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Superfast Soups

Superfast Soups

January 22, 2009

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Photo: Jennifer Causey

Warm up to these soups, all ready in 20 minutes or less.

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Chicken-Poblano Tortilla Soup

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez

View Recipe: Chicken-Poblano Tortilla Soup

Chilly evenings call for a comforting soup with a bit of restorative kick and plenty of vibrant toppings. Top with tortilla chips, or make your own crispy tortilla strips as shown. Cut 4 (6-inch) corn tortillas into 1/2-inch strips and bake at 375° for 10 minutes. Crush halve the strips for the soup and garnish with the rest. Make these ahead and store in a zip-top bag at room temperature for a day or two. Poblano peppers range in heat; add cooling avocado or crushed red pepper as needed.

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Chicken and Rice Soup with Lemon and Ginger

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Chicken and Rice Soup with Lemon and Ginger

The lemon-ginger pairing delivers distinct brightness to this comforting soup.

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Green Gazpacho with Shrimp

Photo: Caitlin Bensel

View Recipe: Green Gazpacho with Shrimp

Fresh bread gives gazpacho body, making it a substantial summer entrée soup. Use bread from the bakery section for the best results (bread from the supermarket aisle can be overly soft and sweet).

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Pumpkin Soup With Almonds and Sage

Photo: Romulo Yanes

View Recipe: Pumpkin Soup With Almonds and Sage

This fast recipe delivers slow-cooked flavor. Pumpkin is one of the few vegetables whose canned version is quite good, saving you lots of time and effort. Just be sure you don't accidentally grab pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and spices.

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White Bean & Vegetable Bowls with Frizzled Eggs

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez

View Recipe: White Bean & Vegetable Bowls with Frizzled Eggs

This easy bowl of brothy goodness is loaded with both veggies and umami depth—it's comfort food you can feel good about. It's also great for times when the food budget is tight, as it costs only about $11 for 4 servings.

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Silky Tomato Soup with White Beans and Garlic Oil

Photo: Victor Protasio

View Recipe: Silky Tomato Soup with White Beans and Garlic Oil

Creamy, silky tomato soup is the ultimate comfort food. We've elevated the traditional soup with the addition of white cannellini beans and toasty garlic oil. You won't miss any of the cream or calories from this dairy-free tomato soup as the texture is still silky from blending the tomato base. With the addition of the white beans, each serving provides 8 grams of protein making this vegetarian meal foolproof. Serve alongside our revamped Grilled Cheese Skillet "Panini" for a complete meal kids and adults will all approve of. We lean on reduced-fat cheddar in this sandwich but add a little canola mayo to stretch the cheese and encourage extra meltiness for a mixture that has 50% less sat fat than regular cheddar and saves 190mg sodium over processed American cheese.

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Summer Squash and Chicken Chowder

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Summer Squash and Chicken Chowder

This silky, veggie-forward soup is a fantastic way to use up a load of fresh summer squash. This would also work well with zucchini.

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Roasted Red Pepper and Ricotta Soup

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Roasted Red Pepper and Ricotta Soup

To make your satisfying supper hit the table even faster, go ahead and prep this creamy soup through step 1 in the morning. Then, all that's left to do is heat the soup and throw together a salad.

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Onion, Kale, Chickpea, and Chicken Soup

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Onion, Kale, Chickpea, and Chicken Soup

Few things beat a steaming bowl of veggie-packed chicken soup on a crisp autumn evening, and this one happens to be a perfect potion for the seasonal chills. You can leave the thyme sprigs in the broth (just ladle around them) so they'll keep releasing herbaceous goodness into any leftovers.

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Chicken Corn Chowder

Lee Harrelson

View Recipe: Chicken Corn Chowder

This soup is an excellent way to transform leftover chicken into something wholly different. Plenty of corn, both whole and pureed with milk, gives this soup a nice sweet-and-savory flavor. If you've got leftover vegetables, throw them in, too; just about any cooked veggies would make a good addition.

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Cioppino-Style Seafood Stew

Lee Harrelson

View Recipe: Cioppino-Style Seafood Stew

Shellfish are a boon to superfast recipes: They cook quickly and require minimal prep work. Hardly any seasoning at all interferes with the pure seafood flavors of this dish―onion, garlic, tomatoes, parsley, and red pepper are all that's needed―but its briny taste will transport you to the northern California coast. Don't forget the French bread for dipping!

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Summer Squash Soup With Pasta and Parmesan

Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Summer Squash Soup With Pasta and Parmesan

When in season, yellow squash and zucchini grow in such abundance they're hard to use up, and even in the winter they're tasty, readily available, and inexpensive. Take advantage with this simple, fresh soup. Fresh herbs, lemon juice, and pasta complement the squash, while a generous topping of Parmesan adds distinctive nutty and salty notes.

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Cannellini Stew with Sausage and Kale and Cheese Toasts

Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Cannellini Stew with Sausage and Kale and Cheese Toasts

This unexpectedly easy recipe gets a note of comfort food from the cheese toasts (which are as simple as melting some cheese on baguette slices), as well as a note of elegance from the sophisticated flavor of turkey and duck sausage (though you can substitute chicken sausage if you prefer). The fresh crispness of lightly cooked kale balances the earthy flavor of the beans, and a squeeze of lemon at the end brightens everything up.

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Spinach, Pasta, and Pea Soup

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Spinach, Pasta, and Pea Soup

For a vegetarian version of this lemony soup, use organic or lower-sodium vegetable broth in place of chicken broth.

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Spicy Asian Chicken and Noodle Soup

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Spicy Asian Chicken and Noodle Soup

This broth packs a lot of flavor in just a little time. If you don't have the Sriracha on hand, thin slices of jalapeño pepper make a good substitute.

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Bacon-Corn Chowder with Shrimp

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Bacon-Corn Chowder with Shrimp

Looking for a Superfast starter? This delicious soup can also serve 6 as a first course instead of an entrée.

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Spicy Tortilla Soup with Shrimp and Avocado

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Spicy Tortilla Soup with Shrimp and Avocado

Chipotle chile and fire-roasted tomatoes lend smokiness to the soup. A garnish of chopped avocado added right before serving makes the perfect fresh topping.

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Escarole, Bean, and Sausage Soup with Parmesan Cheese

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Escarole, Bean, and Sausage Soup with Parmesan Cheese

Escarole has a milder flavor than endive but still offers a slight bitterness that is balanced by the creamy beans and sweet sausage. This soup has lots of flavor without being heavy--sounds like a winner.

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White Bean Soup with Kale and Chorizo

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: White Bean Soup with Kale and Chorizo

Be sure to use smoked Spanish chorizo, not raw Mexican chorizo when preparing this 20-minute soup. This is the perfect dinner option for a cold winter's night.

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Southwestern Pork Soup

Lee Harrelson

View Recipe: Southwestern Pork Soup

With two kinds of peppers, two kinds of beans, and tender pieces of pork, this hearty soup is satisfyingly chunky. Its chili-and-spice flavors taste like they've been simmering all day long, but canned beans let you cook this soup start to finish in just over 10 minutes.

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Spicy Tomato and White Bean Soup

Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Spicy Tomato and White Bean Soup

We punched up this tomato soup by adding southwestern spices, beans, and poblano pepper, but it's still a fantastic accompaniment to grilled cheese sandwiches. Good thing you can cook both in less than 10 minutes.

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Thai Shrimp and Chicken Soup

Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Thai Shrimp and Chicken Soup

Authentic Thai flavor relies on a delicate balance of hot, sour, salty, and sweet. All four are present here, with curry, lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar seasoning a soup of chicken, shrimp, mushrooms, and snow peas. A can of coconut milk added at the end contributes a velvety texture that's a perfect completion to the dish.

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Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

The old classic chicken noodle gains new life with the addition of garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and lime in this recipe. It's still warm, soft, and comforting, but with an updated, modern edge. Lots of easy variations on this dish are possible: Try soba, udon noodles, or rice instead of angel hair, or cubed tofu instead of chicken.

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Tomato Soup with Chicken and Gorgonzola Cheese

Beau Gustafson

View Recipe: Tomato Soup with Chicken and Gorgonzola Cheese

This one is for cheese lovers. A basic tomato soup gets a spicy hit of red pepper and some shredded chicken for body, but the real attraction is the strongly flavored Gorgonzola, which melts into the soup to add creaminess in addition to its distinctive pungent taste.

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Salsa Bean Soup

Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Salsa Bean Soup

Pureeing some, but not all, of the beans in this soup makes it gives it a pleasingly hearty texture, creating comfort food at its best. The topping of Monterey Jack cheese (if you like spicy, try pepper jack) provides creamy contrast. Bottled salsa lets you customize the dish to your tastes―use mild, hot, or whatever flavor you like best.

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Herbed Fish and Red Potato Chowder

Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Herbed Fish and Red Potato Chowder

Seafood chowder has a mystique that makes some people think they can't cook it from scratch, but it's really very easy. Sauté some vegetables, add flour and liquid, then simmer your fish (we call for halibut, but you can use any flaky white fish, or even clams if you prefer). This recipe uses milk for a creamy texture, and adds crisp bacon because, let's face it, everything's better with bacon.

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Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

Beau Gustafson

View Recipe: Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

If you're intimidated by making soup, this is the recipe to show you how easy it really is. Quickly sauté the chicken, add spices, broth, and a can of tomatoes, and you're all set. A topping of crushed tortilla chips adds a unique crunchy dimension to this dish that sets it apart. Serve with corn bread or a hearty three-seed multigrain bread.

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Sausage and Spinach Soup

Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Sausage and Spinach Soup

Similar to minestrone, this simple soup's flavor blows canned out of the water. Sausage and beans bring the meaty heartiness that makes this a meal in a bowl, while spinach and herbs lend their bright freshness. A topping of Romano cheese seasons everything to perfection.

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Spicy Shrimp and Rice Soup

Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Spicy Shrimp and Rice Soup

If you cook the shrimp and the rice at the same time, this dish comes together in literally five minutes. It's great for picky family members because it's so customizable: Serve the lime wedges, bean sprouts, green onion, cilantro, and jalapeño slices on the side on a big plate, and let everyone add what they want and make the soup their own. This is also a great soup for dipping baked wontons, toasted bread, or even baked tortilla chips.

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Chickpea Stew Scented with Lemon and Cumin

Karry Hosford

View Recipe: Chickpea Stew Scented with Lemon and Cumin

Culinary worlds collide (to excellent result) in this unique dish. North African-flavored chickpeas top thick and creamy Italian polenta, garnished with cooling sour cream. It's a vegetarian dish that's both filling and healthful, with almost 10 grams of fiber and almost 13 grams of protein per serving.

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Chicken and Barley Stew

Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Chicken and Barley Stew

To make for a satisfying main dish, a soup needs to be thick or chunky. This one fits both bills. Each spoonful offers a plethora of vegetables, plenty of chicken, and lots of hearty, chewy barley. Frozen vegetables are a great way to get variety in this recipe, but if you have leftover cooked veggies lying around, throw them in instead.

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Hot and Sour Soup with Shrimp

Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Hot and Sour Soup with Shrimp

This Chinese-restaurant classic makes an easy one-pot meal in about 10 minutes. A cornstarch slurry thickens just right, and strings of cooked egg white make for authentic texture. Powerfully spicy chili oil and lemon juice give the soup its eponymous flavors―add more or less than we call for to suit your own taste.

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Chipotle Turkey and Corn Soup

Beau Gustafson

View Recipe: Chipotle Turkey and Corn Soup

Chipotle peppers and the spicy adobo sauce they're usually canned in are remarkably versatile ingredients, adding sweet mild heat or scorching fire depending how they're used. Just a little of each gives this soup a pleasant spice, but if you're a real chile-head, go ahead and add more. Any thinly sliced tender meat will work in place of turkey, from chicken breasts to pork tenderloin, so try a variation if you like.

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Pasta Fagioli Soup

Beau Gustafson

View Recipe: Pasta Fagioli Soup

Cooking the pasta in broth not only simplifies this recipe, it also makes for more flavor. Combine that with zesty sausage, filling (and fiber-packed) kidney beans, vegetables, and a sprinkle of sharp Asiago cheese, and you've got a delicious, quick, and easy soup.

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Loaded Potato Soup

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Loaded Potato Soup

This delicious comforting soup tastes like it took hours to make. Don't forget to add on a few of your favorite toppings before serving.

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Superfast Soups

1 of 51

Chicken-Poblano Tortilla Soup

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Chicken and Rice Soup with Lemon and Ginger

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Green Gazpacho with Shrimp

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Pumpkin Soup With Almonds and Sage

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White Bean & Vegetable Bowls with Frizzled Eggs

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Silky Tomato Soup with White Beans and Garlic Oil

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Summer Squash and Chicken Chowder

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Roasted Red Pepper and Ricotta Soup

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Onion, Kale, Chickpea, and Chicken Soup

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Chicken Corn Chowder

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Cioppino-Style Seafood Stew

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Summer Squash Soup With Pasta and Parmesan

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Cannellini Stew with Sausage and Kale and Cheese Toasts

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Spinach, Pasta, and Pea Soup

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Spicy Asian Chicken and Noodle Soup

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Bacon-Corn Chowder with Shrimp

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Spicy Tortilla Soup with Shrimp and Avocado

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Escarole, Bean, and Sausage Soup with Parmesan Cheese

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White Bean Soup with Kale and Chorizo

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Southwestern Pork Soup

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Spicy Tomato and White Bean Soup

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Thai Shrimp and Chicken Soup

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Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

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Tomato Soup with Chicken and Gorgonzola Cheese

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Salsa Bean Soup

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Herbed Fish and Red Potato Chowder

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