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20 timeless soup recipes you’ll make again and again

Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
Credit: Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

If you don't already know these recipes by heart, we'll help you learn.

If you don't already know these recipes by heart, we'll help you learn.

A simple soup recipe can turn almost any handful of seemingly random ingredients into a delicious meal, whether it’s a weeknight dinner or you’re heading to a potluck. While there are some staple soup ingredients like broth or stock, the protein and accoutrements can vary widely. Soup is easy and versatile, from chicken noodle soup for a sick day to chili for game days. There are a few Southern staple soup recipes that incorporate simple and regional ingredients that every home cook should know how to whip up.

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01 of 20

Shrimp And Okra Gumbo

Shrimp and Okra Gumbo
Credit: Southern Living

Whether it’s a summer potluck or a cozy winter evening, nothing says Creole and Cajun like gumbo. While there are many versions of the dish from chicken and sausage to full on seafood, this is one of our all-time favorite gumbo recipes.

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02 of 20

White Bean Soup

Southern Living White Bean Soup in bowls ready to serve
Credit: Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

Looking for a soup to win the weeknight dinner rush? This hearty, garlicky white bean soup is just the answer.

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03 of 20

Southern Penicillin Soup

Southern Living Southern Penicillin Soup
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

No need to be under the weather to enjoy this warm and comforting soup. We can, however, guarantee it will beat the winter blues.

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04 of 20

Million Dollar Soup

Southern Living Million Dollar Soup in a bowl to serve
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Does it really taste like a million bucks? You better believe it. This recipe brings together meat and vegetables in a can't-be-beat cold-weather go-to.

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05 of 20

Chicken And Corn Chowder

Southern Living Chicken and Corn Chowder in a bowl ready to serve
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

When you need something to warm you up on a cold winter day, this is the recipe to turn to. Chicken and corn chowder is stick-to-your-bones good and a five-star recipe.

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06 of 20

Soup Beans

Soup Beans
Credit: Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood

This non-fussy Appalachian staple is rarely accompanied by a written recipe. Rather you simply bring all your ingredients—beans (typically pinto), a chunk of ham or a few slices of bacon, salt, pepper, and any other flavorings of your choosing like onion, garlic, or spices—in water to a boil then simmer until the beans are tender and starting to burst. Then remove a cup or two of the beans to mash and return to the pot to serve with cornbread.

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07 of 20

Old-Fashioned Chicken And Dumplings

Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

While fried chicken might be the most iconic Southern chicken dish, chicken and dumplings doesn’t fall far behind. Regardless of how you approach the dumplings, blobs of pastry dropped into the simmering pot or soft biscuits on top, this dish is for the soul.

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08 of 20

Classic Beef Chili

Classic Beef Chili - Southern Living
Credit: Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Kat Steele; Prop Styist: Claire Spollen

Every Southerner should have an arsenal of chili recipes for every occasion from game days to cold winter nights. There are endless iterations of a beef-and-bean chili, but this classic recipe is hard to beat.

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09 of 20

Loaded Potato Soup

Loaded Potato Soup
Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen

If we’re being honest, potato soup is all about the toppings. Garnish your creamy bowl with bacon bits, green onions, and grated cheese.

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10 of 20

She-Crab Soup

Southern Living She-Crab Soup in a white bowl with spoon
Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

You’ll find this rich, creamy soup served up and down the coast of the Carolinas, but legend has it the dish originated in Charleston, South Carolina.

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11 of 20

Coconut-Curry Butternut Squash Soup

Coconut-Curry Butternut Squash Soup
Credit: Southern Living

Fall in the South means taking advantage of the bounty of fresh produce which, of course, includes butternut squash. This delicious twist on a classic dish brings in rich curry flavors that represent the influences of a diverse Southern culture.

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12 of 20

Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup

Southern Living Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup in a bowl to serve
Credit: Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

The dish notorious for curing a cold is a recipe that every home cook should keep in their back pocket for sick days and cozy nights alike. It’s an easy recipe made even easier by using a rotisserie chicken.

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13 of 20

Easy Tomato Soup

Southern Living Tomato Soup in bowls topped with basil and olive oil
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

A warm bowl of tomato soup, on its own or accompanying a grilled cheese, likely takes you back to your childhood days, yet it never seems to get old. From basil tomato to chipotle tomato soup, you can't go wrong.

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14 of 20

Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
Credit: Photographer: Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

A pot of white chicken chili is an instant crowd pleaser from church potlucks to a table of kids. Best of all this recipe only requires 10 minutes of active work and is ready in under an hour.

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15 of 20

Tortilla Soup

Tortilla Soup
Credit: Photographer: Stacy Allen; Food Stylist : Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower

Whether you prefer a thick, stew-like tortilla soup or creamy rendition, any version of the dish is hard to beat especially when garnished with crispy strips of tortilla, cilantro, and fresh squeeze of lime.

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16 of 20

Chicken-And-Rice Soup With Mushrooms

Chicken-and-Rice Soup with Mushrooms

This easy weeknight meal is loaded with flavor and a great way to use up those back of the fridge and pantry ingredients. You can also change it up by substituting turkey for chicken.

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17 of 20

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

Southern Living Broccoli Cheddar Soup in a bowl to serve topped with extra shredded cheddar
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Another nostalgic dish that takes us back to the time when we insisted our vegetables were masked by cheesy-goodness. While we might opt for healthier dishes when it comes to vegetables these days, this beloved soup still makes for an excellent weeknight dinner.

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18 of 20

Black-Eyed Pea Soup With Ham Hocks

Black-eyed pea soup with ham hocks in white pot with smaller bowl of soup
Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis

Black-eyed peas are not just for New Year’s Day—though we’re fully behind this tradition. This comforting dish, showcasing a Southern grown legume, is just as delicious on a chilly fall day as on a summer night.

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19 of 20

Slow-Cooker Black Bean Soup

Slow-Cooker Black Bean Soup Image
Credit: Southern Living

This Southwestern classic is a go-to, hearty alternative to traditional meat-filled stews and chilis. Serve it up with a topping bar including a variety of cheeses, green onions, avocado, limes, and tortilla chips.

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20 of 20

Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder

Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder
Credit: Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Fresh, sweet corn is just one of the many produce items Southerners are so fond of in the summer, and this recipe highlights its flavor.

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