10 Healthy Homemade Soup Recipes for Freezing and Easy Weeknight Meals (2024)

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

½ lb baby portobello mushrooms, chopped

4 medium carrots, skin intact, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs

¾ tsp dried thyme

¾ tsp kosher salt

½ tsp freshly-ground black pepper

1 cup dry wild rice

1 cup low-fat (1 percent) milk (optional)

1

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, mushrooms, carrots, and celery, and cook until onions are translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.

2

Place cooked veggies, broth, chicken, thyme, salt, pepper, and rice in a slow cooker and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or on high for 2 to 3 hours. Stir in milk, if using, before serving.

Nutrition Facts

If freezing, omit the milk. You can add, if desired, after the soup is defrosted.

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

3 carrots, chopped

3 ribs celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 lb dry green split peas

3 bay leaves

1 tsp fresh thyme

¾ tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp freshly-ground black pepper

1 lb ham bone with meat or ham shank (optional)

1

Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, and celery and cook until onion is translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

2

Stir in vegetable broth, 2 cups of water, split peas, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper, and ham, if using. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until peas are tender, about 60 to 80 minutes.

3

If using a ham bone, remove it. Carefully slice the ham and return it to the soup.

Nutrition Facts

If freezing, be sure to leave extra room in the container for the soup to expand. Freeze for up to 3 months.

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 15-oz can no-salt-added diced tomatoes

1 4-oz can diced green chiles

2 lbs raw chicken breast or chicken tenderloins

2 15-oz can no-salt-added kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups frozen corn

½ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp chili powder

½ tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Optional toppings: Avocado slices, lime wedges, sliced flour tortillas

1

Place all ingredients (exceptoptional toppings) and 2 cups of water in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 30 minutes.

2

Remove chicken from broth and use two forks to carefully shred before returning to the pot. Top with optional toppings as desired before serving.

Nutrition Facts

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 sweet onion, diced

3 medium carrots, skin intact, diced

2 ribs celery, diced

2 cups dried brown lentils, rinsed and drained

6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 15-oz can crushed tomatoes

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon zested and juiced

1

Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender, about 7 to 10 minutes.

2

Add lentils, broth, tomatoes, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Use an immersion blender to blend soup, if desired. Stir in ½ tsplemon zest and lemon juice before serving.

Nutrition Facts

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium yellow onions, diced

2 ribs celery, diced

2 medium carrots, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

4 15-oz cans low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Optional toppings: Avocado; red onion; fresh cilantro; lime wedges; plain, nonfat Greek yogurt

1

Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Add olive oil, onions, celery, and carrots. Cook until vegetables are tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

2

Stir in black beans, broth, cumin, salt, and pepper and cook until beans are very tender, about 30 minutes.

3

Stir in cilantro and use an immersion blender to blend to a smooth texture or your desired consistency. Alternately, carefully transfer soup to a countertop blender and blend until smooth, working in batches as needed.

Nutrition Facts

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

4 leeks, white and light green parts only, roughly chopped

1 rib celery, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 lb Yukon gold potatoes, skin on, chopped into ½-inch pieces

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried rosemary

½ tsp ground coriander

2 bay leaves

1 cup unsweetened plain soy milk

2 tsp kosher salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1

Place a large stockpot over medium heat and add oil, leeks, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are soft and tender, about 10 minutes.

2

Add potatoes, broth, thyme, rosemary, coriander, and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer until potatoes are very soft, about 20 minutes.

3

Remove from heat. Cool slightly, then strain out bay leaves and puree the soup using an immersion or countertop blender.

4

Return mixture to stockpot over medium, addsoy milk, and simmer. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Nutrition Facts

8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1, 28-oz can diced tomatoes

1 cup frozen peas and carrots

2 cups dry pearl barley

2 cups fresh kale, finely chopped

½ tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp freshly-ground black pepper

1

Place broth, tomatoes, peas, carrots, and barley in the pot of a pressure cooker. Cover pressure cooker, make sure it is sealed, and set it to 8 minutes.

2

Once pressure cooker is done, quick release the pressure, being careful of the steam.

3

Stir in kale, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Nutrition Facts

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 rib celery, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 grapefruit-size celeriac, peeled and diced

1 medium russet potato

2 medium apples, peeled and chopped

5 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth, plus more to adjust thickness

½ tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp ground white pepper

½ tsp ground rosemary

½ tsp ground thyme

1

Heat a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, onion, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables become fragrant, about 3 minutes.

2

Add celeriac, potato, apple, and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until ingredients are soft, about 35–40 minutes.

3

Season with salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme. Use an immersion blender or cool slightly and transfer mixture to a standard blender. Puree until smooth, adding more broth as needed to reach desired consistency.

Nutrition Facts

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large sweet onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium apples, peeled and diced

1 medium sugar pumpkin (about 4 to 5 lb), roasted as above

4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth (plus more as needed)

1 tbsp ground curry powder (plus more to taste)

½ tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground cumin

1½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ cup whole milk (optional)

1

Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Add olive oil and onion and sauté until onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

2

Add garlic and apple to stockpot. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until ingredients are soft, about 5–10 more minutes.

3

Add pumpkin and broth and bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and continue to simmer for 15 minutes.

4

Remove pot from heat. Blend using an immersion blender or cool slightly and use a countertop blender.

5

Return to stove and season with curry powder, nutmeg, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir in milk, if using, and serve.

Nutrition Facts

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

3 rib celery, diced

2 carrots, diced (skin intact)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 15-oz can no-salt-added kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 28-oz can no-salt-added diced tomatoes

8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 medium zucchini, diced

½ lb ditalini, orzo, or other small pasta, preferably whole-grain

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried thyme

Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

1

Place a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.

2

Stir in kidney beans, tomatoes, and broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat and allow mixture to simmer, about 5 to 10 minutes.

3

Stir in zucchini, pasta, oregano, and thyme and simmer until the pasta is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve garnished with parsley, if desired.

Nutrition Facts

If freezing your soup, do so before you add the pasta. Then, when defrosting, add cooked pasta just before serving.