22 Cozy & Bright Soups to Bring in Spring 

Carrot Soup
Photo: Photographer /Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Kay Clarke, Food Stylist / Emily Nabors Hall

Soups are the perfect meal for any season, and these healthy recipes are a great addition to your table. These soups highlight spring vegetables like carrots and peas, while still being cozy and comforting. Recipes like Carrot Soup and Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Kale are delicious ways to bring in a new season.

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Minestra Maritata (Italian Wedding Soup)

Bowl of Easy Italian Wedding Soup on a gray cloth background

Forget the marble-size meatballs you find in many versions of this Italian Wedding Soup. In this easy recipe, they're full-size, full-flavored and plenty filling.

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Carrot Soup

Carrot Soup
Photographer /Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Kay Clarke, Food Stylist / Emily Nabors Hall

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.

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Pea Soup

Pea Soup

This simple pea soup recipe 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.

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Chicken & Bok Choy Soup with Ginger & Mushrooms

Chicken & Bok Choy Soup with Ginger & Mushrooms
Photographer: Dera Burreson, Food stylist: Josh Hake

This healthy and nourishing chicken and vegetable soup is the perfect winter meal.

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Creamy Cucumber Soup

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There's no reason to only use cucumbers raw--they are wonderful sautéed then pureed with avocado for a silken-textured cucumber soup that's good warm or cold.

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Potsticker & Vegetable Soup

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Skip the frying pan and make a full meal out of store-bought dumplings with this quick and easy 30-minute soup. Shao Hsing (or Shaoxing) is a seasoned rice wine used in Chinese cooking. Look for it in Asian specialty markets or with other Asian ingredients in large supermarkets.

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Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup with Soft-Boiled Eggs

Homemade Chicken Ramen Noodle Bowls

Transform canned chicken noodle soup by adding fresh ginger, crunchy vegetables, herbs and a jammy soft-boiled egg. Look for a low-sodium soup that has 450 mg sodium or less per serving.

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Lobster & Corn Chowder

Lobster & Corn Chowder

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.

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Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Kale

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Kale

This healthy, easy soup is loaded with vegetables, protein and fiber to keep you full and fueled. Serve this winter soup topped with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, and a side of garlic toast.

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Escarole, Cannellini Bean & Sausage Soup

Escarole, Cannellini Bean & Sausage Soup
Dera Burreson

This soup would be equally satisfying if you took it in a vegetarian direction and skipped the sausage and used no-chicken broth.

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Lemon-Turkey Soup

Lemon Turkey Soup
Fred Hardy

This healthy veggie-loaded soup is an easy way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Adding the lemon juice right before serving sharpens the taste, making it light and bright.

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One-Pot Chicken & Cabbage Soup

One-Pot Chicken & Cabbage Soup
Antonis Achilleos

This simple, yet flavorful, chicken-cabbage soup is perfect for enjoying on a cold day. Sherry vinegar adds a touch of brightness and pairs well with the medley of vegetables. Serve with crusty bread.

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Spicy Coconut Chicken Soup

Spicy Coconut Chicken Soup
Greg DuPree

Food from Sri Lanka, located off the southern tip of India, has flavor combinations not seen in other cuisines because of its position at the intersection of trade routes and cultures, says Kentucky-based chef Samantha Fore, whose family is from the country. This soup exemplifies the essential, mouthwatering combo of sweet, sour and heat; bright acidity from fresh lime juice is balanced by coconut milk, which adds richness without being heavy. Spices grown on the island—like cinnamon, cardamom, coriander and cumin—lend toasty notes to the broth and add a layer of gentle heat behind the fiery dried chile. The Tuk spice blend is one Fore created (named after her pop-up restaurant, Tuk Sri Lankan Bites) and is available online through spicewallabrand.com. "It is basically everything I would put into a chicken curry," she says, including ginger, lemongrass and turmeric.

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Creamy Asparagus-Potato Soup

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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.

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Slow-Cooker Chicken, Mushroom & Rice Noodle Soup

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This slow-cooker chicken soup uses a spice bag full of coriander and cloves to help impart flavor as it cooks. Fresh and dried mushrooms provide a deep umami flavor. Top this soup with your favorite garnishes like cilantro, Sriracha or lime juice.

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Lemony Lentil & Chard Soup

Lemony Lentil & Chard Soup
Photography / Nico Schinco, Food Styling / Frances Boswell, Prop Stylist / Paige Hicks

This satisfying lemony bowlful was inspired by the lentil soup served at the now-closed Lebanese restaurant La Shish in West Bloomfield, Michigan. It keeps well but will thicken, so you may want to thin it with a bit of water or broth when reheating. Serve with warm whole-wheat pita.

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Broccoli-Cauliflower Soup

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In this healthy broccoli-cauliflower soup recipe, broccoli, cauliflower and baby spinach get blended into a smooth puree which gives the soup body and a bright green color. Cheddar cheese melted on top adds a creamy finish to this quick appetizer soup recipe.

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Split Pea Soup with Chorizo

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For this easy slow-cooker split pea soup, look for raw smoky, spicy chorizo. If you can't find raw chorizo, Italian sausage or merguez makes a fine substitute.

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Turkey, Pasta & Vegetable Soup

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This simple, clean turkey soup is full of vegetables and shredded turkey, making it perfect for after the holidays when you have leftovers on hand. Don't forget to save your Parmesan rinds! Adding one to a soup like this adds a rich umami flavor.

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Slow-Cooker Lemony Chicken Noodle Soup

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This is a classic chicken noodle soup with bright lemony flavor. Because the noodles are whole-wheat, they have added pleasant chewiness-not to mention more fiber and nutrients-than the regular variety. Pair this delicious soup with crusty bread and red wine.

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Brothy Ginger-Soy Noodles with Turkey & Bok Choy

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This dish was inspired by Chinese Dan Dan noodles—ground pork and noodles in a spicy broth. We use ground turkey and omit the traditional Sichuan peppercorns for convenience, but add hot sesame oil. Use toasted sesame oil instead if you want mild noodles.

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Vegetarian Potato-Kale Soup

Vegetarian Potato-Kale Soup
Photography / Antonis Achilleos, Styling / Christine Keely, Ali Ramee

This healthy soup recipe has a rich, yet light and velvety texture. Serve with crusty bread and a glass of wine for a cozy meal.

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