17 Comforting Soups Just Like Grandma Used To Make and Love

There’s nothing more comforting than a bowl of soup on a chilly day, but these 17 recipes take that comfort up a notch, thanks to the nostalgia they invoke. It might not have been your grandma that made these soups for you growing up, but with just a taste of one of these time-tested, retro soups and you’ll have that same homey, cozy feeling of being cared for and nourished.

If we missed a classic soup you remember from your childhood (or adulthood!), let us know in the comments below, and don’t forget to read through the helpful tips and tricks from our contributor and editors before you fall down the rabbit hole of your new favorite soup recipe.

“The soup is best made a day ahead, giving the flavors time to meld.” —Elise Bauer, Simply Recipes Founder

“The recipe starts with a key step that cannot be skipped: Add half a cup of olive oil (don’t skimp!) and chopped garlic in a medium pot, cooking until the garlic is fragrant and tan. This only takes about a minute, but it infuses the oil with intense flavor and is the reason the soup can cook for such a short time and still tastes better than most recipes that take far longer.” —Myo Quinn, Simply Recipes Associate Editorial Director

“For this recipe, you’ll want to seek out and use Hungarian sweet paprika, sometimes also labeled noble sweet paprika. The color of this paprika is bright red and it tastes a little fruity, sweet, and mild.” —Devan Grimsrud, Simply Recipes Contributor

“While this recipe shows the steps for entirely homemade chicken soup, you could also easily make this chicken noodle soup starting with already prepared stock and some raw chicken.” —Elise

“Save prep time by peeling and dicing the potatoes while the leeks are cooking in the second step. You can use either Yukon gold or Russet potatoes for this soup. The Yukon golds will result in a creamier soup.” —Elise

“You can easily customize it to suit your flavor preferences and what you happen to have on hand. We love adding spinach or kale, soy curls, and any fresh herbs we can find.” —Julie and Amy Luxemberg, Simply Recipes Contributors

“Want a little more oomph with your soup? You can easily add other vegetables, like chopped carrots with the onions, or sliced kale with the cabbage, or even bacon or sausage (cook gently before adding the onions), if you want a meatier version.” —Elise

“Using the rind from a chunk of Parmesan cheese imparts lots of savory, umami flavor to the broth, so don’t skip it. While you can often buy the rinds from grocery stores like Whole Foods, you’ll be grating Parmesan cheese into the soup, too, so it’s most cost-effective to simply buy a chunk and trim off the rind yourself.” —Marianne Williams, Simply Recipes Recipe Tester

“If you want a heartier soup, any type of mushrooms or white beans would pair well with caramelized onions. Add sliced mushrooms or cooked (canned is okay!) beans to the soup along with the mushroom broth after the onions have finished caramelizing.” —Sharon Lehman, Simply Recipes Contributor

“Make this soup your own by adding in some macaroni or other pasta, or give it a spicy kick with a dash of cayenne. You can also turn it into “cheeseburger soup” by stirring in some shredded cheddar cheese at the very end!” —Megan Keno, Simply Recipes Contributor

“You can swap the all-purpose flour with 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch to make the soup gluten-free.” —Liv Dansky, Simply Recipes Recipe Tester

“Switch up the recipe by using chickpeas, navy beans, or butter beans instead of cannellini.” —Devan

“Unlike many butternut soup recipes, this one starts by roasting the squash in the oven rather than cooking it on the stovetop. Roasting does double duty in the soup: first, there’s no need to peel and cube raw squash (which is hard work), and second, it gives the soup an added depth of flavor and sweetness.” —Katie Morford, Simply Recipes Contributor

“You can either make this soup using leftover ham and a ham bone or you can use a meaty ham shank.” —Elise

“The soup is seasoned with turmeric, cumin, and ginger—spices that not only warm the belly but give the soup its vibrant golden hue.” —Elise

“Make your kimchi jjigae vegetarian by using a mix of mushrooms and onions. Cook the vegetables first with a little canola oil. Then, add the seasonings and liquids. Check that the kimchi is vegetarian too as fish sauce, salted shrimp, and even oysters can be used in making kimchi.” —Vivian Jo, Simply Recipes Contributor

“Chill the matzo mixture for at least two hours before shaping the matzo balls (or up to a day ahead). This gives the matzo meal plenty of time to absorb the liquid and results in matzo balls with better texture and that don’t fall apart during cooking.” —Coco Morante, Simply Recipes Contributor