Looking for easy healthy meals? Think soup! These top vegetarian soup recipes are seriously satisfying for eaters of all kinds.
When it comes to eating your veggies: soup is one of the easiest ways to do it! Hi, we’re Sonja and Alex, vegetarian cookbook authors and soup addicts. Soups are what we always tell people to make when they ask about how to eat lots of veggies. Why? Soups are easy to make, and they make those nutrient-packed vegetables taste so delicious that you can’t stop eating them. I mean, which would you choose: carrot stick or classic chili? Yeah, that’s what we thought.
Here, we’ve made a collection of all of our favorite vegetarian soup recipes. And let us warn you: we’re obsessed with infusing big flavor into humble vegetables. It is, in fact, our job. And we take it very seriously! Each of these vegetarian soup recipes have been carefully tested and seriously enjoyed before they get to your table. So we can guarantee: you’re going to love them. And please promise us you’ll serve with a side of best cornbread, cornbread muffins or our flaky buttermilk biscuits?
Want vegan instead?
Stop right now and head over to our 25 best vegan soup recipes!
And now…our top vegetarian soup recipes!
This vegetarian tortilla soup is at the top for good reason! It has the most savory, zesty broth flavor that you'd think had to simmer all day: but it takes only 30 minutes. The secret? A touch of canned adobo sauce, which brings nuanced flavor without the heat. Add to that bell peppers, black beans, corn and onion, and top it with crunchy tortilla strips. It's a winner with everyone we've served it to—hands down.
Next up in our vegetarian soup recipes: tortellini soup! It savory and hearty, with a lightly sweet depth that makes you want the bowl to be never-ending. The trick? Tomato paste and paprika give just the right complexity to the broth. And a bit of carrot and celery add texture and crunch. Whole basil leaves are added right after the tortellini cooks, which meld into the beautiful velvety broth. Add a bit of Parmesan cheese and it’s a little bit of heaven.
WOW is all we can say about this creamy wild rice soup recipe! It's made in an Instant Pot, but we've also got a stovetop variation because our readers went CRAZY over this one! It's creamy by way of cashews that are blended right along with the soup to make a creamy base. Then there's tender wild rice, cozy carrots and onions, and white beans that round it out to add more plant-based protein. This one is vegan and gluten-free too, and we've heard from multitudes of people who say that meat-eaters love it too.
Also try: Instant Pot Wild Rice Soup or Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
Can you ever go wrong with chili? This classic vegetarian chili recipe is a fan favorite, balancing three beans, green chilis, and a massive amount of chili powder. It's filled with bulgur wheat to mimic the texture of meat (sub cooked quinoa for gluten free). Top with sour cream (or Vegan Sour Cream or Cashew Cream) and it's true perfection. Serve with our Best Homemade Cornbread.
Want another variation? 3-Bean Healthy Chili Recipe is cozy and nourishing.
Ready for your new favorite cozy and healthy soup? Loaded potato soup. Who could pass that up? This one is impossibly creamy with intermittent potato chunks, using no heavy cream at all! Old Bay gives it an irresistible undertone. And it’s so easy to make: you don’t even need a blender! Like any good recipe, the best part is the toppings. Load it up with whatever you like: here we used shredded cheese, sour cream, chives, and smoky, salty vegan bacon.
This pizza soup recipe is sublime. The broth is flavored with pizza sauce, tomatoes, and a little Parmesan to make it creamy. The toppings are swimming along inside: bell peppers, garlic and mushrooms, making for a savory pop that surprises you in every bite. Serve with garlic toast, grilled cheese or simply crusty bread and it’s a meal you’ll want to make over and over…and over.
This garden vegetable soup is like canned soup, but infinitely better! It's one of our favorite vegetarian soup recipes because it's cozy and comforting, and everyone loves it. The recipe is seriously simple, and features a savory broth and lots of quick-cooking veggies.
Pasta e ceci is a traditional Italian “pasta and chickpea soup” This stew is full of big Italian flavors: intense vibrant tomato, leafy Tuscan kale, and a creamy broth made with Parmesan rind. Swimming in it all are the chickpeas and pasta of the soup’s title, making it hearty and filling. It’s a stunner!
There’s something about potato corn chowder that makes it work both in the heat of summer and on cozy fall days, too. This one is our best ever corn chowder recipe, if we must say ourselves. It’s based on a vegan corn chowder recipe from our cookbook, Pretty Simple Cooking. But for this one we wanted to try a classic corn chowder: with milk and butter! It turned out seriously creamy, with a savory, salty, and sweet flavor from simmering the corn cobs directly in the pot.
There’s just something about silky caramelized onions topped golden, crusty cheese that takes your breath away every time. This is classic French cooking at its finest. It’s not just the flavor. It’s the promise that while the outside world is cold and brutal, every spoonful is pure bliss. This vegetarian French onion soup is our spin on the classic: it’s so full of rich, nuanced flavor you won’t miss the traditional beef broth.
Food is all about vibe, and this soup channels all those cozy, comforting, and warm feelings! This tomato gnocchi soup recipe is tangy and bright, filled with chewy gnocchi pillows and topped with Parmesan cheese. The secret to the creamy tomato basil base is after sauteing onion and garlic, deglaze the pan with white wine vinegar. The tangy vinegar brings out the brightness in the tomatoes: and combined with peppery fresh basil, it's irresistible.
Another tomato soup? Try our Easy Tomato Basil Soup or Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup.
Here's one of our fan favorite vegetarian soup recipes: Moroccan cauliflower soup! The cauliflower is roasted until lightly charred in a very hot oven. Then it’s blended with onion, carrot and warm Moroccan spices into a silky puree. Think: cumin, coriander, turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon. This soup is pretty simple to put together, full of nutrients, and vegan and gluten-free too.
Ready for the coziest, most comforting soup recipe? This curried butternut squash soup tastes like a bowl of sunshine. And because it's pureed with chickpeas, it's heartier than most butternut squash soups. The Thai flavors of coconut, ginger and curry are the perfect match to this lightly sweet orange squash! Pair with grilled cheese or fancy quesadilla to make it a meal.
Also try: Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup or Easy Butternut Squash Soup
Ribollita is an Italian vegetable stew traditionally thickened by bread as a way to use up old crusts going stale. It might look like just a humble stew, but honestly, the flavors in this ribollita are mind blowing. It’s gently simmered so that the flavors meld together beautifully. The crusty bread cubes are almost like dumplings when soaked in the savory broth. I had to stop between spoonfuls to proclaim to Alex how much I loved it. Serve it with bread and a simple salad.
There’s nothing quite like the cozy factor that is split pea soup. This vegetarian version is one of our favorite healthy dinner recipes since it’s not only hearty and delicious, but it’s also incredibly easy to make. Here you'll use a touch of liquid smoke in place of the traditional ham.
This tasty tomato lime soup recipe is a creamy Indian-spiced soup flavored with cardamom and cumin. Sauteed tomatoes, onion and garlic are blended with yogurt and lime to make a creamy soup. The flavor is surprisingly tangy and unexpectedly satisfying. Serve it with homemade almond cashew crackers to make for a hearty, protein-packed meal.
Let's talk vegetarian ramen, shall we? A terrific meatless ramen recipe is hard to find, but this vegetarian ramen delivers. The savory broth is full of umami (that fifth savory sense), the mushrooms are meat, the curly noodles are fresh and chewy, and it's topped with a creamy soft-boiled egg. And if you’re me and Alex, it's doused in spicy chili sauce. Yes, it's the ultimate comfort food in a bowl.
No need to roast a pumpkin: all you need for this pumpkin soup is a can of pumpkin puree! It’s got another secret ingredient too, that makes it more filling than a standard creamy soup: red lentils. The lentils thicken this soup and give it creamy body. Top sour cream swirls and crunchy homemade croutons, and well: it’s a cozy masterpiece. (PS Add Everything Bagel Seasoning to your croutons to take it over the top!)
This brilliant red tomato artichoke soup is bursting with tangy flavor and the perfect thing for a gray day! The resulting soup is so flavorful and comforting that we could almost eat it for every meal (almost). Serve with homemade garlic croutons and shaved Parmesan for the ultimate in cozy.
This Moroccan stew is one of our top picks for a vegetarian soup recipe. Why? It’s ultra flavorful, with a blend of warm Moroccan spices: coriander, cumin, turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon. And it’s full of nutrient rich vegetables: sweet potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes and spinach. Serve it with quinoa for a delicious plant based dinner that’s also gluten free. If you'd like, add a dollop of Greek yogurt and a squeeze of lemon to top it off.
This Italian soup is homey, comforting, and heart-meltingly good. And it only takes about 30 minutes to make! It’s chock full of nutritious veggies: spinach, chickpeas, green beans, tomatoes, onion, and garlic. Then add gnocchi, those tasty homemade pasta pillows! It’s full of tangy, herby flavor without too much effort.
Looking for another gnocchi soup? Try Tomato Basil Soup with Gnocchi
This Tuscan stew is earthy and homey, featuring tangy artichokes and hearty lentils with a garlicky tomato base. Dark leafy green kale brings in nutrients and soaks up the flavor-packed broth. To make it a meal, serve with crusty artisan bread and garnish with Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese.
Love lentils? Also try our Creamy Red Lentil Soup.
This ultra creamy leek soup recipe uses cream cheese, yogurt and egg yolks to make a rich and velvety base. It's flecked with spinach and of course the savoriness of sauteed leeks. This one's undeniably retro: it’s adapted from the New York Times Bread and Soup Cookbook of 1972!
Soups are a tasty, easy way to eat a ton of vegetables without realizing it. And this hearty soup recipe loads them on: leafy green kale, tender sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and protein-packed black beans. It's flavored with oregano, cumin, and just enough lime juice so that it pops. Sliced green onions stirred in at the end of cooking keep it tasting fresh. With sliced radishes and a dollop of Greek yogurt as a garnish, it’s a delicious way to load up on nutrients.
This curried squash soup is swirled with coconut milk and seasoned with warm Indian-style spices like curry powder, garam masala, and cumin. Topped with crispy quinoa and pepitas to garnish, it has just the right amount of spice, complexity, and heat. The title specifies acorn squash, but you can use any type of squash you'd like: or use purchased squash puree to cut down on prep time.
Here's a chili recipe that's a unique spin on the standard: mango black bean chili! In this vegetarian soup, chunks of fresh mangos add a sweetness and complexity that's unexpected yet satisfying. A hint of allspice and a squeeze of lime kick it up a notch, and black beans and quinoa add protein and body.
Here's a vegetarian pea soup of a different kind: instead of split pea soup, it's fresh pea soup! This vibrant spring green pea soup is creamy and light, and perfect to accompany a grilled cheese. It’s topped with crunchy rye croutons and chive flowers for a beautiful garnish. We grow chive flowers in our garden: you can also find them in the spring at farmer’s markets! Or you can omit the flowers and just eat this delicious pea soup with croutons: it's just as tasty.
Leave it to the Italians to have beautiful words for even the most unglamorous of concepts. “Stracciatella” (strah-chi-ah-tay-lah) literally means “rags” in Italian. When it comes to gelato, the “rags” are bits of chocolate mixed throughout a creamy vanilla base. But “stracciatella” also applies to soup. In this case, the rags are eggs – a kind of Italian egg drop soup. The Pecorino cheese and eggs bring a delightful savoriness.
What’s not to love about dumplings? They’re homey, comforting, and in the middle of savory tomato basil goodness, they’re like a deconstructed sort of pizza. The vegetarian tomato dumpling soup recipe is easy enough for a weeknight, but delicious enough to work for a special dinner. If you’re looking for a cozy tomato soup, these dumplings seriously take it to a new level.
And last but not least in our vegetarian soup recipes: this Korean ramen! Ramen is a traditional Japanese dish that’s an interpretation of Chinese noodles, but it has a Korean spin as well! Gochujang (Korean chili paste), peanut butter, miso and seaweed all work together to add major savoriness to the broth. It's filled with veggies like carrots, cauliflower, and tofu, and topped with quick pickled cucumbers that add a satisfying crunch. Eating this steaming, hearty bowl of noodles and veggies feels positively restorative.
Related:
- Want the best of? Try 30 Best Soup Recipes.
- Want healthy soups? Try 13 Best Healthy & Easy Soup Recipes
- Love Italian recipes? These 8 Italian Soups are fantastic.
Tip: try homemade vegetable broth
If you have time and leftover vegetables, a great way to use them is making homemade vegetable broth! It uses up old vegetable scraps and is a great way to minimize food waste in your kitchen! It takes about 1 hour to make. Here’s our Easy Vegetable Broth Recipe.
PrintVegetarian Tortilla Soup (& More Soup Recipes!)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 1x
Description
This black bean tortilla soup is bursting with flavor and so fast to make! This easy healthy vegetarian soup recipe tastes like it’s been simmering for hours.
Ingredients
For the tortilla strips
- 6 6-inch corn tortillas
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt
For the vegetarian tortilla soup
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 green bell pepper
- 4 medium garlic cloves
- 2 15-ounce cans black beans
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1½ cups frozen corn ( fire roasted, if possible)
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from 1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
- 1 quart (4 cups) vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
- 4 radishes, for garnish
- 1 lime, for garnish
- 1 handful cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375°F.
- Make the tortilla strips: Brush the tortillas lightly with olive oil on each side. Using a pizza cutter, slice them in half, then into thin strips. Place the strips on a baking sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until crispy and lightly browned.
- Prep the veggies: Peel and dice the onion. Dice the green pepper. Peel and mince the garlic. Drain and rinse the beans.
- Make the soup: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and sauté the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the green pepper and the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the oregano and the cumin for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, beans, corn, adobo sauce, broth, and kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and add additional adobo sauce or kosher salt if desired.
- Prep the garnishes: Slice the radishes. Slice the lime into wedges.
- Serve: To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and allow to cool to warm. Garnish with the tortilla strips, radishes, torn cilantro leaves, hot sauce, and plenty of lime juice.
Notes
Excerpted from A Couple Cooks | Pretty Simple Cooking: 100 Delicious Vegetarian Recipes to Make You Fall in Love with Real Foodby Sonja Overhiser and Alex Overhiser. Copyright © 2018. Available from Da Capo Lifelong Books, an imprint of Perseus Books, LLC, a subsidiary of Hachette Book Group, Inc.
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: Vegetarian Soup Recipes
What to serve with these vegetarian soups?
So you’ve got the vegetarian soup recipes: but how to make them into a meal? Here are a few sides that pair well with soups:
- Easy Vegan Cornbread
- Easy Garlic Bread
- Artisan Dutch Oven Bread
- Artisan Multigrain Bread
- Sourdough Bread Recipe
- Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe
- Popover Recipe
- Blackberry Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Favorite Chopped Salad
- Radish Chopped Salad Recipe
- Best Tossed Salad Recipe
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
- The BEST Kale Salad
Last updated: Feburary 2021
No Comments