30 Soup Recipes Perfect for Summer

August 05, 2020

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While soup might not be the first thing that comes to mind in the summer, these recipes are perfect for using up the season’s fresh produce. We pack these soups with ingredients like tomatoes, corn and squash to create a healthy meal. Whether it’s a cold soup or a seafood-packed chowder, these soup recipes are delicious. Recipes like Lobster & Corn Chowder and Summer Tomato Gazpacho are refreshing, tasty and make the most of seasonal produce.

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Easy Tomato Gazpacho

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Many gazpacho recipes are thickened with bread, but this one uses just vegetables, making it a gluten-free refresher for a hot summer day. The key to any flavorful gazpacho is giving it time to rest. The flavors meld and become cohesive when the soup is allowed to sit a bit before serving. Source: EatingWell.com, July 2018

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Lobster & Corn Chowder

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The trick to making this healthy lobster chowder recipe have tons of rich flavor is to start with great fish stock. (The best is often in the freezer case at the supermarket.) Then cook the lobsters in the stock to intensify its flavor. There is no flour added in this healthy soup, so it's lighter than a typical creamy chowder--plus it's gluten-free. Source: EatingWell Magazine, July/August 2017

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Ravioli & Vegetable Soup

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Fresh or frozen ravioli cook in minutes and turn this light vegetable soup into a main course. Look for whole-wheat or whole-grain ravioli in the refrigerated or frozen section of the supermarket. Tortellini can be used instead of ravioli as well. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell. Source: EatingWell Soups Special Issue April 2016

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Cucumber-Almond Gazpacho

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Not all gazpachos are red. In this healthy white gazpacho recipe, we use cucumbers, yellow bell pepper and unsweetened almond milk for more savory results. Source: EatingWell Magazine, Soup Cookbook

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Roasted Tomato and Vegetable Soup

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This veggie-packed side-dish vegetable soup can be made in the slow cooker. Just make a few tweaks (see Variation). Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Instant Pot Summer Corn & Crab Chowder

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Sweet corn and tender lump crabmeat go together wonderfully to make this rich, hearty chowder. This colorful, quick and easy Instant Pot soup makes a great starter for a summertime meal. Source: 400 Calorie Recipes

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Creamy Cucumber Dill Soup

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A combination of avocado and yogurt gives juicy cucumber just the right amount of creaminess in this rich chilled cucumber soup. Source: EatingWell Magazine, June 2020

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Summer Tomato Gazpacho

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This easy gazpacho recipe is a great way to use less-than-beautiful-but-still-great-tasting tomatoes since they get whirled up in a food processor. The chilled soup is served here with Mexican sour gherkins--bite-size cucumbers that look like mini watermelons and have a slightly sour flavor. Look for them at your farmers' market. Source: EatingWell Magazine, July/August 2019

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Coconut-Lime Pea Soup

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The sweet taste of fresh peas pairs nicely with the coconut and lime flavors in this Greek yogurt-based soup. Topped with delicious pan-seared scallops and fresh basil, this island-inspired recipe is ready in just 25 minutes. If you'd like, skip the scallops and serve it cold on a hot day. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Strawberry-Lemon Thyme Soup

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Sweet strawberries are paired with aromatic lemon thyme in this beautiful chilled soup recipe that's perfect for special occasions. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Squash & Corn Chowder

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In this healthy corn chowder recipe, heavy cream is replaced with milk and flour-thickened chicken broth and we keep sodium amounts reasonable with lower-sodium broth. By making your own homemade creamy vegetable and corn chowder, you'll save up to 300 calories, 20 grams of saturated fat and 500 milligrams of sodium per serving compared to many store-bought or restaurant chowders. Source: EatingWell Magazine, Soup Cookbook

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Avocado Soup

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Avocado is the star of this light, flavorful soup served chilled to take away summer's heat. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Golden Summer Squash & Corn Soup

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Pureed summer squash makes a delicious base for this summery squash and corn soup. Start your meal with the soup or enjoy it as a light lunch. Fresh thyme and briny feta cheese give it fabulous flavor. For a variation, try the soup with any herb you have on hand or goat cheese in place of feta. Source: EatingWell Magazine, July/August 2009

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Green Tomatillo Gazpacho

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Make this cold soup in the middle of summer, when garden tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers are at their peak. Start with 1 cup of broth, adding more to reach the desired consistency. Very ripe (and juicy) summer tomatoes will need less broth; less-ripe tomatoes will need more. Source: EatingWell Magazine, Soup Cookbook

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Chilled Melon Soup

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This refreshing summer soup is a great starter for dinner on the patio on a summer evening. Try any variety of melon in this recipe. Serve leftover soup with salad for lunch the next day. Source: EatingWell Magazine, July/August 2009

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Cold Cream of Cucumber Soup with Shrimp

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This chilled creamy shrimp soup delivers slices of cool cucumber and zesty radishes in each bite. Topped with toasted walnuts, it's a refreshing lunch on a hot summer day. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Spicy Cioppino

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San Francisco's Italian immigrants developed this stew to use the abundant local seafood. We've opted for farm-raised tilapia and scallops, but feel free to experiment with whatever is fresh.

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Creamy Corn Soup with Crispy Bacon

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Using fat-free milk and reduced-sodium chicken broth makes this classic corn soup a healthier option, but still allows for a creamy taste. Sprinkle some bacon on top for a punch of extra flavor and crunch. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Herby White Gazpacho

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This take on gazpacho replaces the tomato with melon or grapes for a sweeter taste and gets its silky texture from Marcona almonds. If you can't find them, use skinless almonds and add 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch more salt. Source: EatingWell Magazine, July / August 2020

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Summer Corn Tortilla Soup

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Take advantage of local fresh corn and whip up this 40-minute Mexican-inspired summer soup recipe. It's topped with creamy avocado slices and crispy corn tortillas, but you can make it next-level by adding a dollop of nonfat plain yogurt, a bit of grated Cheddar, and/or chopped scallions. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Green Vegetable Minestrone

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Minestrone is sort of a catch-all Italian term for soup, but it's always a welcome meal, especially when it's fortified, as it is here, with plenty of vegetables and protein-packed chickpeas. If you want a little more bite, consider substituting mildly bitter escarole for the chard. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September 1998

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Asparagus & Sorrel Bisque

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Sorrel, a lovely spring green, is paired with asparagus in this simple green soup that's great served warm or cool. Use tender, young sorrel in salads or sauces to cut through the richness of foods like salmon or steak. No sorrel on hand? Baby arugula makes a good substitute. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May/June 2018

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Spicy Gazpacho with Crab

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Gazpacho soup is a warm weather favorite and this one adds crab to the traditional ingredients of tomato, onion, cucumber, and bell pepper, making it higher in protein while keeping it low in fat. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Manhattan Clam Chowder

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There's long been a feud between Manhattan's tomato-based clam chowder and the cream-based New England clam chowder. No matter which you prefer, you can't deny that this easy clam chowder will put dinner on the table before you can finish the debate. Source: EatingWell Magazine, November/December 2012

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Chilled Strawberry-Rhubarb Soup

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Sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb are whirled together in this chilled soup. Serve it as a starter for an early-summer supper. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May/June 2011

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Summer Fresh Gazpacho with Cucumber Topping

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Watermelon, cucumber, and fresh lime juice make this Summer Fresh Gazpacho uniquely delicious and refreshing. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Aztec Corn Chowder

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Use your slow cooker to create this tasty vegetarian soup. If you like a little kick, a few drops of hot sauce does the trick. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Roasted Tomato-Bread Soup

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Tomatoes, onions and garlic develop a deep, rich flavor when roasted. A mix of different colored cherry tomatoes will add a playful note. This soup is adapted from a recipe in Amy Goldman's book The Heirloom Tomato: From Garden to Table (Bloomsbury USA, 2008). Source: EatingWell Magazine, July/August 2010

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Yellow Gazpacho

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The yellow vegetables of summer--fresh corn, yellow tomatoes and yellow peppers--make this slightly sweet gazpacho soup recipe a beautiful and delicious alternative to red gazpacho. Source: EatingWell Magazine, July/August 2013

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Spiced Blueberry Soup

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Delightful and refreshing, this chilled soup works as an appetizer, dessert or snack. If using frozen blueberries, cover the pan in Step 1 to bring the cold blueberry mixture to a boil more quickly.

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