Just because winter is over doesn't mean soup season is, too. Yes, we're excited about colorful galettes, crisp salads, refreshing cocktails, and grilled everything using spring's lightest and brightest produce. But we're also going to make the case for spring soups — big crocks of cool cucumber soup, cozy vichyssoise with potatoes and leeks, hearty cabbage and sausage soup, and brothy bowls with ramps. Since spring weather can sometimes give you the feeling of whiplash, cool off or warm up with these versatile spring soup recipes.
1. Thai-Scented Asparagus Soup with Coconut Milk
When those perfect little green shoots start popping up at the farmer's market, I'm stocking up on asparagus and using it every which way, starting with this fragrant soup that's vegan to boot. It gets its creaminess from coconut milk and even more flavor from lemongrass and ginger.
At the center of every spring produce stand are carrots. Yes, you can easily get them year-round but they taste better and look better once the snow has melted and robins are chirping. The carrots are first roasted and then lightly boiled with ginger, thyme, and onions before being puréed into the ultimate seasonal comfort food.
3. Nigel Slater's Minty Pea Soup with Parmesan Toasts
This soup sings spring's praises. It's everything we love about the season. Fresh peas, shredded lettuce, mint leaves, and grated Parmesan cheese float in a robust chicken stock that's made for dipping.
4. Green Minestrone with Lime-Arugula Meatballs
The great thing about a minestrone soup is its flexibility. You can sub in any vegetables based on what you have in your fridge, what's in season, or what just looks good at the farmers' market.
This is a pretty classic carrot soup except for one stellar ingredient — white miso. It brings savory, umami flavor to every spoonful.
6. Cabbage, Italian Sausage, and Orzo Soup with Parmesan
Switch up how you serve cabbage with this stick-to-your-ribs soup recipe that's perfect for chilly spring days.
7. 3-Ingredient Potato Leek Soup
Vichyoissie soup has a (justified) reputation for being overly fussy. Fortunately, this three-ingredient version, which makes use of in-season leeks, is quite the opposite.
8. Yogurt Soup with Cucumbers and Walnuts
Cool off with this refreshingly tangy soup made with Persian cucumbers, lemon juice, and a small bunch of dill or mint.
9. Spinach Tortellini Soup by Joanna Gaines
If there's anyone who knows how to feed a family a delicious dinner, it's Joanna Gaines. This spring soup recipe transforms a package of cheese tortellini. Fire-roasted tomatoes, cannellini beans, baby spinach, and fresh herbs bring heft and flavor (so much flavor).
10. Potato-Leek Soup with Spiced Chickpeas
A delightful twist on traditional vichyssoise soup, this recipe features a crunchy topping of leek greens and chickpeas cooked in paprika, coriander, and cumin. "When served together, these small additions make the soup sing," writes recipe developer Chetna Makan.
11. Chilled Cucumber and Avocado Soup with Mango Salsa
Somewhere in between guacamole and gazpacho is this cool soup with punchy notes of lime juice, freshly shucked corn, cucumbers, and scallions. Thanks to the creamy texture of the avocado, it's totally vegan too.
12. Brothy Bean Soup with Parmesan
You can't go wrong with bean soup on a cold spring night. It's filling in all the right ways and jam-packed with our favorite vegetables.
13. Spinach and Cilantro Soup with Tahini and Lemon from Samin Nosrat
Leave it to Samin Nosrat to develop the recipe for what may very well be our favorite spring soup recipe of all time.
14. Marcella Hazan's White Bean Soup with Garlic and Parsley
A totally vegan, protein-boosted soup that comes together in 10 minutes? I'm listening!
15. Tomato Soup with a Whole Head of Garlic
Make this soup when spring starts to lean into summer and cherry tomatoes are at their peak.
16. Yi Jun Loh's One-Pot Coconut Water ABC Soup
We never expected a soup as simple as this one — just coconut water, tomatoes, and root vegetables — to taste as good as it does.
