Plant-Based Soup, Stew, and Chowder Ideas

If you think there aren’t many plant-based soups, stews, and chowders to make, think again. There are too many to count! I’ve gathered my best ideas below and categorized them first by main ingredients (vegetables, legumes, grains) and then sub-divided into narrower categories from there. I’ve linked to recipes on my site where I have them. Soup’s on!

Legumes

Lentil - from classic lentil soup to new combinations

• Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup

• Easy Vegan Lentil Soup

• Leafy Green Lentil Soup

• Instant Pot Moroccan Lentil Soup

• Lentil and Millet Stew with Leafy Greens

• Mushroom Lentil Stew

Chickpea - stews that are hearty enough to be eaten as entrees

• Instant Pot Moroccan Chickpea Soup (Harira)

• Healthy Spiced Chickpea Stew with Coconut and Turmeric (Instant Pot)

• Pasta e Ceci

• Chickpea rice

Split pea - green, yellow, or a combination

• Golden Green Split Pea Soup

• Creamy Curry Split Pea Soup (Instant Pot)

• Green split pea

Other legumes - every legume can make a delicious soup

• Instant Pot Black Bean Soup

• Edamame and Potato Soup

• Hoppin’ John Stew

• Simple Pinto Bean Soup

• Zucchini Curry Soup with Legume Soup Mix (Instant Pot)

• Curried Zucchini Soup (Instant Pot)

• Creamy white bean soup

• Multi-bean soup kits

Vegetables

Dark leafy greens - get ready for a vividly deep green soup

• Leafy Green Lentil Soup

• Silky Swiss Chard and Zucchini Soup

• Cream of Spinach Soup

• Collard greens and beans

Tomato - keep it simple or go creamy

• Easy Creamy Tomato Soup

• Copycat Trader Joe’s Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

• Gazpacho

• Tomato and white bean

Squash - both summer and winter squash make for marvelous soups

• Curried Butternut Squash Soup (Instant Pot)

• Curried Zucchini Soup

• Pumpkin

• Delicata squash

Other vegetables - almost any vegetable can star in a soup production

• Puree of Asparagus Soup

• Gracious Vegan Corn Chowder

• Hearty Potato Chowder

• Creamy Broccoli Soup

• Creamy mushroom

• Mushroom and barley

• Mushroom and rice

• Curried sweet potato

• Smoky sweet potato

Vegetable medleys - all cultures seem to have at least one traditional “throw in any vegetable you have” soup”

• West African-Inspired Peanut Stew

• Simple, Healthy Minestrone Soup 

• Mulligatawny Soup (Instant Pot)

• Vegan Italian Wedding Soup

• Tortilla soup

Grains

Pasta/Noodle - keep it simple or make your noodle soup a meal in itself

• Flavorful Plant-Based Ramen Bowl

• Massaman Peanut Noodle Soup

• Sopa de fideo

• Soba noodle miso

• Vegetable pho

• Soy curl “chicken” noodle soup

Rice - the versatility of rice is evident in the abundance of soups you can make with it

• Tomato-rice soup

• Wild rice soup

• Lemon rice soup

• Wild rice and mushroom soup

• Vegetable rice soup

• Creamy rice soup

• Soy curl rice soup

Other grains - any familiar or new-to-you grain can be made into a soup

• Bean and barley soup

• Vegan Irish stew

• Farro and vegetable soup

• Tuscan farro soup

• Mushroom farro soup

• Millet soup