53 Healthy Soup Recipes That Are Cozy and Comforting

Nothing chases away the chill like a cozy bowl of soup, especially one that’s made with plenty of good-for-you ingredients. Soup makes an easy, healthy lunch since it can be made ahead and stored in the freezer—and there are so many varieties to choose from that it’s nearly impossible to get bored of soup. Plus, many soups can be made from simple pantry staples like beans and pasta, so it's a great, budget-friendly meal, too. Whether you’re craving chicken noodle, minestrone or creamy broccoli Cheddar, you’ll find all the recipes you need right here—starting with this recipe that celebrates the humble cabbage. We use a box grater to make quick work of the veggies in this soup. The fine pieces simmer and melt into the broth, adding body, not to mention plenty of vitamins and minerals. Add some chopped flat-leaf parsley if you want a pop of color.

Made with convenient rotisserie chicken, this cozy noodle soup is a quick, nourishing way to enjoy a classic comfort food any night of the week.

This vibrant tomato and red lentil soup is both hearty and wholesome, delivering rich flavor and plant-based protein in every comforting spoonful.

Cozy up to a bowl of this easy chicken soup filled with fresh homemade egg noodles. The key is to make a quick 5-ingredient pasta dough and then simply grate it directly into store-bought chicken broth using a box grater. Rounded out with some veg and shredded rotisserie chicken, it’s a perfect freezer-friendly make-ahead weeknight dinner.

This healthy soup has the perfect balance of sweet from the slow-cooked leeks and fennel, smoky from the paprika and spicy from the chile flakes. Roasted red pepper and a touch of vinegar add tang, and the kale and smashed and whole cannellini beans give it heartiness and body. A sprinkle of umami-rich Parmesan on top makes it extra satisfying.

Chrysanthemum tofu is popular on social media for its unexpected display of tofu delicately cut to resemble a gorgeous flower floating in a bowl of soup. It’s a dish that’s considered a test of knife skills for Chinese chefs, but it’s also very doable (and inexpensive!) to master at home once you know a few tricks. We suggest you use wooden chopsticks, so you don’t accidentally cut through the soft tofu block, and to form your flower right on top of a plastic bowl scraper (sometimes called a dough scraper) so you can easily transfer it to your soup bowl. We found this technique even more successful than using one of the flower-making gadgets sold for the task. Chrysanthemum tofu can be served in a variety of clear broths, chicken being the most popular, but we’ve opted for a Japanese-style miso soup using dashi powder and miso paste; it’s delicious and ready in minutes.

This vibrant, healthy and satisfying lentil soup is packed with eight vegetables (10 if you include the herbs) and gets its fresh flavor from tomatillos and cilantro. Tender green lentils provide a hearty base, and there’s a little heat from jalapeño and poblano. The finishing touch of baby spinach, sweet peas and lime juice guarantees each bite is beautifully green and bright.

This creamy vegan soup is hearty enough for a whole meal, thanks to chickpeas and a host of vegetables. To make it even more filling, you can add a scoop of cooked rice or noodles just before serving. When selecting a vegetable broth for this recipe, try to find one that is lighter in color and flavor so it doesn't overpower the other components.

Simmer up this satisfying stew of rich, smoky flavors for what just might be your go-to one-pot meal. Kielbasa, kidney beans, bone broth and barley pack in protein from all sides for a generous 22 grams per serving, while celery, carrots, bell peppers and tomatoes give you plenty of excellent veggie nutrients. And with an ample eight servings you’re likely to have enough to enjoy later in the week or to freeze for longer storage — delicious, healthy and convenient!

Inspired by Greek avgolemono soup, the broth of this hearty pastina soup has a luscious mouthfeel because it’s thickened with tempered beaten eggs. The soup is studded with shredded chicken and kale, and the tender pastina gives this soup a creamy and comforting porridge-like consistency. A good squeeze of lemon juice and chopped fresh dill add the perfect amount brightness.

This flavorful and filling healthy soup is filled with mini turkey meatballs that are packed with veggies, plus tiny star-shaped pasta to add a little fun and heartiness. It’s a great dinner in a bowl that comes together in less than an hour.

This simple, hearty dish is pure Italian comfort food. Made with double carbs (chickpeas -- the “ceci” -- and ditalini!), it’s somewhere between a soup and a pasta, bringing the best qualities of both to one bowl. While it’s optional, the Parmesan rind adds a depth of flavor here as well as to other soups and stews, especially vegetarian ones. Whenever you finish a wedge of Parmesan, just wrap the leftover rind well in plastic and keep it in the fridge. The lemon zest and juice add a bright note to the broth that’s thickened by mashing some of the chickpeas. If you don’t have a potato masher, you can mash the chickpeas against the sides of the pot with a wooden spoon.

If you're looking for a hearty and healthful meal, consider this dried mushroom and barley soup. The barley adds nuttiness, a sprinkle of flour lends viscosity to the broth and the dried mushrooms provide meatiness and umami. If you have fresh mushrooms on hand, you can add them, too. The result is a deliciously nourishing, vegetarian dish that everyone will love.

Don't let that leftover bone from your smoked ham go to waste! Put it to use in this hearty, delicious soup, which can be made with ingredients you probably have in your fridge and pantry. It's nice if you have a little meat left clinging to the bone after you’ve carved off all the ham, but even if you don’t, the bone alone will add rich flavor and smokiness to the dish. You'll need to soak the dried beans overnight, so plan accordingly. Luckily this recipe makes a big batch as the soup keeps well in the freezer.

Fat-free evaporated milk is the secret ingredient in this creamy-yet-light soup.

Cozy up with a bowl of lentil soup. Alton's version is packed with fiber, potassium, folate and other B-vitamins.

Recipe developer Rick Martinez says, “In Mexico, dishes can be interpreted in so many different ways depending on your sazón (personal taste), what part of the country you live in and what fruits and vegetables grow there. Pozole verde is a dish that I have always loved, and anywhere I travel in Mexico, I need to try it.”

Ellie’s tomato soup boasts hints of Latin spice. Baked tortillas add texture without all the extra oil from deep-frying.

This delicious vegan stew has everything you need when you’re craving comfort but also want a healthy, nutritious meal. Pureeing the squash after it cooks makes it nice and creamy, no actual cream is required. Tomatoes give the stew a rounded flavor with acid and sweetness while harissa gives it satisfying spice that’s not overwhelmingly. The chickpeas add heartiness and protein and it’s a full meal in just one delicious plant-based bowl!

Made with wholesome ingredients, this hearty Persian soup is comforting and filling. You can add various herbs to suit your tastes other than the parsley, dill and cilantro used here. The addition of lemon juice at the very end gives a nice, bright flavor to the soup and complements the lamb well.

This Chinese chicken corn soup includes bites of tender chicken breast, ribbons of egg and a creamy broth of puréed corn. Sometimes called creamy corn soup, it’s a restaurant favorite that’s similar to egg drop soup and is quick and easy to make at home. Many versions use canned cream-style corn, but we preferred the brighter corn flavor of kernels. This recipe uses canned whole kernels, convenient for making the soup when sweet corn isn’t in season, but you can use fresh corn on the cob as well; just use the kernels from two ears instead.

Time--not wasted gas or energy--is the workhorse behind this soup. Simply sauté a handful of flavorful ingredients, add stock, bring to a boil, slap on the lid and turn off the heat. Walk away and when you come back, open the pot to a soup that tastes like it took hours to prepare. While optional, the Parmesan rind melts into the soup and adds a rich umami flavor. Make sure the lid is on tight though, as the rice will cook more slowly if steam is escaping.

This soup has so much delicious flavor (thanks to bacon, garlic, leeks and fresh rosemary) that you’ll find it hard to believe you’re eating healthy!

Giada's Spicy Bean Soup is warm, comforting and packed with tons of nutritious veggies.

This vegan soup offers a beautiful balance of flavors with earthy lotus root, sweet carrots and jujubes dates, warming ginger and savory mushrooms and peanuts. Although most recipes for lotus soup contain pork ribs we made this one vegan, using shiitake mushrooms to give the broth depth of flavor instead. Many of the ingredients require soaking, so be sure to start the process either the night before or in the morning so that you can have this nourishing hot soup ready by dinner.

Swiss chard, carrots, cannellini beans and spinach come together in Bobby's version of this hearty vegetable soup.

You may not think of adding bacon when you’re cooking something healthy but when used in moderation as it is here (less than one strip per bowl) it adds a great, smoky flavor for not too many calories.

Rachael’s thick, hearty “stoup” boasts an abundance of offerings from both land and sea.

A healthy meal is never out of reach, thanks to this soup that’s made with a ton of pantry and refrigerator staples. We use canned chickpeas and diced tomatoes, dried spices and always-on-hand veggies to whip up a delicious and satisfying soup in just 40 minutes.

Perfect for mopping up with crusty bread, Rachael’s three-bean minestrone packs some serious healthful flavor.

Potatoes, broccoli and Cheddar are a classic combination. Enjoy all three in this super-simple soup. It comes together with just 6 ingredients (plus cooking spray, salt and pepper).

The secret to this hearty soup's texture? A little flour added to the butter and aromatic vegetables at the beginning of the cooking process. It creates a roux which gives the finished soup a nice, thick broth.

Each ingredient adds flavor and depth to this comforting, aromatic soup: Ginger provides warming flavor, ginseng and dried tangerine peel add lightly bitter notes, red dates and goji berries contribute different levels of sweetness and balance, and shiitake mushrooms provide umami. A luxurious black silkie chicken — a small chicken with distinctive black skin found at Asian butcher or grocery shops — adds deliciously concentrated chicken flavor, although you can also use a Cornish hen.

Aarti lightly fries cumin seeds before adding other spices in order to ensure a well-rounded showcase of Indian flavors.

This soup requires a little bit of prep work (chopping chorizo and veggies) but, once that’s finished, the slow cooker does the rest of the work.

Packed with tender vegetables like carrots, leeks and potatoes, this hearty soup comes together quickly thanks to fast-cooking red lentils. A touch of harissa adds a kick, while a drizzle of spiced butter and crispy pita crisps on top elevate the dish with rich, savory flavors. The soup’s combination of comforting textures and bold seasonings makes it a perfect, satisfying weeknight meal.

Instead of simply adding cooked rice to this savory chicken soup, we blend it into a puree. It makes the soup a little heartier and thickens up the broth nicely.