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.
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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.
this soup challenge has been awesome! I loved all the recipes however the red lentil curry soup was my favorite. Red lentil soup has been a favorite the last few years, I remember the first time I made it my husband (not realizing it was meat free) said it was the best soup he ever had…the Simple Green recipe has given mine a run for it’s money. I am happy to say he likes this one too and it will definitely be a cold weather favorite from now on.
Sweater weather is so great for soups. Stay cozy Pamela!
I loved the whole experience of 10 days of healthy whole food plant based ingredients!
My favorite was the minestrone soup. I doubled the oregano and thyme to 1 tsp each. Perfect flavor!
I loved hearing others comments about altering ingredients making the soup delicious for them! I enjoyed learning about the recipe owners and their blogs. This was a great springboard for more exposure! I loved that I could just pin the recipe and have it available for later!!!
Wow! Where do I start? This has been such a fun 10 days of soup! I think it’s a three way tie between the Tomato, Thai Coconut, and the Black Bean. I have so thoroughly enjoyed knowing that I was feeding my family nutrient dense, good food! As a Mom to a 22, 20, and 16 year old…I’ve had my fair share of fast food nights! These recipes prove that with a little bit of prep, I can put together a quick and healthy dinner for my family. And funny thing, I’m not tired of soup yet! I’m on the hunt for a healthy version of a creamy potato soup!
Thanks to everyone who put this together!
This was a wonderful challenge, thank you for all these delicious recipes. I loved all of them. My favorite was the vegan tomato soup and then the minestrone soup. I took away from this challenge a 10 wonderful and healthy recipes to add to my weekly meal rotation. Thank you again!!
To be very honest I joined the 10 day Soup challenge in hopes of winning the Vitamix because I really need it and never owned it but boy oh boy just fell in love with the soups. I never thought I and the kids would be enjoying the soups everyday and those too only plant based. Today my teenager asked excited what is the soup of the day Simply Loved the experience. Thank you so much Jen for putting it together and sharing these amazing healthy soup recipes.
Favorite is hard to pick however if I have to I’ll pick carrot ginger soup however definitely will be making detox , coconut Thai ( with siracha) and roasted red pepper again and again.
Along the way I discovered unexpected love of soups, everyday fresh home cooking is not that hard and surprisingly found out that I’m not missing eating meat that much. ( Just had it a couple of times in 8/10 days). Maybe I’m ready to try plant based diet for a month or more that I’ve been planning to do forever but thought wouldn’t last that long.
Aniqa, this is so amazing! We love that your whole family has now fallen in love with these recipes. Hooray for homemade, plant based love straight from your kitchen!
this soup challenge has been awesome! I loved all the recipes however the red lentil curry soup was my favorite. Red lentil soup has been a favorite the last few years, I remember the first time I made it my husband (not realizing it was meat free) said it was the best soup he ever had…the Simple Green recipe has given mine a run for it’s money. I am happy to say he likes this one too and it will definitely be a cold weather favorite from now on.
Sweater weather is so great for soups. Stay cozy Pamela!
I loved the whole experience of 10 days of healthy whole food plant based ingredients!
My favorite was the minestrone soup. I doubled the oregano and thyme to 1 tsp each. Perfect flavor!
I loved hearing others comments about altering ingredients making the soup delicious for them! I enjoyed learning about the recipe owners and their blogs. This was a great springboard for more exposure! I loved that I could just pin the recipe and have it available for later!!!
Wow! Where do I start? This has been such a fun 10 days of soup! I think it’s a three way tie between the Tomato, Thai Coconut, and the Black Bean. I have so thoroughly enjoyed knowing that I was feeding my family nutrient dense, good food! As a Mom to a 22, 20, and 16 year old…I’ve had my fair share of fast food nights! These recipes prove that with a little bit of prep, I can put together a quick and healthy dinner for my family. And funny thing, I’m not tired of soup yet! I’m on the hunt for a healthy version of a creamy potato soup!
Thanks to everyone who put this together!
This was a wonderful challenge, thank you for all these delicious recipes. I loved all of them. My favorite was the vegan tomato soup and then the minestrone soup. I took away from this challenge a 10 wonderful and healthy recipes to add to my weekly meal rotation. Thank you again!!
To be very honest I joined the 10 day Soup challenge in hopes of winning the Vitamix because I really need it and never owned it but boy oh boy just fell in love with the soups. I never thought I and the kids would be enjoying the soups everyday and those too only plant based. Today my teenager asked excited what is the soup of the day Simply Loved the experience. Thank you so much Jen for putting it together and sharing these amazing healthy soup recipes.
Favorite is hard to pick however if I have to I’ll pick carrot ginger soup however definitely will be making detox , coconut Thai ( with siracha) and roasted red pepper again and again.
Along the way I discovered unexpected love of soups, everyday fresh home cooking is not that hard and surprisingly found out that I’m not missing eating meat that much. ( Just had it a couple of times in 8/10 days). Maybe I’m ready to try plant based diet for a month or more that I’ve been planning to do forever but thought wouldn’t last that long.
Aniqa, this is so amazing! We love that your whole family has now fallen in love with these recipes. Hooray for homemade, plant based love straight from your kitchen!