We love soup season! There’s nothing better than a big pot of soup simmering on the stove. Whether you’re craving a classic Cuban soup, a hearty stew that can be dinner, or something light and healthy, we’ve gathered all of our favorite soup recipes in one place.
And while “soup season” may look a little different here in Miami, we don’t need cold weather as an excuse to make a pot. These are recipes we come back to all year long—from Cuban classics like Crema de Malanga, Potaje de Chícharos and Caldo Gallego to lighter favorites like Cilantro Spinach Soup and Salmorejo.
Soup is also one of our favorite make-ahead meals. Make a big batch for dinner, save some for lunch and freeze the rest for another night. In fact, many soups taste even better the next day once all those flavors have had time to come together.
We’ve divided our favorite soup recipes into three categories: classic soups, hearty soups that can be a meal, and lighter soups you can enjoy all year long.
Grab your biggest pot. It’s soup season even if Miami disagrees.
Our Soup Season Essentials 🍲
Everything we reach for when there’s a big pot bubbling on the stove—from our favorite Dutch oven and immersion blender to the bowls we serve it in.
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Jump to RecipeWhat is Soup Season
Soup Season is a magical time of year, when the weather starts to drop and the craving for a bowl of something comforting hits. It’s usually right around fall and stays through winter, however if we are being honest it is soup season for us all year long. Homemade soup is quintessential comfort food in a bowl. We have never met a soup that was not soothing and comforting while also delicious.
Soups are perfect for freezing. We often make a large batch of soup to enjoy a part of it the same day and the other half freeze for another dinner. Many times, soups taste even better when the ingredients have a chance to sit together.
Most of these soups are made on the stove top but if you are an instant pot addict they can be adapted. For example, our recipe for Sopa de Cebolla/ French Onion Soup can be made in the Instant Pot from the caramelizing of the onions to the simmering of the broth, which intensifies the flavor of the soup.
We’ve separated our soup recipes into three categories: classic soups, soups that can replace a meal and soups that are lighter and can be enjoyed all year around.
These recipes have you covered depending on the weather and your mood.
All Our Best Soup Recipes
Classic Soups:
These are the soups we come back to again and again. Some are recipes we grew up eating, while others have simply earned a permanent place in our kitchens. From Cuban Chicken Soup and Crema de Malanga to tomato soup and Sopa de Cebolla, these are the bowls we reach for when we’re craving comfort.
Cuban Chicken Soup
This classic soup is a perfect mix of veggies, protein and noodles to literally warm you and your soul. The fall brings beautiful weather, but also brings colds and flus. We think it is so important to have a recipe like this Chicken Soup up your sleeve. It’s easy enough to throw in the instant pot, and a great way to use all those extra veggies. The vegetables really shine in this dish, and it’s always good to have a way to pack them in to help fight those viruses.
Crema de Malanga with Garlic Oil
Crema de Malanga is a star dish. This creamy soup is famous for curing sore tummies in any Cuban household but is perfect to curl up with on a chilly day. However we suggest eating it any time the craving hits. This soup is hearty and feels like a warm hug.
This is simple cooking at its best. Inspired by Ani’s Abuela Oliva, this comforting garlic soup builds layers of flavor from roasted garlic, smoked paprika, herbs and broth. Serve it simply with crusty bread or add a lightly beaten egg to the bowl for the traditional creamy finish.
A Cuban pantry staple gets turned into a rich, velvety soup in about 30 minutes. Canned black beans simmer with onions, carrots, herbs and broth before everything is blended until creamy. Top it with pickled red onions, cilantro, sour cream or queso blanco.
Pumpkin Soup
This recipe will warm you from the inside out. It is a whole pumpkin, roasted, and then blended up with cream and other flavorings. It’s fall in a bowl, and the best part is how easy it is to throw together.
Sopa de Cebolla
Sopa de Cebolla is a classic Cuban soup that is near and dear to our hearts. It is the hearty beef broth and cheese that give this soup amazing flavor. Then you take those caramelized onions and it all just melts in your mouth- literally.
Roasted Carrot Soup
We love to make this soup around this time of year. Usually the carrot recipes we find are a little heavy and full of cream, this Roasted Carrot Soup is light, delicious and healthy. The squash and apples really balance out our carrots. The vegetables and apples are roasted at a high heat to maximize their sweetness and intensify their flavor.
Easy Tomato Soup
Sometimes there is nothing better than a grilled cheese and tomato soup. In this recipe, tomatoes and other vegetables are roasted then blended to make this light and creamy soup. We use golden tomatoes for this recipe because their skin is thin and we love the yellow golden hue, but you can use traditional red tomatoes.
Soups as a Meal
Some soups are starters. These are not those soups. Packed with beans, legumes, root vegetables, meat or seafood, these recipes are hearty enough to call dinner. Add white rice, bread or a few slices of avocado and you’re done.
Potaje de Chicharos Cubanos
Potaje de Chicharos Cubanos is at the heart of the humble kitchen. It takes modest ingredients and brings them together to make something hearty and nourishing. This soup brings together fresh split peas, sofrito, vegetables and an array of smokey and salty pork products into one beautiful delicious bowl. It is very filling, and can very easily serve as an entire meal with a nice piece of bread (of course).
Cuban Lentejas (Lentil Soup)
Lentil Soup is the perfect weekday soup. It is easy to make and so so good for you. It is a soup that you can serve as an appetizer or lunch, however it is also the kind of soup that you can make as your entire meal. It’s packed with so much protein and all the vegetables, and who doesn’t love a good delicious soup as dinner.
Oxtail Soup (Sopa de Rabo)
This Oxtail Soup is a labor of love. There are a lot of steps and things to do in order to make this one but we promise the journey and result are worth it. It is a heart warming bone broth soup that is rich in collagen and studded with vegetables. It is definitely a meal disguised as a soup that really hits the spot and feeds the soul.
Instant Pot: Sancocho / Ajiaco
We love this Instant Pot Ajiaco recipe for many reasons. It’s one of those, let’s mix it up for dinner sort of things. It allows you to also use whatever is left over in the fridge at the end of the week, but finds a way to combine it into a comforting meal. While it is a broth based soup it is perfect for dinner. The root vegetables in this soup break down and thicken this soup perfectly, making it one of those traditional soups you look forward to diving into.
This hearty Cuban chickpea stew is pure comfort food. Tender garbanzos simmer with potatoes, vegetables and smoky Spanish flavors to create a rich, satisfying bowl that’s filling enough to be dinner. Serve it with white rice and plenty of crusty bread for soaking up every last bite.
Abuela’s Caldo Gallego
This white bean stew is as much about the beans as all the beef and pork products that are in it.
This soup somehow manages to be light and hearty at the same time. Mushrooms, cannellini beans and kale make it filling enough for dinner while keeping everything fresh and simple. Finish each bowl with Parmesan and red pepper flakes.
This Peruvian-inspired stew combines shrimp, white fish and calamari with coconut milk and ají amarillo for a broth that’s creamy, bright and just a little spicy. It comes together in about 30 minutes but tastes like it has been simmering for hours.
Soups on the Lighter Side:
Living in South Florida means soup season doesn’t always come with sweater weather. These lighter soups are perfect when you’re craving a comforting bowl without something too heavy. They’re packed with vegetables, fresh herbs and bright flavors and work just as well for lunch as they do for dinner.
This is the soup you never knew you needed. We haven’t met a cilantro lover who isn’t obsessed with this healthy soup. However we would even say that this is for the casual cilantro eater, because honestly coupled with the chicken and the spinach it all blends into a delicious soup that is so good for you. A great soup to make and freeze to have on hand week after week for a quick and healthy lunch.
Creamy without the cream! Potatoes and leeks blend together into a silky, comforting soup that feels rich while still keeping things light. It’s simple, veggie-packed and perfect for an easy lunch or weeknight dinner.
Zucchini Soup
Zucchini is everywhere these days. Honestly, we can’t get enough of it. This soup recipe may be one of our favorite ways to eat it lately. This healthy soup gets its creaminess just from blending the vegetables with broth. It doesn’t get any healthier.
Instant Pot Cauliflower Turmeric Soup
Cauliflower and Turmeric is as healthy as it is delicious. This recipe is jam packed with so many vitamins and nutrients, and is absolutely so easy to make. This recipe starts in the Instant Pot and is made very creamy and airy with an immersion blender. It is simple to make and simple to clean, and as for the eating well that is going to be just delicious. We love to top it with goat cheese crumble or a little dollop of creme fraiche.
Ajo Blanco White Gazpacho
There isn’t a soup lighter and more refreshing than gazpacho. When you think Gazpacho, your mind typically think cold and red. However that is not always the case. Gazpacho is definitely cold, but this gazpacho is made from blending almonds, cucumbers, grapes and Greek yogurt. It brings such a beautiful white color that is just as pretty to look at as it is to eat.
Soup season doesn’t have to mean cold weather. This silky chilled tomato soup from southern Spain is made with ripe tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and sherry vinegar. It’s refreshing enough for the hottest Miami day but still rich enough to feel satisfying.
Instant Pot Carrot Ginger Soup
Two classic ingredients are paired together for a heart healthy soup you will love to make. Carrot and ginger are notoriously so good for you, and the good news is that when they come together it is a delicious union. We love to make this in our instant pot to have on hand for an easy to heat up lunch that is good for us and so yummy.
If you love our Ode to Soup make sure you check out some of our other recipe lists like
Our Favorite Instant Pot Recipes
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