25 Homemade Soup Recipes for Dinner (2024)

Can you eat only soup for dinner? Yep! absolutely. It’s an economical meal option that can be both delicious and filling. Discover some great homemade soup recipes for dinner.

Served alongside a basket of Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits or Garlic Focaccia, any of these homemade soup recipes can make for a fantastic dinner.

Soup night. It’s that night of the week when you serve, what else? Homemade Soup!

While previous generations might have enjoyed soup every night because it was easy, cheap, and fed a crowd, nowadays soup has become somewhat of an acquired taste.

Homemade soup is quick, economical, and filling. You can make a meal from little bits of a few different ingredients. And it’s so cozy on a cold day.

However, some people have a hard time considering soup as a meal. They often mistake it as a side dish instead of a main course. Or they balk at the idea of vegetables and broth. Homemade soup can be so much more than that, my friend!

Why Do This

It’s a good cheap eat. Serving homemade soup for dinner costs very little per serving and, in my book, is a great occasion for using up the leftovers I’ve acquired throughout the week so as to reduce waste. Yes, Stone Soup is a real thing!

It’s filling. Depending on what homemade soup recipe you choose, soup can be incredibly filling, making for a hearty supper on a cold night.

Homemade soup can be delicious! There are so many great soups to make, you are bound to find more than a few favorites.

It’s a great way to use up leftovers.Yes, learning How to Make Soup from Leftovers is a thing you need! Never let good food go to waste when you can make a yummy soup, like Turkey and Rice Soup.

Tips for Success

Over the years I’ve developed strategies to make soup night a little easier to swallow, for adults and children alike.

Here’s what I’ve learned makes soup night a success:

1. Offer a choice on soup night. Whether you prepare two different choices of homemade soup or a variety of toppings to choose from, make some options available. Not only does having a choice brighten up soup night, but it also allows reluctant soup eaters to have some power in the matter.
2. Provide some delicious breads. My kids absolutely love Garlic Focacciaand breadsticks as well as popovers. By offering these on soup night, I’m giving the kids — of all ages — something to look forward to, in addition to the homemade soup. In a pinch, cheese and crackers work, too.
3. Bake a great dessert. It’s amazing to me how quickly the kids can scarf down a bowl of soup when they know there is a great dessert, like Slab Apple Pie to top off with.
4. Pay attention to what they like. If your child or spouse isn’t quick to embrace homemade soup for dinner, never fear. Through trial and error, you’ll find ways to make it work. It may be a question of finding out what everyone likes.
5. Try different styles of soup. If someone in the house doesn’t care for smooth, blended soups, choose chunkier soups likeCreamy Chicken Noodle Soupor. If they prefer smooth soups, cook up a few pots ofRoasted Vegetable Soupor Creamy Asparagus Soup.
6. Keep a stockpile of frozen veg, beans, and small pasta on hand. Frozen green beans, corn, and peas are easy to stock as are orzo and canned beans. You can easily make soup for dinner with just a few pantry staples!
7. Build a library of favorite homemade soup recipes. It’s not that some people don’t like soup. It’s that they haven’t found soups that they love. Through trial and error, you’ll find the right styles and recipes to fit the folks at your table. Try the wide breadth of soup recipes available.

Best Kitchen Equipment

The right tools can take a task from chore to charming. Here are some of my go-to homemade soup tools:

• plastic cutting boards– I have blue boards for veggies and white boards for meat.
• Ergo Chef chef’s knife – I’ve had my set for several years and they work well.
• 5-quart pot with lid– I have this one. It’s perfect for cooking chili or a big pot of rice.
• dual-sided silicone spatula/spoon – This is great for the cooking process as well as scraping every last bit out of the pan.
• immersion blender – I love this for pureeing soups right in the pot. No blender to wash!
• ladle – This is the one I use on the regular.
• wire whisk– be sure to get one with a sealed barrel so dishwater doesn’t drip into your food. Yuck.
• Souper Cubes – These are great for freezing homemade soup in 1- and 2-cup portions.

Freezing Instructions

Homemade soup is a great food to freeze. When you make a big batch, you can freeze it in 2-cup portions for later. In this way, everyone in the household can enjoy his or her favorite without your needing to be a short order cook.

To freeze homemade soup: Prepare the soup according to the recipe. Divide into meal-size portions. Label with the dates and contents. Chill completely in the refrigerator. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.

To serve frozen soup: Reheat from frozen and serve.

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This post was originally published on October 10, 2011. It has been updated for content and clarity.