Some nights call for a bowl of soup and a piece of bread you can tear with your hands. These three soup recipes give you a few good places to start: creamy street corn soup with bacon and lime, tomato soup with basil, and lentil soup packed with greens.
Pick the one that fits your plans and follow the creator’s full recipe below. Each has a different base, texture and cooking time, so you can choose dinner before you start pulling things out of the fridge.
If friends are coming over, our guide to hosting a soup night with friends covers the guest list, shared kitchen and serving setup. This list is for the fun part: choosing what goes in the bowls.
1. Slow Cooker Mexican Street Corn Soup
Recipe by Amy Rains of Wholesomelicious.
This is the pick for a creamy soup with plenty going on in each spoonful. Amy’s recipe brings together corn, chicken, potatoes and poblano pepper in a chipotle broth. Bacon, cotija, cilantro and lime finish the bowl. (The topping situation deserves its own moment.)
It’s a slow-cooker recipe, so choose it when you can start dinner well ahead of eating. Amy also includes an Instant Pot option on the original page. Check her directions for the method you plan to use.
Why save it: You want corn, smoky chipotle and a creamy base, with enough pieces of chicken and potato to keep the texture interesting.
Serve alongside: A small green salad or bread for the broth. Let the bacon and lime stay the main event on top.
Get the full recipe from Amy Rains at Wholesomelicious.
2. Creamy Tomato Soup
Recipe by Jeanine Donofrio and Phoebe Moore of Love and Lemons.
Tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich have a very good thing going. This version starts with canned tomatoes, then adds carrots, onion, garlic and balsamic vinegar. Cream rounds out the base, and a few basil leaves bring green to the bowl.
The soup is partly blended, so it keeps some soft tomato pieces. Choose it when you want that creamy tomato base with a little texture. The original page also lists a dairy-free option if that’s what you need.
Why save it: You want a tomato soup built around pantry staples, with a sandwich on the side.
Serve alongside: Grilled cheese cut into strips for dipping, or a slice of crusty bread. Both fit the soup’s familiar, stay-in-for-dinner mood.
Get the full tomato soup recipe from Love and Lemons.
3. Lentil Soup with Kale and Vegetables
Recipe by Jeanine Donofrio and Phoebe Moore of Love and Lemons.
For a bowl full of vegetables, save this lentil soup. Whole green lentils, carrots, celery, tomatoes and kale give it plenty of texture. Cumin and thyme season the broth, with vinegar for a tangy finish.
The lentils keep their shape here. This is a brothy, chunky soup, so it’s the choice when you want to see all those vegetables in the bowl. The source recipe offers parsley, pepper flakes and optional Parmesan for serving. Skip the cheese if you’re following its vegan option.
Why save it: You want whole lentils and greens in a vegetable broth, with toppings you can choose at serving time.
Serve alongside: Crusty bread for dipping. A small dish of the recipe’s toppings lets everyone finish their own bowl.
Get the full lentil soup recipe from Love and Lemons.
Save a bowl for tomorrow
If you have soup left for lunch, portion it into shallow containers and refrigerate it promptly, within two hours of cooking. FoodSafety.gov’s cooling guidance explains the timing and container choice.
Keep the fridge at 40°F or below and use refrigerated soup within three to four days, following the cold food storage chart. Add fresh toppings when you serve your next bowl.
Which soup fits tonight?
Go with street corn soup when you have time for the slow cooker and want a creamy bowl with bacon and lime. Choose tomato soup when grilled cheese sounds like dinner. Pick lentil soup when you want a chunky bowl of lentils, greens and vegetables.
You only need to choose one. If the plan is dinner and catching up on the couch, our low-effort hangout ideas have a few ways to spend the rest of the evening together.
