The turkey gets all the glory, but a warm bowl of soup is the real way to kick off Thanksgiving, if you ask me. I’ve rounded up 17 cozy, ridiculously good soups that set the perfect tone for the feast ahead. They’re ideal for picky eaters, light appetites, or anyone who just loves a beautiful first course.
1. Raspberry Cranberry Soup
If a bright, chilled soup is more your style, this raspberry cranberry number is calling your name. I make it all summer long, but my family loves it in the fall thanks to that light cranberry flavor and a lively, tangy kick.
Best part? It only takes 35 minutes, and I am all about quick Thanksgiving dishes that still feel special.
2. Turnip Soup
Turnips, Granny Smith apples, potatoes, curry powder, and light cream come together in the most luscious turnip soup. It’s a creamy bowl of goodness that comes together in just 30 minutes with olive oil, onions, broth (chicken or veggie), and a pinch of salt. The flavor is mild and oh so comforting, and I love finishing each bowl with crispy seasoned croutons and a flurry of fresh herbs.
3. Homemade Corn Chowder
Homemade corn chowder hits every note: sweet and savory, creamy and crunchy, fresh and herby all at once. It’s loaded with plenty of corn, garlic, bacon, onions, potatoes, and a few other goodies. While most of these Thanksgiving soups shine as starters, I think this one is hearty enough to serve right alongside your main meal.
4. Fall Vegetable Quinoa Soup
Fall vegetable quinoa soup is exactly what it sounds like: a cozy vegetable soup loaded with autumnal produce and hearty quinoa. It has a tomato and vegetable broth base that tastes like classic veggie soup, but instead of summer staples you’ll find squash, carrots, celery, sweet potato, and loads of fresh herbs.
5. Roasted Cauliflower Soup
For a lower carb Thanksgiving option that doesn’t skimp on flavor, roasted cauliflower soup is where it’s at. It’s garlicky, a little zesty, and so tasty. With fewer than ten ingredients and just 15 minutes of prep, it’s a total weeknight holiday win.
6. Cream of Celery Soup
If your only experience with cream of celery soup is the kind from a can, oh friend, you are missing out. My homemade version captures all that nostalgic creamy goodness, but it tastes a million times better. Yes, it takes a little longer, but some things are worth the wait.
7. Lentil Soup
Lentil soup is the ultimate cold weather hug: chunky, hearty, and deeply satisfying. It’s packed with lentils, onions, carrots, tomatoes, and a generous blend of herbs and spices that make every spoonful sing. The flavor is spectacular, a perfect match of herby tomato goodness and all your favorite vegetables.
8. Curried Cauliflower Apple Soup
The creator of this soup calls it “seductive” and swears the cauliflower, apple, and curry combo is “a magical flavor combination.” With a description like that, I obviously had to try it. And I have to say, she wasn’t wrong. It’s spicy, nutty, tartly sweet, and unlike any other soup I’ve ever tasted.
9. Autumn Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup
Your dessert table might force you to pick between carrot cake and sweet potato pie, but this autumn soup says have both. It’s a ten ingredient beauty with onions, carrots, sweet potatoes, broth, honey, apples, butter, curry powder, salt, and pepper. Sweet and savory, it’s unbelievably good.
10. Cream of Mushroom Soup
Cream of mushroom soup is another one of those classics that is infinitely better from scratch. You get that velvety, creamy mushroom broth plus real chunks of mushrooms, little bits of onion, and fresh parsley and thyme. It blows the canned version completely out of the water.
11. Spinach Artichoke Soup
This scrumptious soup is basically spinach and artichoke dip in silky, spoonable form, with a touch more butter for richness. It’s creamy, dreamy, and if you love the dip, you’ll be head over heels for this soup.
12. Thanksgiving Leftover Soup
This soup is really for the day after Thanksgiving, when your fridge is bursting with holiday magic. It gives you one more glorious way to enjoy shredded turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and broth, plus a handful of frozen mixed veggies. It absolutely belongs on this list.
13. Acorn Squash Soup
Looking for a vegetarian soup that will have everyone at the table swooning? This acorn squash soup is thick, creamy, and gets its incredible, almost sweet flavor from caramelized squash. Even the most devoted meat lovers will be going back for seconds.
14. Chestnut Soup with Bacon and Chives
You might not know you need a nutty, earthy, bacon loaded chestnut soup in your life, but trust me, once you taste it you’ll be making it on repeat. Chestnuts, chives, leeks, shallots, nutmeg, and more pack so much flavor into every spoonful. And it has this gorgeous tan, almost pink hue that’s really lovely.
15. Autumn Wild Rice Soup
I love making this wild rice soup when the weather turns crisp. It’s packed with all the best fall vegetables and tender mushrooms, and a generous shake of Old Bay seasoning brings a warm, herby, earthy vibe that feels just right. Ladle it into bowls and don’t forget a thick slab of crusty bread for dunking.
16. Easy Tomato Soup
If you’re as tomato soup obsessed as I am, you’ll flip for this silly simple recipe that uses just four ingredients plus salt. Butter, an onion, water, and a big can of tomatoes are all it takes (season with salt to your heart’s content). In under an hour, you’ve got two deeply satisfying bowls.
17. Borscht
I don’t think I’ve ever met a soup as polarizing as borscht. People either adore it or can’t stand it, which is pretty much how folks feel about beets. If you’re a beet and cabbage lover, you’ll probably fall hard for this colorful bowl; if not, maybe skip this one.