There's nothing like a good, substantial soup for dinner to set you right at the end of a long day. It's a wonderfully homey meal, and any leftovers make a great lunch the following day. The hearty soup Recipes in this gallery are wide-ranging, but every one of them is filling enough that it can stand on its own for dinner (though a side salad or a good loaf of bread is never a bad idea!).
Some are meaty, others get their heft from lentils or canned beans. Several of our favorites are vegetable-heavy. Some cook long and slow, while others come together fast. Whichever recipe you choose, you’ll be rewarded with a soothing bowl of soup to satiate your hunger and provide comfort in a bowl.
Escarole and Bean Soup
Filling soups needn't be heavy on the meat. This hearty meal uses two types of canned beans, chickpeas and red kidney beans, and comes together in just 25 minutes. It's an excellent option for a busy weeknight meal.
Almond Chicken Soup with Sweet Potato, Collards, and Ginger
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Easy to put together in about 25 minutes, this is one of our all-time favorite soup-for-dinner Recipes. It's packed with Healthy ingredients like sweet potatoes and collards in chicken broth that's enriched with a secret ingredient—almond butter. The nut butter gives the soup a creamy mouthfeel.
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Rachel Marek
Another quick recipe that tastes like it cooked long and slow, this chicken soup takes 35 minutes from start to bowl and makes a filling dinner. How do we make a hearty soup for dinner in so little time? By using a few smart shortcuts in this recipe: boneless skinless chicken thighs rather than a whole chicken and store-bought broth rather than homemade as well as a wild rice blend (which contains cooked wild rice and other grains) rather than slower cooking wild rice.
Vegetable Bean Soup
Brie Goldman
Similar to a minestrone, this vegetable bean soup is hearty and comforting, protein-rich, and packed with fiber. It’s also endlessly versatile, you can swap in the vegetables you have and use whatever canned beans are in your pantry.
Split Pea Soup With Ham
Carson Downing
Split pea soup might be a recipe that comes to mind when you want a soup for dinner that is hearty and comforting. Our version certainly fits the bill; ham and homemade croutons bring flavor and texture.
Smoky Black Bean Soup With Sausage
A quick soup that starts with basic canned black beans. Adding andouille sausage and canned fire-roasted tomatoes brings a delicious depth of flavor in just 40 minutes.
Peruvian Chicken Soup with Rice and Potatoes
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As with classic chicken soups, this Peruvian aguadito de pollo starts with a whole chicken to make a broth (plus extra chicken wings for even more flavor!), along with bay leaf, thyme, parsley, salt, and black peppercorns. What makes this unique are the rice and potatoes, which give it plenty of heft—and a generous amount of cilantro for a bright, fresh taste.
Shortcut Italian Wedding Soup
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A Parmesan rind is the powerhouse ingredient behind this fast and robust version of the classic soup. Instead of meatballs, you use sausage, which already has lots of flavor, and the soup also incorporates fennel, pastina, and escarole.
Lentil Soup with Crispy Kale
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This vegetarian lentil soup has a few creative twists that take it in a surprising (and delicious) new direction. While the lentils simmer with onion, carrots, and buttery shiitake mushrooms, you roast more mushrooms plus lacinato kale in the oven. Stirring in the roasted mushrooms at the end gives the soup an extra umami punch, and the crunchy kale chips are a tasty garnish.
Potato, Broccoli, and Cheddar Soup
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Broccoli is used two ways in this kid-friendly dish: it's simmered until tender for the soup base and roasted for the garnish. On the side, try classic ham sandwiches—they're just as comforting and familiar as this nostalgic soup.
Kale, White Bean, and Farro Soup
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Cannellini beans provide protein and fiber in this fragrant, steaming broth. It's loaded with vegetables (carrots, celery, and tomatoes), grains (farro, which gives it a pleasant chew), and herbs (fresh sage leaves lend an earthy note).
Classic Minestrone
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This beloved Italian soup has so much going for it: It's hearty, Healthy, and also totally flexible. A typical minestrone includes lots of leafy greens, other vegetables, and beans. Which to choose? You're only limited by the contents of your refrigerator and pantry. The only must: a smattering of grated Parmesan on top just before serving.
Green Coconut Zoodle Soup
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Versatile, delicious, and healthy spiralized vegetable noodles are terrific in soup such as this Asian-influenced vegan one. Cilantro and coconut milk give it a gorgeous hue and zippy flavor; baby bok choy and zucchini noodles give it toothsome texture and extra greenery; and roasted shiitake mushrooms and kabocha squash lend heft and depth.
Test Kitchen's Favorite Chicken Soup Made with a Whole Chicken
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Want a classic, go-to chicken noodle soup recipe? Look no further than this solid version, which starts with a whole chicken (ask your butcher to cut a chicken into pieces and give you the bacKBOne; it makes for a richer broth) and ends, hours later, with dill and lemon juice.
Customizable Vegetable Soup
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The choose-your-own-adventure formula of this smart recipe is designed for you to make a big batch of soup starring any vegetables you please. Use vegetable broth or water to make it vegetarian, and omit the Parmesan to make it vegan. Any vegetables work, from potatoes, parsnips, turnips, or squash, to green beans, broccoli, zucchini, peas, or corn.
Broken Wonton Soup
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No need to form wontons for this soothing soup! The wrappers go into the garlic-ginger broth separately from the filling (mini pork meatballs, which get a boost from soy sauce and cilantro). Vitamin-rich bok choy provides a welcome pop of green.
Lemony Quinoa and Spinach Soup
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Want something fresh? This delicate soup bursts with bright flavor thanks to spinach, dill, and lemon. It gets some heft from quinoa, which cooks quickly (just be sure to rinse the quinoa first to remove any bitterness).
Sweet Potato Sausage Soup
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This cool-weather soup tastes as if it's been cooking for hours, but it actually comes together in a flash. You start by cooking onion and garlic in oil; next, add sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Then come the diced sweet potatoes, broth, and water, followed by small pasta shells, and finally, chopped greens, such as kale or Swiss chard. Before you know it, you've got a deeply sweet and tasty dinner.
Pork and Cabbage Soup
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Two types of pork (bacon and spare ribs) and cabbage (Savoy and sauerkraut) are the stars in this version of the hearty Polish soup known as kapusniak. It's the perfect dish for a chilly night, even better when served with fresh dill, sour cream, seeded rye bread, and salted butter.
Ham or Lamb Bean Soup
Any white bean, such as Great Northern or Navy, can be used in this hearty soup for dinner. The recipe is also a great way to use up leftover baked ham or roasted lamb. It's a filling meal on its own but is especially nice alongside some good bread and cheese (try a tangy one, like blue or goat, which will be a nice counterpoint to the rich meat).
