from Trader Joe’s. The rind infuses that rich, buttery, slightly lemony flavor that’s found in Parmesan, and the sun dried tomatoes pack a concentrated punch of flavor. We used carrots, celery, onion, garlic and green peas for our veggies, but feel free to sub/add items like zucchini, squash, green beans or corn. Using brown rice pasta rather than enriched flour pasta makes this a gluten free dish, too. And the best part? It’s a slow cooker recipe, so you know it will be hella easy!
Recipe here
VEGAN CURRY RAMEN
Ramen is essentially the ultimate noodle soup. The broth in this Vegan Curry Ramen is incredibly flavorful, and the bowl is loaded up with tons and tons of veggies. The recipe is completely vegan, but you could also add a soft boiled egg if you wanted. This is such an easy weekend meal that you’re sure to add into your monthly rotation!
Recipe here
BLACK BEAN & SWEET POTATO CURRY SOUP
This soup is inspired by one I had at an African restaurant in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It’s hearty, the spices add interest and just the right amount of heat, and the coconut milk incorporates a lovely bit of creaminess. I added a little Greek yogurt swirl to the top of the soup for an extra bit of creaminess, but if you nix this step then the soup is 100% vegan. Feel free to spice it up by adding extra cayenne or even some sriracha if you’d like, or you could add an extra can of black black beans to make it even more filling.
Recipe here
VEGAN SLOW COOKER SPLIT PEA SOUP
Do you feel like Split Pea Soup has a bad rep? I sometimes do. It’s not the prettiest, it’s kind of a weird color and people have haunting memories of being made to eat their peas before they could even touch their dessert. It’s definitely the black sheep of the soup world. But I truly feel like anyone would enjoy this mild version! It’s 100% vegan to boot (though I wouldn’t kick you out of the kitchen if you added a bit of shredded sharp cheddar on top). I served it with a swirl of sriracha, but it is perfectly delicious as is.
Recipe here
SMOKY VEGAN TORTILLA SOUP
It’s soup season, folks, and this Smoky Vegan Tortilla Soup is guaranteed to make an appearance in the rotation throughout the winter! Its smokiness comes from chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, one of my all-time favorite ingredients. Be careful how much you add, though, because the soup will end up being pretty spicy pretty fast! This one-pot meal is 100% vegan, but I do generally end up sprinkling it with sharp cheddar cheese. Oven-roasted tortillas top off this delicious dish.
Recipe here
ROASTED RED PEPPER & CAULIFLOWER SOUP
This is seriously the ultimate cold weather comfort meal right here. The cauliflower comes out fairly strong in the soup, so feel free to add an extra red pepper or even some fire-roasted diced tomatoes if you’d like. We used cream cheese for the creamy component, but you could also use goat cheese or coconut milk. Serve it with a delectable French onion grilled cheese, also included in this recipe.
Recipe here
CREAMY MUSHROOM & WILD RICE SOUP
Because it’s made in the crock pot, this Creamy Mushroom & Wild Rice Soup comes together with hardly any effort. I cooked mine on high for four hours, but you could also do it on low for eight hours. The creaminess comes from a mixture of melted butter, flour and milk, which also helps to thicken up the soup. Adjust the “cream” components as needed depending on your preferences. This soup is guaranteed to become a cold weather favorite!
Recipe here
THAI CURRY NOODLE SOUP
In his book “The Principles of Thai Cookery,” famed Thai Chef McDang characterises Thai food as demonstrating "intricacy; attention to detail; texture; color; taste; and the use of ingredients with medicinal benefits, as well as good flavor, as well as care being given to the food's appearance, smell and context.” I think all of that aptly characterizes this Thai Curry Noodle Soup, which is loaded with ginger (known for its anti-inflammatory properties), garlic (boosts immunity), Thai red curry paste (spicy foods can speed up metabolism) and is topped with beautiful, colorful veggies.
Recipe here
PANERA BREAD COPYCAT QUINOA LENTIL BROTH BOWL
Panera Bread no longer offers their broth bowls, unfortunately, but I stand strong in the conclusion that my copycat recipe is better than the original. It’s loaded up with lentils and quinoa and is super hearty; and honestly, I’m pretty proud of the slightly spicy, slightly tangy broth that I came up with. Top your bowl with steamed eggs and lemon wheels and prepare for a warm bowl of deliciousness.
Recipe here
VEGAN TOM KHA GAI (THAI COCONUT SOUP)
Tom Kha Gai is a Thai coconut soup traditionally made with chicken and mushrooms. Rather than using chicken, I incorporated broccoli and cauliflower to make the soup a bit heartier (certainly not traditional, but hey, what’re you gonna do). You could also use tofu or faux chicken as a meat substitute. The key to this soup is letting the broth slowly simmer to allow the flavors to meld together in beautiful harmony. You’ll end up with a super light and flavorful concoction that’s delicious any time of year!
Recipe here
CREAMY CURRIED CAULIFLOWER SOUP
A truly creamy soup that’s both vegan and gluten free? Say it ain’t so! The seemingly impossible is achieved in in the form of this Creamy Curried Cauliflower Soup. Packed with anti-inflammatories like ginger, garlic and turmeric, this soup will act as a power punch to your immune system. Eat it on its on, or feel free to serve it over basmati rice or with naan.
Recipe here
CREAMY THYME MUSHROOM SOUP
This is the best ever mushroom soup if I do say so myself! It’s rich. It’s creamy. It’s loaded with earthiness, herbs and umami. Plus, it comes together in about 30 minutes and it’s both vegan-friendly and gluten free. As long as you like mushrooms, you’re going to love this luscious soup.
Recipe here
CREAMY MUSHROOM SOUP WITH PEPPERS, WHITE BEANS & HOMINY
This is definitely not your grandmother’s cream of mushroom soup recipe. My version is super rich and hearty—it contains four different types of mushrooms and incorporates a block of light cream cheese to make it super delectable. I made things interesting by adding cans of white beans + hominy (I truly love hominy) as well as a sautéed onion, jalapeño and poblano pepper. The pièce de résistance here is a baked mozzarella cheese crisp. Trust me…it’s all just crazy enough to work.
Recipe here
THAI COCONUT CARROT SOUP
This Thai Coconut Carrot Soup can be whipped up with 10 ingredients or less (depending on your preferences), making it the perfect choice for busy weeknights. The combo of the coconut milk + carrots makes it slightly sweet, but it’s nicely balanced out by the red curry paste and gochujang (Korean red chili paste). You could spice it up even more by adding a swirl of sriracha on top! Sub the butter for olive oil and you’ll have a 100% vegan soup, too.
Recipe here
EASY CHEESY TORTELLINI SOUP
On nights you don’t really feel like cooking, this Easy Cheesy Tortellini Soup will be a lifesaver. The most time-intensive aspect of it is chopping veggies, and after that you’re pretty much in the clear. Prepare for a flavorful mixture of Italian spices with this semi-homemade dish. The broth is a combo of crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, vegetable broth and mirepoix, aka the perfect base for cheesy refrigerated tortellinis.
Recipe here
