87 Soup Recipes Every Grandma Knows by Heart

From the Recipe Creator: Homemade chicken and dumplings from scratch hearken back to my childhood and chilly days when we devoured those cute little balls of dough swimming in hot, rich broth. It's one of those types of soup you'll want to eat again and again. —Erika Monroe-Williams, Scottsdale, Arizona

From the Recipe Creator: This recipe is my grandmother’s. Originally, she even made the tomato juice in it from scratch! Gram had this recipe cooking on the stove every time I visited her. She enjoyed making this tomato soup and other favorite dishes for family and friends, and she made everything with love. —Gerri Sysun, Narragansett, Rhode Island

From the Recipe Creator: Curl up with a steamy bowl of miso soup, a comforting Meatless Monday meal when you need something delicious and lightning fast. You'll love the flavorful broth made with dashi powder, gingerroot and miso for its bold pop of savory goodness. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: This nourishing lentil soup comes together quickly with pantry ingredients and simple herbs and spices like thyme, cumin and paprika. The trick to its creamy yet hearty texture is to partially puree the soup using an immersion blender once the lentils are tender. Serve with a piece of crusty bread and you're golden. —Blair Lonergan, Rochelle, Virginia

From the Recipe Creator: Hot and sour soup is a pungent and delicious Chinese restaurant dish that’s quick and easy to make at home. In fact, it tastes even better when it’s made in your own kitchen. This is a very mild, family-friendly version, but you can easily adjust the heat factor by varying the amount of chili oil you use. —Carolyn Butterfield, Lake Stevens, Washington

From the Recipe Creator: In this warming fall soup, roasted and caramelized pumpkin mingles with creamy coconut milk and fragrant cumin, coriander and cardamom, creating a silky texture that’s comforting without being heavy. —Julie Andrews, Rockford, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: A Tuscan white bean soup brimming with veggies and spinach recipe delivers a healthy dose of fiber, protein and nutrients in a hearty, comforting bowl. A sprinkling of grated Parmesan adds a rich, nutty note to the finished soup. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: This sweet potato soup recipe is a unique way to use up your tubers in the fall when you want something healthier than sweet potato fries. Each spoonful of soup will warm you from the inside out. —Cathy Trochelman, Brookfield, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: This Olive Garden-style minestrone soup is brimming with bright vegetables, creamy beans and pasta in a rich, tomato-y broth. It's colorful and hearty—what more could you ask for? (Besides some warm, buttery breadsticks!) —Lauren Habermehl, Pewaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: Kimchi soup is a staple recipe in any Korean food lover's kitchen. Made with aged kimchi, the fermented cabbage provides a strong, deep flavor and is an excellent source of probiotics. —Lauren Habermehl, Pewaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: This simple, silky cream of celery soup is easy to make and full of flavor. It uses celery, celery seed, sweet yellow onion and a touch of dry sherry and heavy whipping cream for richness. Add a perfectly toasted grilled cheese sandwich for an irresistibly comforting meal. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia

From the Recipe Creator: Wrap yourself in nourishing comfort in about 20 minutes, using simple pantry ingredients and an Instant Pot. Soup's on! —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: Creamy soup is comforting on a cold day, but one made with mellow and rich roasted garlic somehow hits the spot in a way that many other soups don’t. A tablespoon of sherry is optional, but definitely upgrades the flavor. Use a dry sherry, not a cooking sherry, because those are packed with unneeded salt. —Megan Taylor, Greenfield, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: Beans and greens make for a dream combo in this scrumptious and satisfying soup. Serve it alongside crunchy, buttery garlic bread and a fresh green salad. —Sue Draheim, Waterford, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: A soup for those days you could use a little more spice in your life! This creamy soup has the Buffalo chicken flavor you crave and includes celery, carrots and onion for a bit of nutrition. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: This seafood-rich bisque tastes complex and sophisticated but is surprisingly quick to make. The crawfish are the star of the show here, but a luxe and creamy broth provides them with a worthy setting. A splash of mild sherry vinegar at the end helps brighten the flavors. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: This is a soup for onion fans! Sweet onions provide a sweet, caramelized base flavor that deepens as they cook. A splash of sherry at the end adds subtle sweetness and acidity, while fresh chives add a second layer of fresh onion flavor. —Joyce Moynihan, Lakeville, Minnesota

From the Recipe Creator: Very little beats a warm, zesty bowl of green chile chicken soup, especially when you’re craving some comforting spice. This recipe is loaded with smoky green chiles and tender chicken, all simmered in a savory and spicy broth. The corn adds a touch of sweetness, and salsa verde ties everything together with its tangy, vibrant taste. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: I went the homemade route to find the perfect cream of chicken soup that was also gluten free. It's a delicious on its own or as a tasty alternative in casseroles that call for creamy soup base. —Debra Cummings, St. Louis, Missouri

From the Recipe Creator: Broccoli cheese soup is one of our favorite ways to sneak veggies into our meals. Deliciously creamy and cheesy, it's a go-to when we want to warm up on those colder days with something hearty. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: Roasting sweet potatoes, carrots and red pepper brings out rich, caramelized flavors for a nutritious, comforting soup that’s satisfying on its own or with a side of crusty bread. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: What do you do when you fall in love with a guy who's as attached to his mom's favorite soup as you are to yours? Why, you figure out a way to combine them, of course! The love of my life says his mom's lentil soup was beyond perfection. I feel the same way about my mom's chicken soup. And now our Sunday soup tradition is a melange of both, seamlessly blended into something totally new and totally us! —Jodi Taffel, Altadena, California

From the Recipe Creator: Simmer orzo and cubed cooked chicken in a light and mildly spicy broth, then add a healthy amount of spinach, a little half-and-half and a squeeze of lemon. It's a quick-cook soup with bright and beautiful flavors. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: This is my all-time favorite soup—rich and creamy with just the right amount of spice to warm you up on a cold day! It's perfect garnished with sour cream, shredded cheddar and crispy tortilla strips. —Jennifer Stowell, Deep River, Iowa

From the Recipe Creator: Just like at your favorite restaurant, this slow-cooker chicken gnocchi soup is great with breadsticks. The slow cooker does most of the heavy lifting for this creamy dish. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: Cajun potato soup is the perfect mash-up between southern comfort and your grandma's beloved potato soup recipe. Made with traditional ingredients like chunks of potatoes, cheese and cream, the kick of heat comes from the addition of spicy andouille sausage and cajun seasoning for a well-rounded blend of flavors. —Lauren Habermehl, Pewaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: Tuscan chicken soup, also known as Marry Me Chicken Soup, proves that to get to the heart, you have to go through the stomach. This creamy, cheesy soup is complemented with heavy Italian seasoning, bright sun-dried tomatoes and protein-rich rotisserie chicken, leaving everyone with a happy and full belly. —Nancy Mock, Southbridge, Massachusetts

From the Recipe Creator: This peppercorn-infused beef soup is brimming with comfort and spice and classic Chinese ingredients: ginger root, star anise, chili bean paste and Szechuan chiles. Serve this piping hot with noodles and a scattering of freshly chopped green onions and cilantro. —Tria Wen, San Francisco, California

From the Recipe Creator: Enjoy my signature French onion soup the way my granddaughter Becky does: I make onion soup for her in a crock bowl, complete with garlic croutons and gobs of melted Swiss cheese on top. —Lou Sansevero, Ferron, Utah

From the Recipe Creator: A good friend made us this rich, comforting soup after the birth of our son. It was such a help to have dinner taken care of until I was back on my feet. This yummy dish is so simple to fix that now I give a pot of it (along with the recipe) to other new mothers. —Joanna Sargent, Sandy, Utah

From the Recipe Creator: A few years ago, a friend at work shared the recipe for this wonderful soup. With beef, barley and vegetables, it's hearty enough to be a meal. A big steaming bowl with a slice of crusty bread is so satisfying on a cold day. —Lynn Thomas, London, Ontario

From the Recipe Creator: My husband’s grandmother made this soup with her own homemade sausage and tortellini. We don’t make those ingredients these days, but we’re so happy to have the passed-down recipe­—this version is almost as good as hers. It's also an excellent way to get the kids to eat spinach! —Joyce Lulewicz, Brunswick, Ohio

From the Recipe Creator: No question—this is my favorite barley soup! It's so filling that I serve it as a hearty main dish, and I have given the recipe to many of our friends and relatives. It simply tastes too good to keep to yourself! —Diana Costello, Marion, Kansas

From the Recipe Creator: You'll be surprised at the taste of this rich and cheesy easy potato soup. It really is the best potato soup recipe, ever. I came up with it after enjoying baked potato soup at one of our favorite restaurants. I added bacon, and we think that makes it even better. —Coleen Morrissey, Sweet Valley, Pennsylvania

From the Recipe Creator: We often start our stir-fry meals with this fast egg drop soup — it cooks in just minutes flat. There are many versions of the recipe, but we like the easy addition of cornstarch to thicken the soup and give it a rich, golden color. I got the recipe from my grandma’s old cookbook. —Amy Beth Corlew-Sherlock, Lapeer, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: My husband is an avid fisherman. When a family get-together was planned and we had to bring something, we created this recipe using fish from our freezer. The chowder got rave reviews from the relatives! —Heather Saunders, Belchertown, Massachusetts

From the Recipe Creator: A bowlful of this soup is so satisfying, it's hard to believe it's actually good for you, too. I crave it all the time. With lots of beans and potatoes, it's filling and even hits the spot with meat lovers. —Kristina Krummel, Elkins, Arkansas

From the Recipe Creator: Just before the first frost of the season, we gather up all of the tomatoes from my mom’s garden to create this flavor-packed soup. Although it sounds like a lot of garlic, when it’s roasted, the garlic becomes mellow and almost sweet. We serve this soup with toasted bread spread with pesto. —Kaitlyn Lerdahl, Madison, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: I make this heartwarming stew with pork ribs and hominy often. It's a filling recipe of lightly spiced comfort. —Genie Gunn, Asheville, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: The comforting combination of squash, meat, beans and veggies makes this my go-to soup in fall. It's full of freshness. —Jaye Beeler, Grand Rapids, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: My husband enjoys my version of this soup so much that he stopped ordering it at restaurants. He’d rather savor the version we can have at home. It’s so easy to make, yet hearty enough to be a full dinner. —Brenda Thomas, Springfield, Missouri

From the Recipe Creator: My mother was a pastor's wife, and she did a lot of cooking for potlucks. This recipe is one she created herself. I serve it frequently to my husband and to our four children. Every one of them is a hearty eater! —Marlene Doolittle, Story City, Iowa

From the Recipe Creator: This chicken tortilla soup is as good as (if not better than) any I've had in a restaurant. I get so many compliments when I serve it: you will, too. —Laura Black Johnson, Largo, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: This vegetarian soup features a rainbow of vegetables. You can use any multicolored pasta in place of the spirals. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado

From the Recipe Creator: My grandmother hand-wrote a cookbook. She included this amazing pie crust, and I added this delicious chicken potpie soup for it. —Karen LeMay, Seabrook, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: While growing up in Texas, I spent a lot of time helping my grandma cook. Lemon and cilantro add a deliciously different twist to turkey soup. —Margarita Cuellar, East Chicago, Indiana

From the Recipe Creator: Creamy, rich and bursting with brightness, this soup is the ultimate sidekick to a grilled cheese sandwich. — Josh Rink, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: For years, I'd been trying to figure out how my grandmother made her rivel soup. Then I discovered that it wasn't just something she came up with, but a prized heirloom recipe. Many families have their own special version. —Kathy Kegley, Rural Retreat, Virginia

From the Recipe Creator: This spicy stewlike soup is traditionally served in New Mexico at holiday time to celebrate life's blessings, but it's good any time of year. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: This soup is just like a meal in a bowl ... or for heartier appetites, serve it with a sandwich. It's great for chilly days. —Sue Miller, Walworth, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: I remember my mom making this soup; now I make it for my kids as often as I can. It's a good way to use up leftover vegetables. Sometimes I add a can of rinsed and drained kidney or garbanzo beans. —Angela Goodman, Kaneohe, Hawaii

From the Recipe Creator: You can prepare this soup as the main course in a hearty lunch or dinner. On cold winter evenings here in New England, I've often enjoyed sipping a steaming mugful in front of our fireplacel. —Guy Turnbull, Arlington, Massachusetts

From the Recipe Creator: When I was a little girl, I helped my parents work the fields of their small farm. Lunchtime was always a treat when Mother picked fresh vegetables from the garden and simmered them in her big soup pot. We loved making this delicious recipe. —Ethel Ledbetter, Canton, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: Chicken noodle soup brings back memories of childhood. This revamped version with a healthy twist is a favorite at my house, especially after we've been working outside on a cool day. It takes the chill off.—Cynthia LaFourcade, Salmon, Idaho

From the Recipe Creator: My grandmother used to make a similar classic Greek soup, avgolemono, every Sunday after church. Here’s my version of her recipe. The kids and I came up with this variation while experimenting with different ingredients. I think my yia-yia would be proud. —Nick Haros, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

From the Recipe Creator: I typically serve this chowder with a tossed salad and hot rolls. It is easy to make and tastes wonderful on a cold winter evening. My family has enjoyed it for more than 30 years. —Joan Hopewell, Columbus, New Jersey

From the Recipe Creator: The old-fashioned favorite is a snap to make, and it's economical too. Carrots, celery and onion accent the subtle flavor of the split peas, while a ham bone adds a meaty touch to this hearty soup. It's sure to chase away autumn's chill. —Laurie Todd, Columbus, Mississippi

From the Recipe Creator: This minestrone soup recipe is special to me because it’s one of the few dinners my entire family loves. And I can feel good about serving it because it’s full of nutrition and low in fat. —Lauren Brennan, Hood River, Oregon

From the Recipe Creator: My daughter-in-law, a gourmet cook, served this cream of mushroom soup recipe as the first course for a holiday dinner. She received the recipe from her mom and graciously shared it with me. Now I'm happy to share it with my own friends and family. —Anne Kulick, Phillipsburg, New Jersey

From the Recipe Creator: My entire family just loves this delicious and comforting soup. Loaded with chunks of tender beef, the rich broth also includes plenty of fresh mushrooms, sliced carrots and quick-cooking barley. —Barbara Beattie, Glen Allen, Virginia

From the Recipe Creator: I like to put twists on my grandmother's recipes, which is what I did with this one. I look forward to passing my own delicious comfort food recipes to my kids. —Jamie Chase, Rising Sun, Indiana

From the Recipe Creator: This busy-day chili is packed with flavor. We make it ahead and freeze some to eat later. —Marisela Segovia, Miami, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: This recipe is from my great-grandmother, though I've added a few ingredients to make it my own. Serve it with a side salad and some artisan bread for a wonderful, hearty family dinner. —Terrel Porter-Smith, Los Osos, California

From the Recipe Creator: After craving tomato soup, I decided to make my own. My sister Joan likes it chunky-style, so she doesn't puree. Serve it with a grilled cheese sandwich. —Marian Brown, Mississauga, Ontario

From the Recipe Creator: When I was sick, my mom would make me this heartwarming chicken noodle soup. It was soothing when I had a cold, but this soup is a bowlful of comfort on any chilly day. —Anthony Graham, Ottawa, lllinois

From the Recipe Creator: Everyone in my family likes this soup recipe. Sometimes I add mini farfalle because my grandchildren say the noodles look like tiny butterflies. This recipe also works in a slow cooker. —Nancy Murphy, Mount Dora, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: My family and I crave a steaming bowl of potato leek soup on a cold winter evening, but we don't want the butter and fat content of regular soup recipes. So I created this lighter version. I have shared it with many folks, and everyone who has tried it loves it for the robust, satisfying flavor. —Christine Frye, Odessa, Missouri

From the Recipe Creator: A variety of winter vegetables gives the broth for this classic Jewish soup a deep flavor. You can use a few green onions instead of the leek. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: My husband's grandmother passed this recipe on to us, and it's just wonderful—especially with a basket of warm, fresh bread on the side. This soup freezes well. —Wendy Wilkins, Prattville, Alabama

From the Recipe Creator: My first Wisconsin winter was so cold, all I wanted to eat was homemade chicken noodle soup. Of all the chicken noodle soup recipes out there, this type of soup is my favorite and is in heavy rotation from November to April. It has many incredibly devoted fans.—Gina Nistico, Denver, Colorado

From the Recipe Creator: I recently started experimenting with new soup recipes, and finally created a rich squash version that omits heavy cream altogether, making it a healthier way to curb my creamy-tooth. —Nithya Kumar, Davis, California

From the Recipe Creator: A yearly Lima Bean Festival in nearby West Cape May honors the many growers there and showcases different recipes using their crops. This comforting chowder was a contest winner at the festival several years ago. —Kathleen Olsack, North Cape May, New Jersey

From the Recipe Creator: This is a family favorite for cold blustery days. It's very filling and an easy meal when served with cornbread or biscuits. —Rebecca McCabe, Ekalaka, Montana

From the Recipe Creator: At Italian restaurants, I always order minestrone. After doing many trial-and-error batches, I developed a hearty veggie soup my whole family craves—kids and all. —Hillery Martin, Junction City, Kansas