73 Healthy Soup Recipes That Make Any Day Cozier
Grandmas across the globe had it right: Soup is the ultimate comfort food. These healthy soup recipes are easy to make and full of flavorful nutrients. They're a staple in our kitchens year-round but especially essential as the temperature drops and curling up with a bowl of something steamy becomes a full-time hobby. We're making endless pots of warming turkey and bean chili, satisfying lentil soups, and brothy noodles…plus all the chicken soup our souls can handle. Ahead is a collection of the most delicious, warming, soul-nourishing healthy soup recipes in our arsenal. Grab a spoon and a bowl.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Pearl Jones1/73Cream-ish of Mushroom Soup
Okay, we waited until now to mention that this creamy, earthy, silky rich soup is vegan. Puréeing some of the mushrooms along with cashews adds body that doesn’t compromise on flavor.
- Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou2/73
Brothy Tomato and Fish Soup With Lime
This sour-salty soup was made for using up sweet, late-season tomatoes.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li3/73
Posole Verde with Chicken
We like toasting the canned hominy to concentrate and develop its flavor, but if that’s one step too many, it will still be awesome!
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich4/73
Fridge Clean-Out Nabe With Mushroom Dashi
Christina Chaey’s mushroom dashi can go with whatever vegetables and proteins you have in the fridge. It’s her favorite cold-weather meal.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova5/73
A Better Turkey Chili
Pair ground turkey with white beans and a robust dried chile purée for a bowl of winter comfort with major body and richness.
- Photo by Sarah Jampel6/73
Chickpeas and Dumplings
This recipe gives off major chicken-soup vibes but is entirely vegetarian—and you don’t have to simmer vegetables or cheese rinds for hours to get there. The lightning-fast broth gets its flavor from caramelized miso and nutritional yeast (a trick we picked up from Bay Area cookbook author and food writer Andrea Nguyen). The gluten-free dumplings are soft on the outside and pleasantly chewy on the inside.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by D'mytrek Brown, Bowl by Meilen Ceramics7/73
Chicken Meatballs and Green Beans in Tomato Broth
My grandma used to make a version of this dish using pork and showers of Parmesan. I have updated it to include ground chicken and miso for a lighter, late-summer dish with equally deep flavor, but feel free to use whatever ground meat you prefer. Gently poaching the meatballs is not only faster than roasting, but means none of their flavor is lost to a baking sheet.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Anderson, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka8/73
Brothy Seafood Chowder
The homemade stock makes all the difference in this flavorful, savory, perfectly smooth chowder.
- Photo by Chris Morocco9/73
Spring Hot-and-Sour Soup
Hot-and-sour soup inspired this highly nontraditional springtime version. Miso gives just enough body so that you won't need cornstarch to thicken it, and you can use silken tofu or thinly sliced yuba instead of egg for that same silky effect.
- Photo by David Malosh, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Cindy Diprima10/73
Coconut Cod Chowder With Seasoned Oyster Crackers
Coconut milk and lots of zippy aromatics bring life to this creamy cod chowder.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Pearl Jones11/73
I-Can't-Believe-It's-Vegetarian Ramen
The goal here was to achieve a tonkotsu-like broth without using any meat. Tomato paste, dried shiitake mushrooms, kombu, and a little bit of butter help to get you that rich umami-like effect.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li12/73
Chicken Meatballs in Spring Vegetable Broth
For this soup recipe, we skipped browning the meatballs and poached them instead. This will keep them very tender and their flavor light, which is ideal for this seasonal dish.
- 13/73
Garlic Broth
This back-pocket broth is hardly even a recipe, but it's the most soothing soup we can imagine for sick days, cold nights, and any other time you need a little extra comfort.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Megan Hedgpeth14/73
Coconut-Ginger Chickpea Soup
The dal is vegan but full of hearty protein thanks to the chickpeas, lentils, and coconut milk.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Bowls by Meilen Ceramics15/73
Brothy Clams With Soba
Every batch of clams will bring a different level of saltiness to this update on linguine with clams, so be sure to taste the broth and add water as needed in case it's too salty.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio16/73
Brothy Beans With Kimchi and Squash
This stick-to-your-ribs stew gets heft from creamy white beans and winter squash.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Chris Morocco, prop styling by Emily Eisen17/73
Braised Chicken and Spinach Soup With Pita Chips
Molokhia, a braised chicken and greens dish popular in Lebanon and Egypt, inspired this riff on chicken soup.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Emily Eisen18/73
Lamb and Winter Squash Soup
If you can’t find delicata squash in your neck of the woods, acorn or butternut will do the trick.
- Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott19/73
Sesame Arctic Char Donabe
This savory soup is just what you need in the depths of winter.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Molly Baz, Prop Styling by Emily Eisen20/73
Brothy Noodle Bowl with Mushrooms and Chiles
Alison Carroll, who developed this recipe, relies almost entirely on dry pantry staples to build depth of flavor in this superfood broth. Feel free to swap out the vermicelli for your favorite cooked grain or a different noodle—the recipe is designed to be customizable.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Heather Greene21/73
Brothy Meatballs with Peas, Fennel, and Tiny Pasta
This dish is a perfect choice for those blustery but bright early spring days: It's comforting from the simple-but-flavorful broth and bright from the crunchy fresh topping.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig22/73
Chicken Soup with Caramelized Ginger
A ginger-forward chicken tonic soup that will provide some much-needed relief when you’re not feeling too hot.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Ayesha Patel23/73
Soondubu (Spicy Soft Tofu and Seafood Stew)
This fiery, bubbling Korean broth is a powerhouse mixture of alliums, kimchi, gochugaru, and briny, fresh seafood.
- Yossi Arefi24/73
Spicy Chicken Soup
Store-bought rotisserie chicken makes it easy to create a meal without having to cook a whole bird.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Anna Stockwell25/73
Coconut-Apple-Ginger Dal
This velvety lentil soup is the antidote to holiday excess; skip the yogurt to make it vegan.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li26/73
Spring Minestrone
With leeks, fennel, sugar snap peas, and English peas, this soup is perfect for ushering in spring.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Anna Stockwell27/73
Chicken Soup With Charred Cabbage
Simmering a rotisserie bird with a handful of aromatics and ‘shroom stems beats boxed chicken stock any day.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski28/73
Feel-Better Chicken and Rice Soup
If you want this take on classic chicken soup to have a similar consistency to congee, add 10–15 minutes to the cooking time.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou29/73
French-ish Onion Soup
Onions, garlic, oil, wine, and salt are all it takes to make a rich vegan broth that still evokes the classic version.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton30/73
Brothy Pasta With Chickpeas
The healthyish comfort food recipe you won't be able to get enough of.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova31/73
Obe Ata Stew With Chicken and Spinach
Obe Ata is a Nigerian sauce that incorporates floral habanero chiles and bell peppers. This recipe uses obe ata as the base for a spicy, warming chicken and sweet potato stew.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio32/73
Chicken-Lentil Soup With Jammy Onions
This soup coaxes big flavors from a short ingredient list.
- Alex Lau33/73
Brothy Beans and Farro With Eggs and Mushrooms
Stirring a raw egg yolk into each bowl at the end adds silkiness, heft, and protein.
- Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski35/73
Chicken Brodo with Spring Vegetables and Fried Bread
If chicken noodle soup is a winter blanket, then this brodo is a light spring sweater.
- Alex Lau36/73
Tofu and Kimchi Stew
If gochujang hasn’t made it to your pantry yet, you can use any miso.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou37/73
Soy and Ginger Steamed Fish
You can use this foolproof steaming method to cook any sturdy fish—salmon, snapper, black cod, or arctic char would all be great.
- Nicole Franzen38/73
Green Posole with Cod and Cilantro
The lighter, herbier counterpart to porky posole rojo, this brothy stew was made for crisp autumn nights.
- Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott39/73
Navy Bean and Escarole Stew with Feta and Olives
There’s no stock in this wintry vegetarian stew recipe—it relies on the starchy bean cooking liquid for its flavor (which is a polite way of saying sorry, but you can’t use canned beans here and get the same results).
- Alex Lau40/73
Sippin’ Green Gazpacho
This zippy, herbaceous drinkable soup is like a trip to the farmers’ market in a glass.
- Photo by Alex Lau41/73
Vegan Umami Broth
Roasting the vegetables, along with a trio of umami-rich ingredients (miso, mushrooms, and kombu), give this meat-free broth a deep, satisfying flavor.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li42/73
Beans and Green Soup With Salted Yogurt and Sizzled Mint
This soup is inspired by ash reshteh, a thick Iranian soup made with chickpeas, a boatload of herbs, and noodles, with one big exception: We omitted the noodles.
- Ditte Isager43/73
Toasted Spelt Soup with Escarole and White Beans
This toasted spelt soup with escarole and white beans was inspired by the classic Italian pasta and bean stew. Unlike macaroni, the grains stay nice and chewy, even when reheated days later.
- Peden + Munk44/73
Anything Goes Donabe
Chicken, seafood, glass noodles, and vegetables get briefly poached in dashi-based broth. Cutting the ingredients into uniform pieces ensures they cook in the same amount of time.
- Peden + Munk45/73
Black Barley with Mushroom Broth
Buy good grains and always soak them. They'll cook more quickly and evenly when hydrated, and the soaking liquid can be used in finished dishes.
- Laura Murray46/73
Green Miso Soup With Soba
Nutty, buckwheat-based soba noodles add some heft to the classic miso broth.
- Laura Murray47/73
Kombu Chicken Soup with Carrots and Mushrooms
A restorative, Japanese-inspired chicken soup with only 10 ingredients.
- Peden + Munk48/73
Spicy Chicken Stock
All the rejuvenating powers of your grandmother’s chicken stock, plus a head-clearing kick of chile. Reserve chicken for Spicy & Healthy Chicken Soup or another use.
- Gentl & Hyers49/73
Turmeric-Ginger Chicken Soup
Chicken noodle soup never gets old. If you don’t have udon for this recipe, use rice noodles or regular old spaghetti.
- Christopher Testani50/73
Kale Minestrone With Pistou
For rave-worthy soups, skip the store-bought stock. You can extract a cleaner, stronger broth from a combination of water and several pantry ingredients you probably already have on hand.
- Peden + Munk51/73
Spicy & Healthy Chicken Soup
Chicken soup is the ultimate comfort food. This healthy version packs spicy flavor, thanks to jalapeño. The squash and cabbage greens are seasonal and healthy, but you can add whatever veggies you like.
- Nicole Franzen52/73
Brothy Poached Chicken with Mushrooms and Fresh Chile
Maybe you’re coming down with a cold, or you hit one too many holiday parties. This comforting but complex-tasting soup is just what the doctor ordered.
- Ditte Isager53/73
Spicy Pork and Mustard Green Soup
It might look like a lot when the greens are raw, but add them all anyway. They’ll quickly wilt down to a silky texture.
- Alex Lau54/73
Curried Lentil, Tomato, and Coconut Soup
A creamy, curried soup you can make on a weeknight, no sweat.
- Alex Lau55/73
Butternut Squash and Kale Stracciatella
This warm, comforting soup is just the thing for a random Tuesday night, and it’s cold outside, and you don’t want to put too much effort into cooking.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Emily Eisen56/73
Chickpea and Celery Soup With Chile-Garlic Oil
You know the soup and salad deal? Well, this is our take on combining the two into one dish.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Chris Morocco57/73
Spiced Coconut Carrot Soup
Puréed soups are easy because they don’t require lots of knife work... but they can also be boring. Amping up the seasoning and topping with crunchy shaved vegetables and bright herbs makes it clear that this one's not baby food.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Chris Morocco58/73
Smooth and Spicy Pinto Bean Soup
Some of us still have nightmares about bad puréed black bean soups that were once a “thing.” Creamy puréed pinto beans, chiles, and lots of mix-ins set this soup on the right path.
- Alex Lau59/73
Curried Yellow Split Pea Soup with Spiced Coconut
If you have extra time, double the amount of vegetables for this split pea soup recipe, then scoop out half of the soffritto and freeze it for a shortcut another night.
- Chelsie Craig60/73
Cauliflower Soup with Hazelnuts and Bacon
A creamy puréed soup with delightful crunchy things sprinkled on top.
- Laura Murray61/73
Chicken and Rice Soup With Green Chiles and Ginger
This chicken and rice soup has everything we're craving, plus a big handful of crushed peanuts on top.
- Alex Lau62/73
Curried Butternut Squash Soup
For this butternut squash soup recipe, you need to toss the squash occasionally while it’s roasting so it doesn’t burn or stick, and to encourage as much caramelization as possible.
- Alex Lau63/73
The Greenest Coconut Curry with Clams and Rice Noodles
Coconut cream gives this soup velvety richness.
- Alex Lau64/73
Spiced Dal With Fluffy Rice and Salted Yogurt
In this dish, lentils get a double dose of tartness from lime-marinated red onion and a drizzle of tangy yogurt.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Emily Eisen65/73
Crispy Tofu in Shiitake Broth
You're going to want to make a double or triple batch of the umami-rich dashi to freeze for later.
- Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott68/73
Root Vegetable Zoodle Soup with Bacon and Basil Oil
First of all, zoodle is a made-up word for vegetables that have been cut to look like noodles. Make this recipe vegetarian by substituting 8 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms in place of the bacon and using a vegetable stock or water.
- Alex Lau69/73
Miso Corn Soup
White miso is the mildest and sweetest type, which is why it’s called for in this quantity. Any less and you might not detect it at all.
- Photo by Alex Lau70/73
Aromatic Shrimp and Noodle Medicine Soup
A highly seasoned broth and robust cashew purée add layered flavor to this warming soup.
- Christopher Testani71/73
Cauliflower-Cashew Soup with Crispy Buckwheat
Simmering vegetables in a covered pot over low heat so that they steam in their own liquid—a French technique called à l'étouffée—is the ticket to achieving a soup with pronounced depth. We love this method with cauliflower, but also try it with celeriac or rutabagas.
- Alex Lau72/73
Monkfish and Cauliflower Chowder
The small bits of cauliflower gives the chowder broth a nice clean thickness.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich73/73
Brothy Chicken With Ginger and Bok Choy
Even steaming can overcook chicken. Keep the heat and steam gentle and remove it when it’s just firm and has a bit of spring when pressed.