Healthy Budget-Friendly Soup Recipes

Soup is the best cozy meal on a warm day, plus, it's usually a cheap way to make a lot of food. Make a big batch for a dinner party, meal-prep lunches or even to stash away in the freezer for an emergency dinner. You will have a delicious and nutritious meal on hand, plus it's way cheaper than going out or getting take out.

Staff Picks

Carrot Soup

Rating: 4.72 stars
24
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.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Slow-Cooker Vegetable Soup

Rating: 4 stars
13
Make a big batch of low-calorie veggie-packed soup with ease in this load-and-go crock pot recipe. After simmering away in the slow cooker, portion it into individual serving containers and store in the fridge or freezer for fast, healthy lunches or an easy, satisfying snack. This weight-loss vegetable soup fills you up without a lot of calories, plus it's an easy way to eat more vegetables.
By Hilary Meyer

Pureed Broccoli Soup

Rating: 4.55 stars
22
In this easy broccoli soup recipe, broccoli cooks together with onions, celery, garlic and fresh herbs and is puréed into a delicious creamy soup. Try this healthy broccoli soup alongside grilled cheese sandwiches or as a starter for a simple dinner.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Baked Vegetable Soup

Rating: 3.73 stars
10
Originally prepared in the wood-burning hearths of Italian homes, this peasant-style healthy vegetable soup recipe is simple to make in a modern oven. Brimming with artichokes, mushrooms, zucchini and leeks, this easy soup heats up the house as it becomes the perfect warming meal.
By Jane Black

Pea Soup

Rating: 4.82 stars
11
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.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Vegetable Weight-Loss Soup

Rating: 4.46 stars
21
A big bowl of this veggie-packed minestrone will leave you satisfied for hours without consuming a lot of calories--plus it's an easy way to boost your vegetable servings for the day. Top with a dollop of pesto before devouring this delicious skinny vegetable soup.
By Hilary Meyer

Spicy Ramen Cup of Noodles

Rating: 4.75 stars
7
Make your own cup of instant soup at home with this vegetarian ramen recipe. Pack several jars at once to take to work for easy lunches throughout the week.
By Devon O'Brien

Lobster & Corn Chowder

Rating: 5 stars
1
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.
By Kathy Gunst

Kielbasa & Cabbage Soup

Rating: 4.67 stars
11
This Eastern European soup (called kapusniak in Polish) is traditionally made with sauerkraut. To keep the sodium in check in this healthy recipe, we use fresh cabbage and save the sauerkraut for a deliciously salty-sour garnish.
By Danielle Centoni

Slow-Cooker Pasta e Fagioli Soup Freezer Pack

Rating: 2.67 stars
2
Your favorite restaurant soup just got easier and healthier with this freezer-to-crock-pot recipe. If you keep a special bottle of olive oil on hand for stand-out dishes, this is the recipe to pull it out for. The headiness of the fruity olive oil truly elevates the flavors in this Italian meal-prep slow-cooker soup.
By Katie Webster

Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto

Rating: 4.83 stars
29
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.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chicken & Bok Choy Soup with Ginger & Mushrooms

Rating: 4.75 stars
4
What is so obliging about this hearty chicken soup is that you can add any vegetables that suit your fancy: napa or Savoy cabbage, mushrooms, Chinese broccoli, broccolini, onions, leeks, mustard or turnip greens, celery or whatever tickles your bonnet. Just be sure that you don't overcook the vegetables. Spice it up with chile sauce, such as sriracha, and/or serve the soup over noodles to make it a more substantial main dish.
By Bruce Aidells
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Inspiration and Ideas

27 Budget-Friendly Vegetable Soups

27 Budget-Friendly Vegetable Soups
Make a hearty and comforting meal with these vegetable soup recipes. We pack these soups with budget-friendly ingredients like canned or frozen vegetables and pasta. Feel free to add in or swap out proteins if you have any leftovers on hand. The best thing about recipes like Slow-Cooker Vegetable Soup and Ravioli & Vegetable Soup is that they are delicious and versatile.
Creamy Radish Soup

Creamy Radish Soup
Rating: Unrated
1
In this creamy radish soup recipe, radishes are sautéed and pureed with potato, creating a velvety, healthy soup. Cooking radishes also tones down any bitterness, while leaving plenty of sweet, earthy flavors to enjoy. Using smaller radishes will give the soup a pretty pink hue, like the one pictured here, while larger radishes result in an almost white soup.
Spicy Tofu Hotpot

Spicy Tofu Hotpot
Rating: Unrated
5
Ravioli & Vegetable Soup

Ravioli & Vegetable Soup
Rating: Unrated
47
Moroccan Lentil Soup

Moroccan Lentil Soup
Rating: Unrated
7
José Andrés's Gazpacho

José Andrés's Gazpacho
Rating: Unrated
1

Korean Chicken Soup

Rating: 4.8 stars
4

This quick and easy spicy chicken soup recipe is made with leftover cooked chicken and is spiked with garlic, ginger and hot sauce.

All Healthy Budget-Friendly Soup Recipes

Creamy Turnip Soup

Rating: 4.25 stars
2
In this recipe, the humble turnip is transformed into a rich turnip soup made creamy with just 1 tablespoon of butter. Serve it as a starter or side soup. The mini salad on top is optional, but we love the bit of texture from the greens and pop of flavor from the vinaigrette.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Seaweed Soup (Miyuk Guk)

According to an old wives' take, slurping this healthy Korean seaweed soup recipe spurs postpartum healing in new mothers. But everyone can enjoy the nourishment of a hot soup. Serve with bowls of brown rice to add to the seaweed soup as you wish.
By Judy Joo

Quick Beef & Barley Soup

Rating: 4.4 stars
11
Quick-cooking barley and sirloin help get this beef-and-barley soup on the table in a snap--and it doubles easily. If leftovers get too thick in the fridge, add a little broth when you reheat it. Serve with crusty bread and a glass of malbec.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chilled Strawberry-Rhubarb Soup

Rating: 3.8 stars
5
Sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb are whirled together in this chilled soup. Serve it as a starter for an early-summer supper.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Caldo Tlalpeño (Mexican Chicken Soup)

Chipotle-laced broth and thick chunks of corn on the cob are featured in this healthy, smoky chicken soup recipe. The secret to the great flavor is cooking the vegetables in the broth that's made from cooking the chicken. Serve the soup with warm corn tortillas.
By Lesley Téllez

Slow-Cooker Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Rating: 4.5 stars
4
Skip the roasting in this butternut squash soup recipe and let your slow cooker do the work instead. Just load up all the ingredients into the crock pot, set it and forget it for an easy, healthy dinner or packable lunches.
By Carolyn Casner

Japanese Chicken-Scallion Rice Bowl

Rating: 4.04 stars
15
Here's the quintessence of Japanese home cooking: an aromatic, protein-rich broth served over rice. Admittedly, Japanese cooking leans heavily on sugar--for a less traditional taste, you could reduce or even omit the sugar.
By Victoria Abbott Riccardi

Super-Simple Vegetable Broth

Rating: 5 stars
1
This very easy broth is just right as a base for many vegetarian soups. Recipe by Anna Thomas for EatingWell.
By Anna Thomas

Brazilian Black Bean Soup

Rating: 4.64 stars
10
Brazil's cuisine often features smoky, grilled meats, but this healthy vegetarian bean soup recipe is completely meat-free. Instead, blackened jalapeños, fire-roasted tomatoes and smoked paprika provide the Brazilian flair. A little molasses adds a sweet-toasty note, and the kale, while not traditional, bumps up your daily veggie count.
By Danielle Centoni

Ribollita Soup

Rating: 4.45 stars
9
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.
By Eataly and Lidia Bastianich

Sweet & Sour Beef-Cabbage Soup

Rating: 4.65 stars
10
This wholesome sweet-and-sour soup combines beef, caraway seeds, sweet paprika and cabbage--ingredients that star in a number of German dishes. It is particularly nice served with crusty rye bread. For an even heartier soup, add diced cooked potatoes along with the cabbage. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Vegetarian Black Bean Soup

Packed with protein and fiber, this soup doesn't need meat to be satisfying. Soaking and cooking the beans yourself, rather than opening a can, ensures you'll have wonderful flavor and texture. (And the slow cooker does most of the work!)
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Classic Chicken Soup

Rating: 4.5 stars
1
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.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Beef & Bean Chile Verde

Rating: 4.67 stars
32
Chile Verde, usually a slow-cooked stew of pork, jalapeños and tomatillos, becomes an easy weeknight meal with quick-cooking ground beef and store-bought green salsa. Make it a Meal: Serve with fresh cilantro, red onion and Monterey Jack. Add cornbread on the side and your favorite hot sauce.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Brothy Chinese Noodles

Rating: 4.67 stars
14
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.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chilled Melon Soup

Rating: 4.5 stars
3
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.
By Marie Simmons

Creamy Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Rating: 3.89 stars
16
Mushroom-soup lovers, this soup is for you! Russet potatoes make it hearty, and dill and paprika add plenty of flavor. We skip the generous amount of full-fat sour cream and butter typically used in creamy mushroom soups. Serve with a green salad and warm pumpernickel bread.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Hungarian Beef Goulash

Rating: 3.25 stars
20
This streamlined goulash skips the step of browning the beef, and instead coats it in a spice crust to give it a rich mahogany hue. This saucy dish is a natural served over whole-wheat egg noodles. Or, for something different, try prepared potato gnocchi or spaetzle.
By Patsy Jamieson

Curried Red Lentil Soup

Rating: 4.84 stars
10
This curried red lentil soup is inspired by the Indian side dish dal; the Hindi word means “split” and refers to the split peas or lentils used in its preparation. Fragrant ginger, curry, cinnamon and cumin add lots of rich flavor. Look for lentils and spices in bulk--you'll often get a better deal and you can buy just the amount you need.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sweet Potato-Peanut Bisque

Rating: 4.5 stars
23
This satisfying vegetarian sweet potato soup is inspired by the flavors of West African peanut soup. We like the added zip of hot green chiles, but they can sometimes be very spicy. It's best to take a small bite first and add them to taste. Try chopped peanuts and scallions for a different garnish. Serve with a mixed green salad with vinaigrette.
By Nancy Baggett

Steamed Mussels in Tomato Broth

Rating: 4.88 stars
2
With fresh mussels increasingly available at supermarket fish counters, you can easily make this bistro favorite at home.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Italian Peasant Soup with Cabbage, Beans & Cheese

Rating: 4.25 stars
5
A well-stocked pantry is a good starting point for making a hearty homemade soup like this one--just add some fresh vegetables, bread and cheese and you've got dinner (and tomorrow's lunch).
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Pressure-Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

Rating: 5 stars
1
This easy soup flavored with chili powder and a splash of lime is quick enough to prepare for a warming weeknight meal thanks to an electric pressure cooker like the Instant Pot. Lean chicken breast is easy to prep, but boneless, skinless chicken thighs would make a great substitute.
By Hilary Meyer

Curried Lentils and Vegetables

This is a classic dal, perhaps the most commonly eaten dish in India. Dal is a creamy melange of lentils, garlic and, of course, spices. Serve it as a side dish with curry or roasted meats, or as a main dish with warm naan for scooping.
By Diabetic Living Magazine
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