19 Best Vegetarian Soup Recipes

When the weather turns cold, there's nothing more warming than a bowl of homemade soup. These recipes are meatless, but these vegetarian soups are still filling and flavorful.

Vegan Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup

This thick, hearty vegan soup combines the vibrant flavors of Spanish cuisine. Smoked paprika (also known as pimenton) gives it a rich, savory flavor that even meat lovers will appreciate.

Recipe: Vegan Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

Craving a rich broccoli and cheddar soup but don't want to eat a calorie-heavy dish? Try this lightened version made with skim milk. Leftover soup should be reheated in the microwave; the cheese will break down or separate from the broth on the stovetop.

Recipe: Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Chowder

Miso soup with baked sweet potato and furikake with kale

"Sweet potatoes are a staple in my menu," shares recipe author Jerome Grant. "This delicious root vegetable is rich in nutrients and has a rich flavor. For my miso-style sweet potato purée, I use furikake, a popular Japanese seasoning often sprinkled on rice or fish. Instead of seaweed, I prefer to use any seasonal, dense greens, like kale. Furikake and kale make a wonderful side dish for this golden sweet potato soup with coconut milk."

Recipe: Miso soup with baked sweet potato and furikake with kale

Healthy mushroom soup with pearl barley

If you're looking for a delicious, healthy, and filling dish for cool weather, this dried mushroom and pearl barley soup is one of the best options. The pearl barley adds a nutty flavor, a little flour helps thicken the broth, and the dried porcini mushrooms add a meaty, umami-like flavor.

Recipe: Healthy mushroom soup with pearl barley

Vegetarian Chili in a Slow Cooker

Three types of beans provide a generous amount of protein to the chili. For the finishing touch, add couscous to the mixture: it adds thickness and a meat-like texture.

Recipe: Vegetarian Chili in a Slow Cooker

Vegan Vegetable Curry Stew

This creamy vegan soup, thanks to its chickpeas and abundant vegetables, is filling enough for a full lunch. For an even more satisfying meal, you can add a spoonful of cooked rice or noodles just before serving.

Recipe: Vegan Vegetable Curry Stew

Roasted Sweet Pepper Soup

Sun-dried tomatoes add sweetness, vibrant flavor, and texture to this soup, perfectly complementing the flavor of the bell peppers. The result is a rich, red soup for any season, perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Recipe: Roasted Sweet Pepper Soup

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Minestrone

This vegetable-rich vegetarian minestrone is made with white cannellini beans, which are enhanced by a long simmer in the slow cooker, with no pre-soaking required.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Vegetarian Minestrone

Vegetable cream soup with corn

This delicious vegetable soup takes less than half an hour to prepare. Skim milk provides a luxurious consistency without the extra calories of whole milk. Chopped vegetables add texture and vibrant color.

Recipe: Creamy Corn Soup with Summer Squash

Baked Tomato Soup

Roasted Roma tomatoes add a subtle sweetness to Melissa De Arabian's rich soup. Cooking them in the oven at a low temperature allows the flavors to develop without losing their richness.

Recipe: Baked Tomato Soup

Minestrone soup with pasta, beans and vegetables

This recipe is incredibly simple. Simply combine the ingredients in a slow cooker, set it to low, and go about your day. After 6-8 hours, the flavors will meld into a wonderful soup. In a hurry? Cook on high for 3-4 hours.

Recipe: Minestrone soup in a slow cooker

Ellie Krieger's Tuscan Soup is a perfect weeknight choice. It's loaded with beans and vegetables, but at only 145 calories, it makes a delicious and healthy lunch.

Recipe: Tuscan vegetable soup with beans and spinach

Vegan Lentil Chili

This vegan chili is just as delicious and nutritious as its meaty counterpart, thanks to hearty lentils, beans, and vegetables. A spice blend of ancho chili, cinnamon, cumin, and garlic imbues the dish with a rich, multifaceted flavor, as if it's been simmered for hours.

Recipe: Vegan Lentil Chili

Pumpkin soup

The variations of this soup are as numerous as the varieties of pumpkin available. Alton Brown recommends using an Asian paring knife to cut the pumpkin; the pumpkin should lie flat and stable, preventing it from rolling.

Recipe: Pumpkin puree soup with ginger

Gazpacho with grilled tomatoes

Gazpacho is a dish best served cold. This traditional Spanish soup should be chilled for at least two hours before serving—perfect on a hot summer day.

Recipe: Gazpacho with grilled tomatoes

Creamy Leek Soup with Potatoes

Alton's potato and onion soup, or vichyssoise, is equally delicious served hot or cold. Use an immersion blender to puree the chopped ingredients for a creamy, rich soup.

Recipe: Creamy Leek Soup with Potatoes

Chili with two types of beans

This vegetarian chili takes 30 minutes to cook, but its rich flavor makes it feel like it's been simmering for hours. Chinese five-spice blend adds a pleasantly spicy kick. Serve it over spaghetti for a Cincinnati-style dish.

Recipe: Chili with two types of beans

Ratatouille Soup

Herbs de Provence are the secret ingredient that gives this soup its southern French flavor. When blending hot liquids, let them cool for about 5 minutes, then place them in a blender, filling them only halfway. Close the lid, leaving one corner open; cover the lid with a kitchen towel to prevent splatter, and blend until smooth.

Recipe: Ratatouille Soup

Vegetable soup with ravioli

This soup is truly a miracle, as the ravioli can be cooked directly in the broth. If escarole is hard to find, you can substitute spinach.

Recipe: Vegetable soup with ravioli