When January rolls around, there’s nothing more comforting than a hot bowl of soup for a weekday dinner or weekend lunch. Long gone are the days when we relied solely on canned chicken noodle soup. Now, we can make hundreds of fresh, flavorful, and delicious soups all season long. Even in the South, winter can feel long and temperatures can get pretty chilly. So, we’ve found some of our favorite recipes from Grandpa’s recipe box that never disappoint. After enjoying classics like soup bean and cabbage soup, try creamy loaded potatoes or the ever-popular lasagna soup. (Pasta lovers will love this layered creation.) Here are 20 soup recipes to help you blast away the winter blues, including the easiest chicken noodle soup ever, which starts with roasted chicken and never disappoints.
Greg Dupree, Food Stylist: Ali Ramey, Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood
This recipe calls for pinto beans, but you can also use black-eyed peas, pink-eyed peas, or lima beans. Finish it off with cornbread, chow chow, or potatoes.
Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Christina Daly, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors-Hall
Here’s a great and delicious example of Southern comfort: a warm bowl of chicken and dumplings to whisk away the winter blues.
Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Tori Cox
Rich, creamy, and hearty, this recipe is not only satisfying but can be made with ingredients you have on hand. Tasso ham is an upgrade that takes this split pea soup to a whole new level of deliciousness.
Victor Protacio, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
Get out your trusty slow cooker and whip up this creamy, cheesy soup that’s not only sure to become a family favorite, but also perfect for entertaining guests on chilly evenings.
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling; Heather Chaddock Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Neighbors Hall
Not only is this soup easy to make, it’s perfect for any night of the week. One reviewer raved, “This soup is our new favorite soup to bring to family, company, or others! It’s so fresh, and the lemon gives the soup a brightness that makes it a great soup for warmer weather, too.”
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Shel Royster
The great thing about veggie soup is that you can’t go wrong with any veggies in a big bowl, and the cheesy crackers add the perfect, unexpected finishing touch.
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Tory Cox
Lasagna lovers, rejoice! Our Test Kitchen has reinterpreted everyone’s favorite pasta casserole as an amazing soup: cheesy, creamy, and delicious.
Jessica Furniss
This vibrant soup takes just an hour and a few ingredients to make and is sure to please everyone around the table.
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Shel Royster
This traditional Mexican soup is packed with flavor from tomatoes, corn, black beans, and chicken. Topped with tortilla chips and avocado, this soup has become one of our most requested recipes ever.
Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Kay E. Clark, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey
Yes, that’s right: hamburger stew. This dish is ready in no time. It’s very filling, with meat, potatoes and vegetables. And our favorite part? The croutons on the hamburger buns are the perfect finishing touch.
Victor Protacio, food stylist Ruth Blackburn, prop stylist Lydia Purcell
Leave it to our Test Kitchen to turn grandma’s favorite cabbage rolls into a soup that’s too filling to eat in one bowl.
Greg Dupree, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors-Hall, Prop Stylist: Kristin Keeley
Say goodbye to tomato soup, your grilled cheese needs a new, comforting companion. Potato Leek Soup is made extra rich and creamy with a secret ingredient: buttermilk.
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Tory Cox
Not only is this recipe delicious, it only takes 25 minutes to prepare, and it starts with a can of vegetarian chili and uses plenty of other pantry staples.
Photography and styling: Kaitlyn Bensel
This easy-to-prepare soup starts with rotisserie chicken and can easily be made ahead and frozen so you have a simple, delicious meal for any weeknight.
Courtesy of Oxmoor House
Country musician Martina McBride’s Chicken Tortilla Soup is a favorite with Southern Living readers: it’s creamy, satisfying, and the perfect recipe for any day.
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Tory Cox
Trust us, this vibrant soup will get everyone’s veggie fix, and it’s a recipe that can be made in 30 minutes and comes out velvety smooth every time.
Caitlin Bensel, Prop Styling: Audrey Davis, Food Styling: Richon Hannahs
Instant Pot fans, this soup was made for you. This rich, creamy soup made with two types of potatoes can be made in under an hour.
By Allison Miksch, Prop Styling by Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland, Food Styling by Melissa Gray
Our test kitchen transformed everyone’s favorite winter dish into a delicious soup perfect for Sunday dinner.
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Another popular dish made possible thanks to the Instant Pot. Chili night is always a good idea, and this recipe (which can be made with leftover chicken) comes together in no time.
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Tory Cox
Use leftover ham and extra potatoes to create an easy meal that can be made in under an hour. Serve with crusty bread.
