The Best Soups for Fighting a Cold (So You Can Feel Better Fast!)
Updated: Oct. 31, 2019What's more comforting than warm soup when you're feeling sick? Whether it be nutrients from veggies, spices for your sinuses or the healing properties of protein and broth, here you'll find the best soups for a cold so you can feel better fast.
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Turkey and Dumpling Soup
To show some love at a family gathering, I fill a stockpot with this rich turkey soup brimming with veggies, potatoes and dumplings. —Lea Lidel, Leander, Texas 2 / 36
Carrot Ginger Soup
This light, flavorful carrot ginger soup is vegan! It's made with pantry staples and comes together in a hurry, yet always seems to impress. Fresh ginger makes a big difference—and what isn't used can be wrapped tightly and tossed in the freezer to use later. —Jenna Olson, Manchester, Missouri 3 / 36
Bean Counter Chowder
This hearty chowder is one of our favorite vegetarian dishes. Loaded with beans, noodles and bright herbs, it's so comforting on a chilly day. —Vivian Haen, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 4 / 36
Pasta Fagioli Soup
My husband enjoys my version of this dish so much that he doesn’t order it at restaurants anymore. With fresh spinach, pasta and seasoned sausage, this fast-to-fix soup is a meal on its own. —Brenda Thomas, Springfield, Missouri 5 / 36
Comforting Chicken Noodle Soup
A good friend made us this rich, comforting, creamy chicken noodle soup after the birth of our son. It was such a help to have dinner taken care of until I was back on my feet. This yummy dish is so simple to fix that now I give a pot of it (along with the recipe) to other new mothers. —Joanna Sargent, Sandy, Utah 6 / 36
Italian Beef Vegetable Soup
This hearty vegetable beef soup features a ton of fresh vegetables, making it the perfect dish to use up all that summer produce. It's also great during cooler weather! Make sure you serve this Italian soup with some breadsticks, rolls or flaky biscuits. —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas 7 / 36
Vietnamese Chicken Meatball Soup with Bok Choy
Throughout Vietnam there are many kinds of soups, “canh,” served all year long. I particularly love enjoying this warm, flavorful bowl of Vietnamese chicken soup on laid-back weekends, but it's also great packed in a Thermos for lunch. It's the perfect bok choy soup, too! —Brenda Watts, Gaffney, South Carolina 8 / 36
Great Northern Bean Stew
This thick and hearty stew with great northern beans is sure to chase the winter chills away. —Mildred Sherrer, Fort Worth, Texas 9 / 36
Creamy Cauliflower Pakora Soup
My husband and I often crave pakoras, deep-fried fritters from India. I wanted to get the same flavors but use a healthier cooking technique, so I made soup using all the classic spices and our favorite veggie, cauliflower! —Melody Johnson, DePere, Wisconsin 10 / 36
Beef Lentil Soup
You can prepare this soup as the main course in a hearty lunch or dinner. But on cold winter evenings here in New England, I've often poured a steaming mugful and enjoyed it in front of our fireplace as well. —Guy Turnbull, Arlington, Massachusetts 11 / 36
Savory Winter Soup
Even my father, who doesn't particularly like soup, enjoys my full-flavored version of traditional vegetable soup. He asked me to share the recipe with Mom, and I gladly obliged! —Dana Simmons, Lancaster, Ohio 12 / 36
White Bean Soup with Escarole
This escarole and bean soup has become a favorite because it uses kitchen staples, it's packed with healthy ingredients and is a cinch to prepare. If I can't find escarole, I sub fresh spinach at the very end of cooking. —Gina Samokar, North Haven, Connecticut 13 / 36
Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
I think mushrooms often get used only as a seasoning or added flavor, but I think they are delicious enough to be the main part of a meal. This recipe uses a large quantity of mushrooms and the result is delicious. Even though this contains some dairy, it freezes quite well! —Wendy Campbell, New Wilmington, Pennsylvania 14 / 36
Spicy Sweet Potato & Chickpea Soup
I love hearty, healthy entree soups, and a bowl of this southwestern sweet potato-soup really satisfies. I add a can of chickpeas for protein, making it ideal for an easy dinner. And it reheats and even freezes beautifully, so I often make a double batch. —Jennifer Fisher, Austin, Texas 15 / 36
Hearty Split Pea Soup
For a different spin on traditional pea soup, try this split pea soup recipe with corned beef. The flavor is peppery rather than smoky, and a tasty change of pace. —Barbara Link, Alta Loma, California 16 / 36
Slow-Cooked Chicken Enchilada Soup
This soup delivers a big bowl of fresh comfort—just ask my husband. Toppings like avocado, sour cream and tortilla strips are a must. —Heather Sewell, Harrisonville, Missouri 17 / 36
Coconut Curry Chicken Soup
Similar to a Vietnamese pho rice noodle soup, this red curry soup packs big flavor and a bit of heat. The crisp raw vegetables help cool things down. —Monnie Norasing, Mansfield, Texas 18 / 36
Easy Tortellini Spinach Soup
This is the easiest soup you will ever make—believe me! I always keep the ingredients on hand, so if I'm feeling under the weather or just plain busy I can throw together this comforting soup in a flash. —Angela Lively, Conroe, Texas 19 / 36
The South in a Pot Soup
With black-eyed peas, sweet potatoes, ground beef and comforting spices, this soup has every wonderful memory from my childhood simmered together in one tasty pot. —Stephanie Rabbitt-Schapp, Cincinnati, OH 20 / 36
One-Pot Spinach Beef Soup
My idea of a winning weeknight meal is this beefy soup that simmers in one big pot. Grate some Parmesan and pass the crackers. —Julie Davis, Jacksonville, Florida 21 / 36
Chicken Barley Soup
No question—this is my favorite barley soup! It's so filling that I serve it as a hearty main dish, and I have given the recipe to many of our friends and relatives. It simply tastes too good to keep to yourself! —Diana Costello, Marion, Kansas 22 / 36
Maryland-Style Crab Soup
Try this hearty soup that incorporates the best of vegetable soup and flavorful crab. I break whole crabs and claws into pieces and drop them into the soup to cook, then serve it with saltine crackers and a cold beer. —Freelove Knott, Palm Bay, Florida 23 / 36
Spicy Veggie & Lentil Soup
I enjoy this recipe because it’s meatless, inexpensive and simply delicious! You can substitute any vegetables you like—it’s all a matter of preference. Serve warm pita bread on the side. —Geraldine Hennessey, Glendale, New York 24 / 36
Mushroom Barley Soup
A few years ago, a friend at work shared the recipe for this wonderful soup. With beef, barley and vegetables, it's hearty enough to be a meal. A big steaming bowl with a slice of crusty bread is so satisfying on a cold day. —Lynn Thomas, London, Ontario 25 / 36
Greek Tomato Soup with Orzo
My recipe for manestra, which means "orzo" in Greek, is a straightforward and very easy to make recipe. You only need a few steps to transform simple ingredients into a creamy one-pot-wonder in about 30 minutes. —Kiki Vagianos, Melrose, Massachusetts 26 / 36
Easy Pork Posole
Looking for a meal in a bowl? Sit down to a Mexican classic full of cubed pork, sliced sausage, hominy and more. It all goes into the slow cooker, so you can come home at night to a table-ready dinner. —Greg Fontenot, The Woodlands, Texas 27 / 36
French Onion Soup with Meatballs
I got the idea for how to make this soup after I went to a brewhouse restaurant that put ale in their gravy. I make this every time the weather starts to cool down in the fall—it's comfort food for the soul. —Crystal Holsinger, Surprise, Arizona 28 / 36
Roasted Autumn Vegetable Soup
Roasting sweet potatoes, carrots and parsnips brings out their best features. Blend them, and you have a warm, healthy soup for a cool fall night. —Stephanie Flaming, Woodland, California 29 / 36
Lemony Turkey Rice Soup
While growing up in Texas, I spent a lot of time helping my grandma cook. Lemon and cilantro add a deliciously different twist to turkey soup. —Margarita Cuellar, East Chicago, Indiana 30 / 36
Arborio Rice and White Bean Soup
Soup is the ultimate comfort food. This hearty, satisfying soup with arborio rice is low in fat and comes together in less than 30 minutes. —Deanna McDonald, Grand Rapids, Michigan 31 / 36
Creamy Sweet Potato and Veggie Soup
I tasted this delicious soup in a restaurant, and when I couldn't persuade the chef to share the recipe. I began to experiment on my own. Finally, I came up with this blend, which is very close to what I'd tasted. The secret ingredient, I think, is sweet potatoes! —Audrey Nemeth, Mount Vernon, Maine 32 / 36
Chicken Gnocchi Pesto Soup
After tasting a similar soup at a restaurant, I created this quick and tasty version. The pesto adds an extra-nice Italian flavor that is often missing from other gnocchi soups. —Deanna Smith, Des Moines, Iowa t 33 / 36
French Lentil and Carrot Soup
It's crazy how just a few ingredients can make such a difference. Using finely chopped rotisserie chicken in this recipe makes it perfect for a busy weeknight meal, but you can leave it out if you prefer. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia 34 / 36
Meaty Mushroom Chili
Since our two daughters did not like beans in their chili, I adapted a recipe to suit our whole family's tastes. We all agree that mushrooms are an appealing alternative and go very well with the ground beef and sausage. —Marjol Burr Catawba, Ohio 35 / 36
Hearty Manhattan Clam Chowder
This veggie-packed clam chowder is savory and satisfying. Butter up some crusty bread and you have yourself a complete meal. —Carol Bullick, Royersford, Pennsylvania 36 / 36
Curried Chicken Corn Chowder
This recipe is close to one my mom used to make for us kids when the weather turned cold. Hers called for heavy cream, but I came up with a slimmer version that I think is pretty true to the original! —Kendra Doss, Colorado Springs, Colorado Originally Published: October 31, 2019
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