Quick Soup Recipes

January 07, 2011
We've collected 60 soul-satisfying soup recipes that can be made in an hour or less, including chicken soup, vegetable soup, tomato soup, chowder, gazpacho, and more.
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Tortilla Soup with Black Beans

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A nourishing Mexican classic in only 15 minutes. Beans, a good-quality pantry staple, make this meal healthy, delicious, and affordable.

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Sausage and Kale Soup

Credit: WILLIAM MEPPEM
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The kale and smoked chicken sausage are among the last things to be added to the pot here. Much of the flavor comes from potatoes simmered simply in broth.

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Creamy Broccoli Soup

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We recommend having a blender ready to puree this silky green soup, but you can give the broccoli an extra chop before simmering if you only have a hand mixer.

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Bean and Pasta Soup

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To make a vegetarian version of this soup, replace the bacon with two tablespoons of olive oil and the chicken stock with vegetable stock. Add more seasoning to taste.

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Simple Chicken Noodle Soup

Parsnips are the secret ingredient in this simple but luscious chicken-noodle soup, adding a slight sweetness that marries the other flavors perfectly.Get the Simple Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

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15-Minute Lentil Soup

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Lentils, like beans, are great sources of fuel for your body. Serve with a little rice for a truly complete protein or with crunchy bread, as shown here.

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Beef and Coconut Soup with Crispy Shallots

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Panfried until crisp, shallots are served as a crunchy garnish; coconut milk and ginger, plus the heat of jalapeno, add up to Asian flavor.

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Creamy Corn Soup

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Capture the sweetness of fresh corn in this four-ingredient soup. Freeze portions for up to six months, and then heat them straight from the freezer.

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Wonton Soup

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Sometimes called "skins," wonton wrappers are often available in the produce aisle of supermarkets. Look for them next to egg-roll wrappers and tofu.

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Acorn Squash Bisque

Credit: David Loftus
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The smooth texture of acorn squash gives this pureed soup its character; only a little half-and-half and butter are needed.

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Creamy Celery Soup

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A quick, final stir of lemon juice after pureeing adds bite to this creamy and refreshing soup. For the tenderest texture, use celery hearts only.

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Sausage, Lentil, and Kale Soup

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Remove the casings from your sweet Italian sausages before browning them to add to the rustic nature of this soup. You can substitute spinach or chard for the kale if you like.

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Manhattan Fish Chowder

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Chunks of tilapia cook quickly in this full-bodied soup, which is pungent with tomatoes, clam juice, and a hint of bacon.

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White Bean Soup with Sausage and Collards

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If collards are not available in your area, substitute other frozen chopped greens, such as kale or turnip or mustard greens.

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Zucchini-Mint Soup

Credit: Antonis Achilleos
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Only half of the thinly sliced mint leaves are added directly to the soup; the other half are used as an herb garnish.

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Winter Vegetable Soup

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This quick one-pot soup -- brimming with squash, kale, and cannellini beans -- is perfect after a busy day.

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Soba Soup with Spinach

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Soba noodles have a nutty, slightly bready flavor, and are bursting with nutrition not found in wheat noodles. We've paired them here with leafy spinach and shiitake mushrooms for a simple, savory meal.

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Asian Dumpling Soup

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Only the broth and vegetables are up to you to make here; store-bought frozen dumplings are added to the pot near the end of the cooking.

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15-Minute White Bean Soup

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Mash some of the beans to thicken the broth of this hearty, 100 percent vegetarian soup. Sprinkle with Parmesan before serving.

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Seared Beef and Noodle Soup

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Searing the sirloin rather than cooking through, and then slicing thinly when serving, allows the beef to poach gently in your bowl.

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Asian Chicken and Chili Soup

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Rotisserie chicken works great with this quick and potent head-clearer. Use up to 3 teaspoons of chili sauce for more of a kick.

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Sweet Potato and Chipotle Soup

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This recipe captures both the creaminess of sweet potatoes and the richly layered warmth of chipotle peppers. Serve with a dollop of sour cream for a striking color contrast (and to cut the heat a little).

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Tortellini in Broth with Escarole

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It's possible to use frozen tortellini here; just be sure not to let the delicate escarole overcook as a result.

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Late-Summer Vegetable Soup

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We designed this recipe, which serves six, with freezing in mind. Turn a bounty of farm-stand vegetables into a soothing soup to stash away for the cooler months ahead.

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Black Bean Soup

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Our take on this Mexican standard starts with our own recipe for garlic-pepper sauce, or sofrito, a wonderful seasoning base for all sorts of other meals.

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Curried Carrot Soup

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When cooked thoroughly, carrots can be as creamy as any other root or vegetable when pureed, making them a wonderful vehicle for exotic flavors like curry.

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Asian Noodle Soup with Chicken and Snow Peas

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Bold flavors like lemongrass, mint, lime juice, and chile sauce make this the perfect soup for when a chill -- meteorological or constitutional -- comes over you. If you can't find fresh lemongrass, look for dried in the spice aisle.

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Broccoli Chowder with Corn and Bacon

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A quick roux pushes this thick and luscious chowder -- almost a baked potato in a bowl -- to the next level of creaminess.

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Cabbage-Vegetable Soup

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Cabbage has a long history as a restorative, making this quick and light soup -- which also includes leeks, carrots, celery, garlic, and potatoes -- the perfect cap to a long day.

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Classic Minestrone