24 Holiday Soups to Start Your Feast in Delicious Style

Spinach Artichoke Dip Soup
Photo: Brie Passano

From elegant soups for your grand holiday feast, to cozy soups for Christmas Eve, our festive soup recipes will have you covered all season long! Find hearty choices, like tortellini soup, beef-barley stew, and chili, along with stylish options, like butternut squash soup, pumpkin soup, and a luscious creamy Brie soup. You'll also find some great ham soup and turkey soup ideas that will help you serve up those holiday leftovers in all new ways.

01 of 24

New Potato-Chicken Soup

New Potato Chicken Soup
Scott Little / RJT LLC

Don't sweat all day over your holiday soup. Bust out your slow cooker and get simmering! For this creamy potato soup, featuring caramelized onions and red potatoes, the set-and-forget appliance does nearly all of the work for you.

02 of 24

Broccoli-Cheese Soup

white saucepan of broccoli-cheese soup
Brie Passano

Cheesy. Creamy. Classic. There's no way this broccoli-cheese soup isn't hitting our special occasion menu. Bonus: It can be made with fresh or frozen veggies. Give the holiday soup recipe a cafe-worthy finish by serving it in homemade bread bowls.

03 of 24

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Jason Donnelly

Comfort food doesn't come much comfier than pot pie. Give the classic recipe a creative twist with this hearty holiday soup recipe that's stuffed with crunchy veggies and tasty chicken. Homemade biscuits (recipe included!) make the perfect topper.

04 of 24

Spinach Artichoke Dip Soup

Spinach Artichoke Dip Soup
Brie Passano

All the flavors you know and love in the hot-dip recipe can now be savored by the bowl-full! It might sound too rich for a holiday meal appetizer but trust us. With a whole 10-ounce package of frozen spinach and a 14-ounce can of artichokes in the mix, this holiday soup is surprisingly well-balanced.

05 of 24

Lemon Potato Soup with Feta

Lemon Potato Soup with Feta

No matter how heavy your holiday menu, this citrus-spiked starter will pair beautifully. Start your meal off fresh with a bowl of lemony, veggie-rich goodness. Did we mention this holiday soup recipe only takes 20 minutes of prep?

06 of 24

Bone-In Chicken Noodle Soup

Bone-In Chicken Noodle Soup
The broth of this Bone-In Chicken Noodle Soup, is made with bone-in pieces, so it's a "stock".

Meaty pieces of browned, bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks make this hearty and traditional soup especially rich and comforting. Grandma would be so proud of you serving this elegant-tasting yet affordable holiday soup recipe. It's a can't-go-wrong option for a Christmas Eve soup supper—or any special occasion that could use a cozy addition!

07 of 24

Beef-and-Barley Stew with Roasted Winter Vegetables

Beef and Barley Stew with Roasted Winter Vegetables

If turkey's on the menu for Christmas day, put beef on the menu for Christmas Eve. With roasted veggies, tender beef, and hearty barley this holiday stew will fill everyone around your table with the warmth of the season. Garnish with parsley for a bright and fresh finish.

08 of 24

Cream of Roasted Fennel Soup with Homemade Croutons

Cream of Roasted Fennel Soup with Homemade Croutons

Festive soup recipes that can be made in advance are key to getting your holiday-entertaining game on. (And doing so without holding up the show or stressing over the stove as guests arrive.) Here's a holiday soup recipe that showcases the sweetness of fennel in a rich, creamy base, with homemade croutons for a crunchy contrast.

09 of 24

Turkey Peanut Stew

Turkey Peanut Stew, soup, turkey

Peanut butter isn't just for cookies and chocolate cups. (Although it sure is delicious in dessert recipes!) A cup of PB lends a creamy texture and a rich, nutty flavor to this African turkey soup recipe. This holiday soup recipe a great way to use leftover turkey.

10 of 24

Tortellini Florentine Soup

Tortellini Florentine Soup

Christmas soup recipes don't come much easier than this version, which gets a headstart from jarred Alfredo sauce, leftover or deli chicken, and refrigerated cheese tortellini. To make it fitting and festive, dried tomatoes and spinach team up to infuse a little holiday color into this easy tortellini soup. Thanks to those shortcut ingredients, the holiday soup recipe is ready in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for those bustling Christmas Eve festivities.

11 of 24

Butternut Squash Bisque

Butternut Squash Bisque

Chipotle peppers add just the right amount of heat to this slightly sweet version of butternut squash soup. And with crumbled bacon and shaved Gouda for toppings, what's not to love? No wonder one BH&G home cook says this holiday soup is, "One of the family favorites. Definitely a winter staple!"

12 of 24

Pumpkin Soup with Lentils

Pumpkin Soup with Lentils

Canned pumpkin takes a walk on the savory side in this hearty pumpkin soup recipe. Also, because it's meatless, it will please the vegetarians around your table. The lentils make this holiday soup hearty enough to be a main in a big serving size, but the brothy consistency and heaps of veggies make a cup an ideal first course as part of a holiday feast.

13 of 24

Butternut Squash-and-Carrot Soup

Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup

This creamy butternut squash soup calls on carrots for extra color and sweetness. While this holiday soup recipe is layered with flavor, it's mildly spiced. That means this creamy soup is a great choice when you're hosting a range of guests (with a range of spice preferences!) for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

14 of 24

Butternut Squash Posole

Butternut Squash Posole

Warmly-spiced cumin and the bright flavor combos make this, "one of my favorite soups," according to BH&G home chef Jill H. This butternut squash soup is patterned after posole, a Mexican dish seasoned with chili powder and chock full of hominy. We suggest serving the holiday soup as a hearty main course on Christmas Eve.

15 of 24

Creamy Tortellini Soup

R112816

If the more than 100 five-star ratings don't convince you to make this holiday soup recipe, the convenience factor sure will. Coleslaw mix and refrigerated tortellini to make this a breeze to bring to the table during holiday crunch time. Smoked sausage and hearty veggies also star in the easy tortellini soup that will have everyone asking for seconds.

16 of 24

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

Find out how to make your butternut squash soup great tasting and silky-smooth.

17 of 24

Ham-and-Sweet Potato Soup

Ham and Sweet Potato Soup

Need the entire stovetop to prep your holiday meal? A little counter space is all this delectable slow cooker soup requires. Sweet potatoes, beans, ham, and onions simmer quietly while you're tending to sides, entrees, and guests. When you're ready to serve this holiday soup recipe, just add a healthy splash of half-and-half and mash gently!

18 of 24

Butternut Squash Soup with Ravioli

R082425

If you have 30 minutes and five ingredients (six, if you want to dress things up with a pretty swirl of molasses on top), you have everything you need to make this healthy holiday soup recipe. While butternut squash simmers away in a spiced-up broth mixture, you can boil the store-bought ravioli. Then all that's left to do is blend the soup to creamy perfection, and top with the cheesy pasta pillows.

19 of 24

Danish Green Kale Soup

Danish Green Kale Soup

Go green with this five-star soup BH&G fans can't stop raving about. Potatoes and carrots make this ham soup extra hearty, while kale cranks up the color and vitamin quotient. The classic Danish recipe combines tradition and great taste for a holiday soup that will bring extra warmth to your table.

20 of 24

Butternut Squash Soup with Thai Gremolata

Butternut Squash Soup with Thai Gremolata

Go global with your next holiday menu. Coconut milk, Asian chili sauce, and other Southeast Asian touches add intrigue to this butternut squash holiday soup recipe. Bonus: It practically preps itself in your slow cooker so you can focus on the rest of the meal.

21 of 24

Beet-and-Apple Soup with Horseradish Cream

Beet and Apple Soup with Horseradish Cream

Pretty in pink! If you're on the hunt for festive soup recipes that combine glamour and great taste, you can stop clicking around. Apples and beets—two of our favorite flavors in the cooler seasons—star in this elegant holiday soup recipe that will make a head-turning first course. Using an immersion blender (like this Cuisinart Smart Stick 2-Speed Hand Blender, $50, Bed Bath & Beyond) is key to achieving its luscious texture.

22 of 24

Curry Pumpkin Soup

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Trying to decide between making a pumpkin soup recipe versus another winter-squash soup? We almost always veer toward pumpkin since it comes conveniently packed as a puree in the form of the affordable pantry staple canned pumpkin. Here, a touch of curry deepens the flavor of the classic.

23 of 24

Lentil-Ham Soup

Lentil-Ham Soup

Lentil and ham soup is always a hearty and delicious option, but let's face it: Some recipes can be a little underwhelming in the looks department. Here, bright spinach added at the last minute, brings a little polish to the classic. This holiday soup is a great leftover recipe to use up extra ham from your feast.

24 of 24

Spicy Brazilian Turkey Soup

Spicy Brazilian Turkey Soup

The spice is right in this holiday soup. Punchy jalapeños, warm ginger, smoky fire-roasted tomatoes, dry-roasted peanuts, and other flavor-charged ingredients make this turkey soup a creative (and covert) way to use the leftover holiday bird. A bottle of beer is the incognito broth ingredient that will have everyone asking, "hmm...what is that?!" in the most complimentary way.

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