27 Family-Friendly Soups You'll Want to Make This Spring

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.

Full of a comforting tomato base and plenty of fresh spinach, the spicy sausage is a zingy, flavorful addition to this easy soup recipe. If you want to make the soup ahead of time, save the tortellini for shortly before serving so that it doesn't get soggy and break apart.

This comforting and creamy slow-cooker soup is loaded with earthy, umami flavor from the mushrooms and soy sauce.  Puréeing only some of the slow-cooker mushroom soup gives the dish complex texture and eye appeal. Garnish with additional black pepper and chopped fresh thyme, if desired.

This luscious and healthy cream of carrot soup comes together with just 15 minutes of active time, thanks to the Instant Pot (or any other pressure cooker). For an even easier dish, use an immersion blender to puree the soup--you'll only have the Instant Pot insert to clean after cooking. Serve this soup as a starter for a holiday meal or with crusty bread and a salad for dinner any night.

Recite your ABC's while you enjoy this kid-friendly soup that you can feel good about serving--it's packed with healthy vegetables. If you can't find alphabet noodles, any small pasta (like orzo) will work.

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.

Classic chicken noodle soup gets a healthy upgrade with low-sodium chicken broth, whole-wheat egg noodles and tons of vegetables. To get a homemade stock flavor using store-bought broth, we simmer bone-in chicken breasts in the broth before adding the rest of the soup ingredients. But you're short on time, feel free to use pre-cooked chicken and start the recipe at step 2.

Rather than using store-bought tortilla chips, which are usually deep-fried, we skip the mess (and dangerous hot oil) by baking the corn tortillas instead. The result is a crispy topping that saves on sodium and completes a bowl of this healthy chicken soup.

Ajiaco celebrates a key crop in the Andes Mountains region, where more than 4,000 potato varieties are grown. There are three types in this soup. Cookbook author and food stylist Mariana Velásquez uses russets to stand in for Sabanera potatoes, which practically dissolve into the broth, giving it body. Yukon Golds and tiny creamer potatoes replace Pastusas and Criollas—the former lends a golden hue and the latter a sweet, almost buttery flavor. Guascas—a fragrant herb also known as galinsoga, gallant soldier or potato weed—imparts a slightly bitter taste unmatched by anything else, Velásquez says. (Look for it dried online or in the few Colombian markets in the U.S.; you can also find it fresh at farmers' markets.) The soup takes her back to her childhood in Bogotá. She remembers one Friday each month being "Ajiaco Day" at her all-girls school. "They would bring the bowls of broth to each of us and then place the avocados, corn, chicken, capers and cream in the center of the table," she says. "It was the most special lunch and we all loved it."

This light, creamy white bean soup is richly flavored thanks to plenty of beans, veggies and Parmesan cheese. Blending half of the soup at the end adds its signature creaminess without adding cream.

This quick chicken orzo soup has warm, comforting flavors from the perfect combination of broth, chicken and vegetables. The orzo makes it filling without weighing it down.

To make a flavorful base for this soup—while still using some shortcuts—we pressure-cook store-bought broth with ginger, garlic, scallions, soy sauce and Shaoxing rice wine.

This roasted cauliflower soup recipe is the perfect balance of texture and flavor. Lemon juice adds brightness while crushed red pepper adds a touch of heat. Toasted nuts bring a bit of crunch to this creamy soup.

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.

This easy chicken and broccoli soup is creamy and luscious, but still light. The broccoli florets absorb the creamy soup base, while the chicken stays tender. This is the perfect soup to make on a busy weeknight when you have leftover roast chicken or rotisserie chicken on hand. While the recipe calls for chicken breasts, if thighs are what you have on hand, feel free to use those.

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.

The creamy, tangy cheese in this broccoli-Cheddar soup melts beautifully and can be bound and thickened with rice flour to keep it gluten-free if needed. The broccoli stays green and adds texture to the pureed base. Enjoy as an appetizer soup or pair it with a green salad for a light dinner or lunch.

You won't miss the meat in this easy vegetarian split pea soup. We use finely grated Parmesan cheese to infuse the soup with a rich, savory flavor. Fresh thyme leaves add floral notes, with extra added for an attractive garnish before serving.

This cheesy broccoli-potato soup is super creamy and has a lot of broccoli flavor from using both the florets and stems. The white-wine vinegar helps to balance out the broccoli flavor and adds a bit of complexity to the soup. Topping with cheese and chives gives it a loaded baked potato feel.

This lemon orzo soup is bright and lively. Poaching chicken in store-bought broth is an easy way to enrich the soup and provide an extra depth of flavor.

Spinach adds bright green color to this vegan broccoli soup. The rest of the flavors are balanced nicely by lemon zest and juice, while beans make this soup hearty and filling.

Fans of split pea soup will go crazy for bowls of this version that requires almost no hands-on time. If you sop up every last drop of this slow-cooker split pea soup, fantastic; if you have leftovers, even better--it might just be tastier the next day once the flavors have melded. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs, if desired.

This bubbling stewlike soup is a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken or turkey--and a perfect excuse to indulge in crispy, puffy tater tots. This easy dinner recipe is sure to be a hit with the whole family.

Blitzed cauliflower gives this very easy vegan soup recipe its creamy taste without adding any dairy. To get the silkiest texture, puree the soup in a blender rather than using an immersion blender.

This lemony asparagus soup is spiced with a touch of curry and gets added richness from "lite" coconut milk and creamy red potatoes. Top it with a dollop of crème fraîche or plain yogurt and serve warm or chilled.

This fragrant, Italian-flavored soup takes advantage of quick-cooking ingredients--boneless, skinless chicken breast, bagged baby spinach and canned beans. It features a simple homemade basil pesto swirled in at the end to add a fresh herb flavor. If you are very pressed for time, you can substitute 3 to 4 tablespoons of a store-bought basil pesto. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

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.