These healthy soup recipes are made for crisp fall days and busy weeknights. From red lentil soup and creamy vegan broccoli to 1-pot vegetable noodle and slow cooker minestrone, all 15 are hearty, flavor-packed, and easy to make ahead. Grab a big pot, pick a favorite, and keep bowls ready for the week.
This post may contain affiliate links.
Soup doesn’t just keep us warm. It comforts, fills the house with the best cozy aromas of the season, and makes it easy to eat more vegetables without even trying. Every one of these healthy soup recipes is built on whole-food ingredients like lentils, beans, potatoes, broccoli, and carrots, so the bowls are filling, satisfying, and full of plant-based protein and fiber (the red lentil soup has 21g protein + 25g fiber, and the split pea soup has 14g protein + 16g fiber).
Start the slow cooker minestrone in the morning and dinner is ready by evening, because the longer a soup simmers, the more flavorful it gets. Save your veggie scraps to make my Homemade Vegetable Stock— the flavor is unreal (and it’s free!). As fall settles in, this lineup is perfect for chilly evenings, meal prep Sundays, or anytime you want something hearty and wholesome.
These five are the soups readers come back to again and again. They each bring big, cozy flavor with simple steps, and they’re all great for making ahead. Start here if you’re not sure which pot to fill first, then keep the leftovers for lunches all week.
1
Vegan Tomato Soup
4.64 (670)
The tomato soup of my childhood, all grown up. Zucchini and carrots disappear into a silky, creamy blend (nobody will ever know), and a swirl of cashew cream seals the deal. Stock pot + immersion blender, 50 minutes.
Thick, cozy, and ridiculously easy. Red lentils melt into a spiced, stew-like bowl with fire-roasted tomatoes and a bright squeeze of lemon. No soaking, minimal chopping, 21g protein + 25g fiber. One large pot, 45 minutes.
Creamy, zesty, and just spicy enough, with tofu, mushrooms, and zucchini noodles in a lime-brightened coconut broth. It's a cookbook favorite and a soup on repeat at my house. One saucepan, 45 minutes.
Sweet carrots and zingy ginger get a silky upgrade from blended cashews and coconut milk. It's basically a warm smoothie you can sip right from a jar. Saucepan + immersion blender, 40 minutes.
Taco night in a bowl. Tortilla chips blend right into the smoky broth for a creamy, dairy-free body, and the toppings (avocado, corn, cilantro, extra chips) are the best part. Stock pot + immersion blender, 45 minutes.
Fewer dishes, more flavor. These healthy soups simmer in a single pot, Instant Pot, or slow cooker, so cleanup stays super easy. Choose a 15-minute ramen for a fast weeknight, a set-it-and-forget-it minestrone for a busy day, or a big pot of split pea or black bean soup to stock the fridge for the week.
6
Instant Vegetarian Ramen
4.45 (117)
Restaurant-style ramen without the restaurant price tag. Shiitake mushrooms, bok choy, and crisp veggies float in a savory tamari-sesame broth, with 14g protein per bowl. One pot + one skillet, 15 minutes.
Dump, seal, and walk away. Dried black beans cook from scratch (no soaking!) in smoky cumin, oregano, and salsa, then get a squeeze of lime. 12g protein + 13g fiber. Instant Pot + immersion blender, 1 hour 10 minutes.
My plant-based answer to chicken noodle soup, and yes, it tastes legit. Golden turmeric broth, tender carrots, and fusilli noodles, and it freezes like a dream. One Dutch oven, 40 minutes.
Minestrone literally means “big soup,” and this one delivers. Cannellini beans, butternut squash, and kale simmer in a fragrant tomato broth, with a spoonful of basil pesto on top. Slow cooker, 4 hours 25 minutes.
Old-fashioned, stick-to-your-ribs comfort without the ham bone. Smoked paprika and thyme bring the savory depth, and lemon and mustard stirred in at the end make it sing. 14g protein + 16g fiber. One stock pot, 1 hour 20 minutes.
Silky, velvety, and completely dairy-free. Potatoes, cashews, cauliflower, and coconut milk do the creamy work in these five cozy soups, so you get that rich, silky, spoonable texture with no dairy cream at all. Top with kale croutons, cashew cream, or toasted pepitas, then serve with crusty bread for the coziest bowl of the fall season.
11
Creamy Vegetable Soup
4.70 (182)
My lazy-day soup, made with frozen veggies, cannellini beans, and a rich, dairy-free cashew cream. Savory, filling, and even better the next day. Soup pot + blender, 40 minutes.
Potatoes do the creamy heavy lifting while broccoli keeps its bright, tender bites, and nutritional yeast brings a cheesy finish. 14g protein and on the table in 25 minutes. One saucepan + immersion blender.
No dairy, no problem. Golden potatoes and cauliflower blend into something velvety and deeply comforting, topped with crispy kale croutons you'll want to eat by the handful. Dutch oven + blender, 45 minutes.
The sleeper hit of the bunch. It sounds plain, but potatoes and cashews turn celery into a silky, herby, lemony bowl with 11g protein. Large pot + immersion blender, 30 minutes.
This delicious jalapeño vegan corn chowder is hearty and packed with 12 grams protein, providing a creamy texture without any dairy, and a kick of heat to warm you from the inside out.
Sometimes you find a soup recipe in need of a bit of oomph. I get it (I put hot sauce on a lot of dishes).
Fresh herbs: finely minced herbs can add a delightful flavor explosion to any soup. Try minced scallions, basil, tarragon, basil and dill.
Cashew Cream: A good vegan sour cream can provide depth and creaminess to almost any recipe. If you’d add sour cream to a soup, then you can add this!
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto: There’s just something about pesto that instantly levels up a recipe. I love adding a dollop of vegan pesto to a good vegetable soup. It’s just so good! I’ve got a few different variations you can try, and they all freeze well.
Vegan Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan is a staple in many American households. This vegan cheese sprinkle certainly gives Kraft’s a run for its money, and its made with real ingredients that really do add a cheesy finish to your dish.
I’m the mom who swapped Lucky Charms for green smoothies— and never looked back. Here you’ll find smoothie recipes and plant-based recipes made simple and tasty.
Living with someone that does not really like or even enjoy eating veggies made this challenge just that, a challenge.
But not surprisingly there were at least a few soups that have been added to the “Needs Repeating” recipe book. The Thai Coconut Soup was the biggest hit with the pickiest of eaters.
Which was very surprising because she is not a big fan of coconut or veggies and was dreading eating that one the whole time. But then she reached for the ladle to get another helping. Winner-Winner, Veggie Soup Dinner.
However, modifications were made. I used 2 cans of coconut milk and added one (1) cup of veggie broth then frying the curry paste in a bit of canola oil before adding the coconut milk helped with bringing out the flavor more as well.
Also, my elderly parents enjoyed their soup deliveries when we had too much left over. They would call at night asking if there was any of that day’s soup left for them to try.
I am sure that they want to try more of what Simple Green Smoothies has to offer. So… challenge accepted.
As stated previously, I made several modifications and have a few more that we want to try on some of the soups as well.
For example using Spicy Red Pepper Soup as a stock/base to change the flavor profile of the other soups or to reduce down to make a pizza sauce.
Looking forward to more challenges in the future.
Falling in love with new recipes and veggies, sharing soup with family – this sounds like you had an amazingly successful challenging challenge Warren. Way to rawk it!
Was a very delicious 10 day challenge. My favorite recipe was the smoky corn chowder!!! Shared with my mom and sister and they both loved the flavor as much as I do!
Filling but not heavy!! Crusty bread and meal is complete.
LOVED this challenge!! Really enjoyed finding some new favorites and some new recipes to try! Ended up full and happy with every recipe! Annnnndddd…. one result was that I lost some weight to boot!! Yay me!! Even my husband, who is not a big “soup guy” (It’s okay for him, but he doesn’t crave it like I do!) said that he was enjoying this challenge. Win!! !! My favorite was the Thai Coconut — yum!!! So delicious and so crave-able. Thanks for this fantastic challenge and the fantastic recipes! Come on, fall and winter, I ‘m ready for ya!! :- )
LOVED this challenge!! Really enjoyed finding some new favorites and some new recipes to try! Ended up full and happy with every recipe! Annnnndddd…. one result was that I lost some weight to boot!! Yay me!! Even my husband, who is not a big “soup guy” (It’s okay for him, but he doesn’t crave it like I do!) said that he was enjoying this challenge. Win!! 🙂 !! My favorite was the Thai Coconut — yum!!! So delicious and so crave-able. Thanks for this fantastic challenge and the fantastic recipes! Come on, fall and winter, I ‘m ready for ya!! :- )
This 10 day soup challenge was a good experience for me; it got me used to the preparation process and introduced me to different ways to use the spices. My two favorites were the vegan tomato soup, the classic minestrone, and the detox soup. I did not like the vegan chicken noodle soup, or the roasted pepper soup, or the black bean soup, but I ended up liking the carrot ginger soup, and the detox soup ended up being one of my favorites, even though I was not looking forward to making either one of those. I had trouble rating the last few soups as it was not clear how to do so and a couple of them said I made duplicate comments, which I hadn’t, so I don’t understand that. It could have been more user friendly, but I am not very tech savvy anyway.
Thanks for the challenge!
Living with someone that does not really like or even enjoy eating veggies made this challenge just that, a challenge.
But not surprisingly there were at least a few soups that have been added to the “Needs Repeating” recipe book. The Thai Coconut Soup was the biggest hit with the pickiest of eaters.
Which was very surprising because she is not a big fan of coconut or veggies and was dreading eating that one the whole time. But then she reached for the ladle to get another helping. Winner-Winner, Veggie Soup Dinner.
However, modifications were made. I used 2 cans of coconut milk and added one (1) cup of veggie broth then frying the curry paste in a bit of canola oil before adding the coconut milk helped with bringing out the flavor more as well.
Also, my elderly parents enjoyed their soup deliveries when we had too much left over. They would call at night asking if there was any of that day’s soup left for them to try.
I am sure that they want to try more of what Simple Green Smoothies has to offer. So… challenge accepted.
As stated previously, I made several modifications and have a few more that we want to try on some of the soups as well.
For example using Spicy Red Pepper Soup as a stock/base to change the flavor profile of the other soups or to reduce down to make a pizza sauce.
Looking forward to more challenges in the future.
Falling in love with new recipes and veggies, sharing soup with family – this sounds like you had an amazingly successful challenging challenge Warren. Way to rawk it!
Was a very delicious 10 day challenge. My favorite recipe was the smoky corn chowder!!! Shared with my mom and sister and they both loved the flavor as much as I do!
Filling but not heavy!! Crusty bread and meal is complete.
LOVED this challenge!! Really enjoyed finding some new favorites and some new recipes to try! Ended up full and happy with every recipe! Annnnndddd…. one result was that I lost some weight to boot!! Yay me!! Even my husband, who is not a big “soup guy” (It’s okay for him, but he doesn’t crave it like I do!) said that he was enjoying this challenge. Win!! !! My favorite was the Thai Coconut — yum!!! So delicious and so crave-able. Thanks for this fantastic challenge and the fantastic recipes! Come on, fall and winter, I ‘m ready for ya!! :- )
LOVED this challenge!! Really enjoyed finding some new favorites and some new recipes to try! Ended up full and happy with every recipe! Annnnndddd…. one result was that I lost some weight to boot!! Yay me!! Even my husband, who is not a big “soup guy” (It’s okay for him, but he doesn’t crave it like I do!) said that he was enjoying this challenge. Win!! 🙂 !! My favorite was the Thai Coconut — yum!!! So delicious and so crave-able. Thanks for this fantastic challenge and the fantastic recipes! Come on, fall and winter, I ‘m ready for ya!! :- )
This 10 day soup challenge was a good experience for me; it got me used to the preparation process and introduced me to different ways to use the spices. My two favorites were the vegan tomato soup, the classic minestrone, and the detox soup. I did not like the vegan chicken noodle soup, or the roasted pepper soup, or the black bean soup, but I ended up liking the carrot ginger soup, and the detox soup ended up being one of my favorites, even though I was not looking forward to making either one of those. I had trouble rating the last few soups as it was not clear how to do so and a couple of them said I made duplicate comments, which I hadn’t, so I don’t understand that. It could have been more user friendly, but I am not very tech savvy anyway.
Thanks for the challenge!