Grandma’s Best Homemade Soups

Grandma’s Chicken ‘n’ Dumpling Soup

I’ve enjoyed making this rich homemade chicken dumpling soup recipe for more than 40 years. Every time I serve this type of soup, I remember my southern grandma, who was very special to me and was known as an outstanding cook. —Paulette Balda, Prophetstown, Illinois

Go To Recipe

Grandma's Seafood Chowder

My grandmother makes this every year for Christmas morning—the only time we ever had it. Why wait, when you can enjoy this satisfying chowder anytime? It's also delicious topped with biscuits! —Melissa Obernesser, Utica, New York

Cold-Day Chicken Noodle Soup

When I was sick, my mom would make me this heartwarming chicken noodle soup. It was soothing when I had a cold, but this soup is a bowlful of comfort on any chilly day. —Anthony Graham, Ottawa, lllinois

Minestrone with Turkey

I remember my mom making this soup; now I make it for my kids as often as I can. It's a good way to use up leftover vegetables. Sometimes I add a can of rinsed and drained kidney or garbanzo beans. —Angela Goodman, Kaneohe, Hawaii

Big Batch Cheeseburger Soup

When my mother-in-law gave me her recipe for cheeseburger soup, I changed it a little to make it my own. It's the perfect comfort food to enjoy on a cold winter evening. —Christina Addison, Blanchester, Ohio

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

Loaded Potato-Leek Soup

When I was a child, my mother made potato and onion soup because it was affordable and fast. I’ve trimmed the calories, but it’s still a comforting family favorite. —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas

Egg Drop Soup

We often start our stir-fry meals with this fast egg drop soup recipe— it cooks in just minutes flat. There are many versions of the recipe, but we like the easy addition of cornstarch to thicken the soup and give it a rich, golden color. I got the recipe from my grandma’s old cookbook. —Amy Beth Corlew-Sherlock, Lapeer, Michigan

Slow-Cooked Loaded Potato Soup

I like to put twists on my grandmother's recipes, which is what I did with this one. I look forward to passing my own delicious comfort food recipes to my kids. —Jamie Chase, Rising Sun, Indiana

Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup

My mother was a pastor's wife, and she did a lot of cooking for potlucks. This recipe is one she created herself. I serve it frequently to my husband and to our four children. Every one of them is a hearty eater! —Marlene Doolittle, Story City, Iowa

Beet Borscht

My mother used to make this hearty soup from her garden's bountiful crop of beets and other vegetables. —Ruth Andrewson, Leavenworth, Washington

Contest-Winning Roasted Tomato Soup

Just before the first frost of the season, we gather up all of the tomatoes from my mom’s garden to create this flavor-packed soup. Although it sounds like a lot of garlic, when it’s roasted, the garlic becomes mellow and almost sweet. We serve this soup with toasted bread spread with pesto.—Kaitlyn Lerdahl, Madison, Wisconsin

Turkey Dumpling Soup

Simmering up a big pot of this soup is one of my favorite holiday traditions. This is a variation on a recipe my mom made while I was growing up. My husband and children can't get enough of the tender dumplings. —Debbie Wolf, Mission Viejo, California

Chicken Potpie Soup

My grandmother hand-wrote a cookbook. She included this amazing pie crust, and I added this delicious chicken potpie soup for it. —Karen LeMay, Seabrook, Texas

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

Old-Fashioned Tomato Soup

Mother made this soup when I was a child, and it was always one of my favorites. After 75 years, it still is! Mother's cellar was filled with home-canned vegetables, so the basic ingredient of this soup was right at hand. It never took her long to make a kettle of this wonderful soup. —Wilma Miller, Port Angeles, Washington

Italian Sausage Kale Soup

My mom dehydrates the last pick of tomatoes from her garden each fall—perfect for quick soups like this one. When I have time to prepare dried beans, I do—but don't worry if you don't. Canned beans are just as good. —Lori Terry, Chicago, Illinois

Hearty Quinoa & Corn Chowder

My grandmother lived in the Appalachian Mountains and always served straight-from-the-garden corn and beans. I updated her dish with quinoa and herbs. — Kari Napier, Louisville, Kentucky

Carrot Chowder

My husband's grandmother passed this recipe on to us, and it's just wonderful—especially with a basket of warm, fresh bread on the side. This soup freezes well. —Wendy Wilkins, Prattville, Alabama

Split Pea Soup Mix

My mother sent me some of this pretty dry blend along with the recipe. The hearty soup is thick with lentils, barley and peas, and chicken is a nice change from the usual ham. —Susan Ruckert, Tangent, Oregon

Colorful Three-Bean Soup

When I was growing up, my mother prepared many different soups, each seasoned just right. She often made this colorful combination that's chock-full of harvest-fresh goodness. It showcases an appealing assortment of beans, potatoes, carrots and spinach. -Valerie Lee, Snellville, Georgia

Italian Sausage Zucchini Soup

My mom used to make this recipe. Whenever I decide to make it, it reminds me of her, taking me back to days of my childhood. —Louise Kline, Fort Myers, Florida

Butternut Squash & Garlic Soup

I remember making this velvety soup with my mom. Butternut squash gives it warm color, and garlic wards off any unfriendly spirits. Try using whipping cream for an extra smooth texture. —Steven Eder, Lebanon, Pennsylvania

Turkey Sausage Bean Soup

This recipe is from my great-grandmother, though I've added a few ingredients to make it my own. Serve it with a side salad and some artisan bread for a wonderful, hearty family dinner. —Terrel Porter-Smith, Los Osos, California

Chicken Escarole Soup with Meatballs

This is an old recipe from southern Italy. My mother gave it to me when I was first married. It started out as a holidays-only dish...but my children and grandchildren love it so much that we have it every chance we get!—Norma Manna, Hobe Sound, Florida

Rivel Soup

For years, I'd been trying to figure out how my grandmother made her rivel soup. Then I discovered that it wasn't just something she came up with, but a prized heirloom recipe. Many families have their own special version. —Kathy Kegley, Rural Retreat, Virginia

Lemony Mushroom Orzo Soup

My grandmother used to make a similar classic Greek soup, avgolemono, every Sunday after church. Here’s my version of her recipe. The kids and I came up with this variation while experimenting with different ingredients. I think my yia-yia would be proud. —Nick Haros, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

Cabbage and Beef Soup

When I was a little girl, I helped my parents work the fields of their small farm. Lunchtime was always a treat when Mother picked fresh vegetables from the garden and simmered them in her big soup pot. We loved making this delicious recipe. —Ethel Ledbetter, Canton, North Carolina

English Pub Split Pea Soup

This family favorite is the same recipe my grandmother used. Now with the magic of the slow cooker, I can spend 15 minutes putting it together, walk away for five hours, and come back to "soup's on." Finish it with more milk if you like your soup a bit thinner. —Judy Batson, Tampa, Florida

Ham & Potato-Rutabaga Chowder

The ingredients in this dish are a nod to my mother's tasty potato and rutabaga side dish, which was always paired with baked country ham; dishes she served during the cold months when I was a child. Whenever I make this chowder it brings me back to a time when life was just a little bit simpler. —Cheryl Perry, Hertford, North Carolina

Spicy Seafood Bisque

This spicy soup, featuring shrimp, crabmeat and tomatoes, gets its zip from hot pepper sauce and cayenne pepper. It's easy to prepare and dresses up any meal. Of all the recipes I've borrowed from my mom, this soup is the one that I've made most often. —Kevin Weeks, North Palm Beach, Florida