14 Vegetarian Soups That Are Surprisingly Hearty

This vegetarian soup recipe is easy to make and packed with nutritious ingredients like tomatoes, carrots, garlic, and Greek yogurt. To make it a vegan soup or just change up the flavor, you can also swap Greek yogurt for coconut milk. Bonus? This soup freezes nicely, so make an extra batch for later.

Get the recipe: roasted carrot soup

What would a list of vegetarian soups be without a classic vegetable soup? Made with hearty veggies (including onion, celery, zucchini, and green beans) and a perfect accompaniment to a crusty piece of bread, this soup is a must if you're looking for a veggie-based soup recipe. Once you've mastered it, feel free to play around and find the veggie combo you like best.

Get the recipe: vegetable soup

Some black bean soups are made with ham, sausage, or bacon, but this version is vegetarian, leaning on meat-free ingredients (such as chipotle chili powder and fire-roasted tomatoes) that are packed with flavor instead. If you want to make this soup vegan, simply skip the dairy-based toppings.

Get the recipe: vegetarian black bean soup

This vegetarian bean soup is perfect for springtime thanks to the herbs, lemon, and crunchy green cabbage. Though the default recipe uses chicken stock, you can easily make it into a vegetarian white bean soup by using vegetable stock instead.

Get the recipe: herby white bean soup with cabbage

Chilled gazpacho just screams summertime. Skip the bacon as a topping, and make a big batch to enjoy with friends. It may be tempting to make this using canned tomatoes when it isn't tomato season, but this vegetarian soup recipe works best with fresh ones.

Get the recipe: gazpacho

For a rich meal that can instantly transport you to a cozy restaurant in Paris, french onion soup is a must. The combo of caramelized onions, melty cheese, and a slice of baguette makes this a super-satisfying vegetarian soup recipe. Important note: be sure to swap the beef broth with a rich mushroom broth to make this recipe veg-friendly.

Get the recipe: vegetarian french onion soup

Most chili recipes are made with beef, but you can skip the meat and still have yourself a hearty chili to enjoy on top of a baked potato or on its own. Though many vegetarian chili recipes omit the beef and rely on beans, this one uses a mixture of walnuts, mushrooms, and carrots to deliver the same satisfying bite.

Get the recipe: vegetarian chili

This gorgeous soup is almost too pretty to eat — almost. It gets its color from purple cauliflower and sweet potato, but the best part of this soup might be the popped sorghum topping. ICYDK, sorghum is an ancient grain that's a natural source of many nutrients, including fiber and antioxidants. And when it pops, it resembles a tiny piece of popcorn. Can't find purple cauliflower? No worries. You can make this vegetarian soup with white cauliflower and it'll still be delicious — just not quite as cute.

Get the recipe: purple cauliflower and sweet potato soup with popped sorghum

Making soup in a slow cooker is the ultimate "set it and forget it" move. You can chop your veggies the night before you want to make this vegetarian soup, then simply toss all of the ingredients in the slow cooker the next morning. That way, you'll have a hearty dinner ready to go.

Get the recipe: slow-cooker lentil soup

The orange zest and saffron elevate this classic butternut squash soup to an unforgettable vegetarian soup recipe. If you find it to be too thick for your taste, just add a little bit more broth to thin it to your liking. Crunchy, maple-roasted pumpkin seeds are the cherry on top.

Get the recipe: creamy butternut squash soup with orange and saffron

This vegetarian pumpkin soup joumou is a meatless take on the traditional Haitian dish. This soup is typically served on Jan. 1 as a way to ring in the new year and celebrate Haiti's independence. While it's typically made with meat, this vegetarian version isn't lacking any flavor — especially not if you add the optional spicy scotch bonnet pepper.

Get the recipe: Haitian pumpkin soup joumou

One of the most straightforward vegetarian soups is, without a doubt, tomato soup — and this one is made even easier thanks to an Instant Pot. Rather than simmering this for hours in a slow cooker, an Instant Pot means you can have soup ready in just 45 minutes. That's also great news for those who hate doing dishes, as whipping up this one leaves you with just one pot to wash in the end.

Get the recipe: Instant Pot tomato soup

This genius vegetarian dumpling soup makes use of premade, frozen dumplings from the store, such as the ones you can find with the frozen appetizers at Trader Joe's. Just use vegetable stock and a veggie dumpling, and you're all set with a filling and flavorful vegetarian soup.

Get the recipe: easy dumpling soup

Celeb foodie and cookbook author Chrissy Teigen has a minestrone soup recipe we can vouch for — and by choosing vegetable stock instead of chicken, you can make her minestrone soup vegetarian. While the soup recipe itself is a standout, it's leveled up by the chili mayo toasts that accompany it. (Promise, they're worth the extra time.)

Get the recipe: Chrissy Teigen's minestrone soup