17 Creamy Mediterranean Soups for a Warm and Hearty Meal

This satisfying stew comes together in a snap. Mashed chickpeas add body to the broth, and tomato paste adds a savory note without piling on the sodium. To simplify the prep, look for chopped fresh onion and shredded carrot or a soup starter mix in the produce section.

Rosemary has a strong flavor, but offers only a subtle hint in this spinach soup. If you like, any seasonal greens you have on hand can be substituted for the spinach.

Ribollita, a traditional hearty Tuscan soup, typically uses day-old bread to add body and thicken the broth. This ribollita recipe uses a bean mash, which keeps the soup gluten-free and adds fiber. Garnish with extra-virgin olive oil or pepper and grated Parmesan.

This simple and healthy cream of broccoli soup recipe gets its flavor from a mixture of aromatic vegetables, including leeks and celery. Using an immersion blender (or regular blender) gives it a smooth, creamy texture. Enjoy this easy homemade cream of broccoli soup as a comforting appetizer or pair it with a sandwich or salad for lunch or dinner.

A little fresh goat cheese and a touch of butter are just enough to make this spinach soup silky, creamy and a little nutty--but not enough to overdo it. We use dark green spinach for this soup because of the lovely color it produces, though you could use red-veined spinach and have just as good a flavor in a more Army-inspired khaki color.

This easy carrot soup recipe is a great way to use up a bag of carrots that were forgotten in your produce drawer. The carrots cook together with aromatics like onions, garlic and fresh herbs before being puréed into a silky smooth soup that's delicious for dinner or packed up for lunch.

This cream of asparagus soup is velvety and elegant, yet simple to prepare. The onion and garlic add flavor but don't overpower the soup, and the fresh tarragon melds well with the asparagus.

This healthy cauliflower soup recipe gets its great flavor from two smoked ingredients--paprika and Gouda. A hearty serving of crunchy croutons makes it filling.

White gazpacho is made with bread, almonds, grapes and garlic and is one of the traditional Spanish gazpacho variations. In this white gazpacho soup recipe we add cucumbers and honeydew, whir it in a blender and it becomes silky, a little toasty (from the almonds) and refreshing.

This thick soup is full of chickpeas, tomatoes, fresh rosemary and pasta. Convenient pantry items makes it the perfect solution for harried weeknights. To make this soup vegetarian simply swap reduced-sodium vegetable broth for the beef broth.

A simple pea soup makes an elegant start to a spring meal. It's also a great way to use frozen vegetables when the produce section is looking bleak.

This creamy soup is packed with savory flavor from Italian sausage and bacon. But don't worry, we tucked in healthy ingredients too, like kale and white beans, for added nutrition and fiber to round out a healthy dinner or packable lunch.

This creamy vegetarian soup recipe is brimming with veggies, and prep is easy thanks to the convenience of mixed frozen vegetables and tender baby lima beans. There's no need to thaw the beans and veggies before adding them to the pot—they can go in frozen and, in no time, you'll be enjoying a creamy, comforting vegetarian soup the whole family will love.

This simple tomato soup is perfect paired with your favorite grilled cheese sandwich. Make a double batch and freeze the extra for rainy-day emergencies.

Smoked paprika and smoked Gouda give this broccoli-and-cheese soup recipe a double hit of smoky flavor. If you can't find smoked Gouda, smoked Cheddar gives delicious results as well.

There's no cream in this silky mushroom soup. Pureed potatoes give this vegan mushroom soup its creamy texture. Be sure to use Yukon Gold--russets don't provide quite the right texture.

In this fast asparagus soup recipe, potato adds creaminess without adding cream. Double or triple this soup and freeze the leftovers for a quick lunch.