Easy Soup Recipes (13 Soups, Stews and Chili for Fall and Winter)
These Easy Soup Recipes are the ones I make on repeat once the weather turns cold: creamy chicken noodle soup, white chicken chili, slow cooker beef stew, sausage tortellini soup and more. There are 13 here, six of them cook in the slow cooker, and nearly all of them freeze, so you can make a big pot and eat well all week.
Soup and brown bread is a classic lunch in Ireland, and my Irish Brown Bread is still my favorite thing to dunk. If you love hands-off meals, my Easy Slow Cooker Dinners roundup has plenty more.
Tips for Making Easy Soups at Home
- Freeze it in portions: Most of these soups keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Freeze single servings in containers and you have lunch ready on busy days.
- Keep noodles and pasta out of the freezer: Noodles and tortellini go soft when frozen. Freeze the soup base on its own, then add fresh noodles or tortellini when you reheat it.
- Stir the cream in last: Creamy soups can separate if they boil hard or get reheated over and over. Add the cream near the end and warm leftovers gently over low heat.
- Use a shortcut chicken: A store-bought rotisserie chicken works great in the chicken noodle soup and saves you cooking the chicken from scratch.
- Loosen it up when reheating: Chili, chowder and creamy soups thicken in the fridge. Add a splash of broth or water as you reheat and stir until it looks right again.
- Blend it right in the pot: An immersion blender makes the pumpkin soups and the vegetable soup silky smooth without moving hot soup into a blender.
Easy Chicken Soup Recipes
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
A one-pot chicken noodle soup that’s ready in 30 minutes. Blended cottage cheese makes the broth creamy without heavy cream, and leftover rotisserie chicken works perfectly here.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Chicken, black beans, corn, tomatoes and taco seasoning all go into the slow cooker together. Shred the chicken at the end, then pile on tortilla strips, avocado, cheese and sour cream.
White Chicken Chili
Two kinds of white beans, green chilies and cream cheese make this slow cooker chili thick and creamy. It tastes even better the next day, which makes it a great one to cook ahead.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken and vegetables cook low and slow in a creamy broth, then homemade dumplings steam right on top. Keep the lid on while the dumplings cook and let the slow cooker do the rest.
Hearty Stews, Chili and Chowder
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Tender beef, potatoes and carrots in a rich gravy, with onion soup mix and au jus mix doing the heavy lifting. Brown the beef first if you have time, then leave it to cook for 8 hours. Serve it over mashed potatoes or with brown bread.
Pumpkin Chili
Ground beef, bacon, two kinds of beans and pumpkin purée, plus parsnips, carrots and sweet potato for a fall twist. It’s made in one pot in about an hour and freezes for up to 3 months.
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
Lean ground turkey with black beans, kidney beans, crushed tomatoes and salsa, simmered in the slow cooker for 6 hours on low. It freezes in portions for up to 3 months, so make the full pot.
Ham and Corn Chowder
Potatoes, corn and diced ham in a thick, creamy chowder that’s ready in 40 minutes. Top it with bacon bits, cheddar and green onions, and serve it with crusty bread.
Creamy Soup Recipes
Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup
Italian sausage, cheese tortellini, spinach and a splash of cream, all in one pot. It’s on the table in 45 minutes and goes great with Homemade Garlic Knots on the side.
Creamy Homemade Vegetable Soup
Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and corn simmer until soft, then get blended smooth. There’s no cream or flour in it, the vegetables make it creamy on their own.
Come cook with us! I share new easy recipes and dinner ideas in my Facebook group, and it’s a friendly spot to see what everyone is making this week. Join the group here.
Pumpkin and Veggie Soups
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup
Canned pumpkin, Parmesan, a little cream and smoked paprika go into the slow cooker with only 5 minutes of prep. Blend it smooth and finish each bowl with crispy bacon.
Pumpkin Coconut Curry Soup
Pumpkin, coconut milk and red curry paste with fresh ginger and a squeeze of lime. It’s ready in 30 minutes, and it’s vegetarian when you make it with vegetable broth.
Kale and White Bean Soup
Cannellini beans, kale and carrots with a little cream and Parmesan stirred in at the end. It’s meatless as written and ready in 30 minutes, or add shredded chicken or sausage for extra protein.
Easy Soup Recipes FAQs
Looking for more easy dinners? My Easy Slow Cooker Dinners and Easy Ground Beef Dinners are full of weeknight favorites, and my Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes and Appetizers has the pumpkin soup as a holiday starter.
