33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (2024)

Are you looking for some cheap and easy soup recipes? Look no further!

You’re going to want to pin these fantastic recipes for later!

Soupis probably my families all-time favorite meal. I love that soup is incredibly easy to make, extremely inexpensive, and that it’s so nourishing and comforting! I also love that I can always make it ahead in my crockpot, for busy days when we’re all running around right up until dinner time. And my family loves all the delicious variety!

There are so many different varieties that we eat soup on a regular basis in our home all through the fall and winter, and we never grow tired of it. I usually serve it with bread or rolls to round out our meal and to really satiate my teenage boys, who seem to be bottomless pits of hunger! Homemade rolls or bread add only a few pennies per serving.

You can save even more time and money by making an extra large pot of soup and sending leftovers in thermos jugs for lunches the next day. Or make a double batch and freeze half of it for a crazy day, so you won’t be tempted to pick up takeout on the way home from work.

Soups are so easy to alter to your taste, budget and make them allergy friendly. I eat gluten-free and sugar-free to keep my autoimmune illness (hashimotos) in check. I don’t have the energy or desire to make separate meals for my family and for myself, but that’s no problem when I’m serving soup. I can always just take out a portion for myself before adding pasta, or I can just substitute a gluten-free thickener. That’s the beauty of homemade soup!

When we were young college students living on less than $10k a year, I made soupseveral times a weekand I made all of that soup meatless because our grocery budget was less than $100 a month for our family of four. Cheap and easy soup recipes really saved our finances during that lean time!

Luckily, our budget is nowhere near that tight now, but I still cook from scratch and we still eat a lot of soup, because I understand the power of budgeting. The less I spend on groceries, the more I can divert to my travel budget!

It really is amazing how much money you can save by eating at home and cooking from scratch. Cheap and easy soup recipes are the very biggest budget and time savers.

Here’s a quick assignment for you. Multiply the number of people in your family times ten, which is about what a cheap restaurant meal costs (if you don’t order a beverage, appetizer or dessert). Mutliply that by 90, which is approximately how many meals you eat each month. That is a low estimate of what it would cost you to to eat all of your meals out for a whole month — it doesn’t include snacks or extras or tips or anything. Crazy, huh?

Now multiply the number of people in your family times 90. That’s how much your grocery budget could be if you stick to meals that are less than $1 per serving. Yes, it’s ten times less than eating out! And that’s a conservative estimate.

Honestly, I regularly feed my family of 10 for less than $500 per month, and you’d be amazed at how well we eat.

Over half of these cheap and easy soup recipes cost less than 50 cents per serving.That should give you an idea of how much (or little) you could be spending on groceries, and a goal to shoot for.

Read: 15 Meals You Can Make for Pennies

To help you reduce your own grocery expenses I’ve assembled this list of 33 cheap and easy soup recipes from other bloggers. They each cost less than $1 per serving. Feed your family one of these nourishing, inexpensive soups once or twice a week, and I promise it will really help reduce your grocery budget.

Minestrone Soup (Orison Orchards) less than 68 cents a serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (1)

Chicken Noodle Soup (Orison Orchards) less than 54 cents a serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (2)

Chili Con Carne (Orison Orchards) less than 60 cents per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (3)

French Onion Soup(Good Dinner Mom) under 55 cents per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (4)

Black Bean Soup(Real Food Real Deals) only 40 cents per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (5)

Italian Wedding Soup(The Beach House Kitchen) around 60 cents per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (6)

Smoky Red Lentil Stew(Real Food Real Deals) only 62 cents per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (7)

Butternut Squash Soup (My Baking Addiction) under 40 cents per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (8)

Loaded Potato Soup (The Wicked Noodle) about 95 cents per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (9)

Taco Soup (I Heart Naptime) about 45 cents per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (10)

Vegetable Barley Soup(Cookin Canuck) under 45 cents per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (11)

Butternut Squash Chili(Real Food Real Deals) only 58 cents per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (12)

Lasagna Soup(Dam Delicious) under $1 per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (13)

Chicken Wild Rice Soup (Pinch of Yum) less than 65 cents per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (14)

Cauliflower Curry(Real Food Real Deals) only77 cents per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (15)

Southwestern Chicken Soup(Real Food Real Deals) only 90 cents per serving33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (16)

Mexican Black Bean & Corn Soup (Forks Over Knives) under 50 cents per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (17)

Broccoli and Pea Soup (Frugal Feeding) under 40 cents per serving
33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (18)

Corn Chowder(Real Food Real Deals) only 69 cents per serving
33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (19)

White Chicken Chili(Tablespoon) under $1 per serving33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (20)

Dumpling Soup(Real Food Real Deals) only 21 cents per serving!33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (21)

Carrot Soup(Real Food Real Deals) only 49 cents per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (22)

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup(Baked by Rachel) under 60 cents per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (23)

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup (Orison Orchards) under 20 cents per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (24)

Slow Cooker White Bean Soup(Budget Bytes) under 50 cents per serving33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (25)

Creamy Chicken Tortilla(Cookie Classy) under 70 cents per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (26)

Greek Lentil Soup(Jeanette’s Healthy Living) just 70 cents per serving33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (27)

Chicken Parmesan Soup(Closet Cooking) under $1 per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (28)

Potato Leek Soup (Real Food Real Deals) just 59 cents per serving33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (29)

Turkey Chili Taco Soup(SkinnyTaste) under 70 cents per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (30)

Chicken Cordon Blue Soup(Chef in Training) under $1 per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (31)

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup (Jo Cooks) around 85 cents per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (32)

Basic Creamy Potato Soup (Cooking Classy) under 40 cents per serving

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (33)

Don’t forget to pin these recipes for later!

I hope you found several cheap and easy soup recipes you want to add to your meal rotation. I know I did! If you’re looking for ways to further reduce your grocery budget, check out my series of frugal recipes for less than $1 per serving:

15 Meals You Can Make for Pennies

9 Frugal Breakfast Ideas that will Make You Excited to Wake Up

Meals for Under $1 per Serving

7 Secrets for Cutting Your Grocery Budget in Half

What’s your favorite frugal healthy soup recipe? I’d love some more ideas to add to my regulars, so please share your suggestions (and links!) in the comments!

33 Cheap and Easy Soup Recipes | Orison Orchards (2024)

FAQs

Is it cheaper to make or buy soup? ›

Saves money – making your own is cheaper (and healthier!) than buying ready-made soups. For more ways to make meals go further, try these ideas.

What can I add to soup to make it rich? ›

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says. The choice of ingredient depends on the recipe, though.

What is the secret to soup? ›

7 Tips for Successful Soup Making
  • Use a Sturdy Pot. It is worth investing in a heavy pot with a thick bottom to use for making soup. ...
  • Sauté the Aromatics. ...
  • Start with Good Broth. ...
  • Cut Vegetables to the Right Size. ...
  • Stagger the Addition of Vegetables. ...
  • Keep Liquid at a Simmer. ...
  • Season Just Before Serving.
Oct 9, 2022

How to make homemade soup more flavorful? ›

7 Easy Ways to Make Any Soup Better
  1. Brown or Sear the Meat.
  2. Roast the the Veggies.
  3. Mix up the Texture.
  4. Use Homemade Stock Whenever Possible.
  5. Put Your Cheese Rinds to Work.
  6. Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples.
  7. Add Fresh Herbs or Dairy When Serving.
  8. Recipes Pictured.

Is it better to make soup with broth or stock? ›

As a result, stock is usually a healthier product, delivering a richer mouth feel and deeper flavor than broth. Stock is a versatile culinary tool that can deliver taste to any number of dishes. Darker in color and more concentrated in flavor than broth, it's ideal for use in soups, rice, sauces and more.

Is soup enough to live on? ›

What Experts Say. "The concept of eating soup to lose weight has spanned decades, but experts say an all-soup diet lacks nutrients and is not sustainable. They do agree it can be smart to eat vegetable-packed soups for some meals, though, as these are filling, nutrient-dense, and low in calories."

What not to do when making soup? ›

The 7 Biggest Mistakes You Make Cooking Soup
  1. Boiling instead of simmering. You want a small bubble or two to rise to the surface of the liquid every few seconds. ...
  2. Not using enough salt. ...
  3. Ignoring water. ...
  4. Overcooking the vegetables. ...
  5. Adding tomatoes at the beginning. ...
  6. Neglecting to garnish. ...
  7. Not trying a pressure cooker.
Nov 19, 2014

What is the most important ingredient in soup? ›

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

What gives soup the best flavor? ›

Use a high-quality broth or stock as a base for your soup. Roast or caramelize your vegetables before adding them to your soup to bring out their natural sweetness. Add ingredients like mushrooms, tomatoes, soy sauce, miso, or seaweed to enhance the flavor of your soup.

What gives soup depth of flavor? ›

Dried herbs and seasonings: homemade seasoned salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and dried bay leaves lend flavor to the soup.

What are three qualities of a good soup? ›

A soup's quality is determined by its flavor, appearance and texture. A good soup should be full-flavored, with no off or sour tastes. Flavors from each of the soup's ingre- dients should blend and complement, with no one flavor overpowering another.

How do you make soup taste deeper? ›

Vinegar – A spoonful of vinegar is a quick fix when you find yourself with a bowl of dull, flat-tasting soup. Just a small amount of acid will brighten up the flavors. 2. Soy Sauce – Soy sauce is another item that's ideal for brightening up and adding depth of flavor to an otherwise dull soup.

Why is my homemade soup so bland? ›

If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl. Start with the basics. Ensure you've added enough salt and black pepper.

How do you spice up boring soup? ›

The key here is using the right herbs. Choose tender, leafy herbs for topping soup, like parsley (flat leaf or curly), cilantro, chives, or even mint. Skip the woody herbs, like rosemary and thyme — or add them in the beginning of the cooking process — otherwise they will dull, rather than brighten, the flavor.

Are soups a good way to save money? ›

We've managed to keep our dinner budget to about $2 per day for two people, but you can make the meal even less expensive if you are in a budget pinch by making your own soup. I saved even more money on our grocery budget this week when a friend gave me a turkey carcass to turn into turkey broth.

Are soups cost-effective? ›

Soup is the best cozy meal on a warm day, plus, it's usually a cheap way to make a lot of food. Make a big batch for a dinner party, meal-prep lunches or even to stash away in the freezer for an emergency dinner.

Does eating soup save money? ›

You can actually save money on meals the more ingredients you add to your soup and you also get more servings and better flavor, it's a win win. Another great thing about soups is you can double a recipe without much extra effort saving yourself future work of cooking. Just remember folks, store hot!

What food is cheaper to make than buy? ›

Never purchase these food staples again – you can easily make most if not all of them at home from scratch.
  • powdered sugar. This will literally take a few seconds to make. ...
  • brown sugar. ...
  • tomato sauce. ...
  • peanut butter. ...
  • bread. ...
  • ketchup. ...
  • mustard. ...
  • apple cider vinegar.
Sep 14, 2022

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