Quick and easy soup recipes

As the autumn leaves start to shiver off trees and winter’s gloom starts to loom, you’ll want to make soup. In fact, you’ll want a soul-warming soup, and you’ll want it pronto. Luckily our easy soup recipes deliver big flavour in little time. Because when it comes to midweek meals that are nourishing and heartwarming, you shouldn’t have to spend hours slaving over a hot stove.

We have cheat versions of wonton soups and Italian pasta soups as well as tips and tricks to cut down cooking time on hearty vegetable soup recipes — all without losing any depth of flavour.

If it’s creamy soups you desire, then make our cauliflower and bacon soup or pumpkin and ras el hanout soup. And for those who have been craving a hot broth soup all day long, Tony Tan’s asam laksa never goes astray nor does our spicy roast chicken noodle soup.

Our winner for the fastest cook time is our Chinese egg drop soup which takes just 15 minutes to whip up, while our torn pasta soup with parmesan croutons satisfies all cravings. And if you’ve come down with a cold, our easy chicken noodle soup with fragrant lemongrass could cure all ills.

Skip the supermarket soups and make your own. It’s surefire way to cut down your grocery bill, especially if you’re making a vegetable soup with seasonal veg. Plus, it’s a great way to use up any produce that’s starting to look a little sad in your fridge.

Ladel at the ready? Work your way through these easy recipes this winter. It’s soup season.

Best easy soup recipes for cosy cooking this winter

Split pea and coconut soup with yoghurt

A twist on a classic in which warm, uplifting spices meld subtly with a coconut milk base.

Silverbeet soup with colcannon potato bread

If you’ve got leftover silverbeet or leafy greens, this is the soup for you.

Torn pasta soup with fennel and parmesan croutons

Made with a flavoursome vegetable stock and adorned with crunchy croutons and shreds of fennel, this torn pasta soup recipe makes for a quick and easy dinner.

Farro, white bean and smoked ham soup

This is a super-easy dish that’s rich, hearty and full-flavoured, but doesn’t require a whole lot of work. Just let the flavour of the hock come through and do the work for you. Begin this recipe a day ahead to soak the beans.

Fast pasta e fagioli recipe (ditali and beans with pancetta)

It’s the peasant-style Italian pasta soup, but it’s ready in 30 minutes.

Parsnip soup with truffle and hazelnuts

Roast a few thin wedges of parsnips in a 180°C oven for 25 minutes and serve on the side for some extra crunch.

Red lentil soup with yoghurt and coriander

A lentil soup that’s inspired by shorbat adas, a dish often served during Ramadan, does wonders when you’re in need of a little nourishment.

Miso noodle soup with mushrooms and ginger

For a dish that’s light yet satisfying, it’s hard to go past a bowl of miso soup.

Sausage, cavolo nero and chickpea minestrone

Minestrone needn’t take hours of your time to prepare. This version uses a few tasty shortcuts to cut the cooking time but not the flavour.

Tony Tan’s asam laksa

The curry laksa may be better known, but asam laksa is a breed all its own: sour, sweet and rich with fish.

Broccoli soup with Gorgonzola toasts

The creamy soup uses broccoli stalks for the soup base and sauteed florets as a garnish. Add Gorgonzola toasts for dipping and you’ve got a satisfying meal.

Tortilla soup with chicken

Create this citrusy soup sensation that combines cumin and cinnamon with strips of juicy chicken and crisp tortilla.

A classic cauliflower soup with cheddar toast

A good cauliflower and potato soup never goes out of style. We like to add a splash of dairy for extra-creamy results, every time.

Miso with soba, poached eggs and spring onion

Whip up this simple and satisfying Japanese soba noodle soup in less than 20 minutes.

Silverbeet soup with rice, lemon and smoked trout

Make the most of spring produce with this quick silverbeet soup with fragrant dill. Add a smoky flavour with flaked smoked trout (though tuna would work too).

Fennel and leek soup with four spice

Serve this simple soup just with bread or toast or add a seafood element by placing thinly sliced sashimi-grade scallops or fish in the serving bowls before ladling in the hot soup.

Sweetcorn with coconut milk

Part soup, part gentle curry, this brothy-y recipe is best served with rice and noodles. Add curry leaves and fish sauce for extra dimension.

What is the simplest soup to make?

One of the simplest soups to make is our Chinese egg drop soup, which is ready in just 15 minutes and uses everyday ingredients you’ll most likely already have at home. Typically vegetable soups are also easy to make, especially blended soup recipes where you blitz everything up with a stick blender.

What are the three basic soups?

There are three basic types of soup: brothy, puréed and chunky. Brothy soups (or consommé) have a clear broth and minimal ingredients, like our cheat’s wonton soup and flavour-packed chicken broth with ginger and lemongrass. Puréed on the other hand, such as our classic pumpkin soup or cheesy broccoli soup, are made by blending all ingredients to create a smooth, creamy texture. Finally, chunky soups like minestrone and chowder are often on the heartier side.

What soup can I make with few ingredients?

Again, our egg drop soup is an easy soup recipe, not only due to its quick cook time but also thanks to the few everyday ingredients needed to make it. Another soup idea is our pumpkin ras el hanout soup which only uses four ingredients in the soup base, as well as our creamy cauliflower soup.