Making soup from scratch is a great way to use up your late summer bounty and newly in-season veggies, like butternut squash and sweet potato. Skip the store-bought versions and try some of our favorite takes on classic, comforting recipes that taste even better homemade. From our highly-rated Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili to our classic-but-elevated Sichuan Ramen Cup of Noodles with Cabbage & Tofu, these hearty bowls are the adaptable, better-for-you version of anything you’ll find on the shelf.
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Tomato Soup
Sonia Bozzo
This healthy tomato soup recipe is perfect paired with your favorite grilled cheese sandwich. Make a double batch and freeze the extra for rainy-day emergencies.
Sheet-Pan Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower
Roasting the vegetables in the oven before blending them intensifies their flavors, resulting in a deeply rich and flavorful fall soup. We love the sweet and nutty flavor of butternut squash, but any winter squash with a similar texture, such as acorn, honeynut or kabocha squash, can be used in its place.
Classic Chicken Soup
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Styling: Abby Armstrong
Classic chicken noodle soup gets a healthy upgrade with low-sodium chicken broth, whole-wheat egg noodles and tons of vegetables. 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. But you’re short on time, feel free to use pre-cooked chicken and start the recipe at step 2.
Healthy Cream of Mushroom Soup
This healthy version of the traditional cream of mushroom soup calls for you to puree half of the soup for that rich, creamy mouthfeel and leave the other half as is for hits of meaty texture. Don’t skip the parsley and tarragon as both add a nice pop of color, and their flavors play so well with the mushrooms. Be sure to brown the mushrooms well as that’ll add even more depth to the soup.
Sichuan Ramen Cup of Noodles with Cabbage & Tofu
The Sichuan province in the southwestern corner of China is known for its fiery dishes. Here, the richness of tahini tempers the spicy chile paste in this cup-of-noodles-style mason jar soup recipe. This vegan cup soup is packed with 19 grams of protein to keep you satisfied until your next meal. You can grind the Sichuan peppercorns in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, or crush them with the bottom of a heavy skillet.
Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili
Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke
Make a double batch of this quick vegetarian chili, full of black beans and sweet potatoes, and eat it for lunch the next day or freeze the extras for another night.
Best Chicken Tortilla Soup
Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food stylist: Ruth Blackburn
Hominy adds mild corn flavor, while poblanos provide smokiness in this chicken tortilla soup recipe. Spices like cumin, coriander and smoked paprika bring a bold flavor that’s balanced by fresh lime juice.
