When the week gets crowded, making dinner from scratch every night can be hard to fit in. These 23 soups and chili recipes give you a pot to portion for another meal or next-day lunches. The lineup ranges from creamy chowders and chicken soups to tomato, lentil, and vegetable bowls, with gazpacho for a chilled option. Check the listed prep and cook times to choose a pot that fits tonight, then set aside extra servings before the table is cleared.
Beef Chili
On nights when one pot needs to stretch across two dinners, Beef Chili simmers for 1 hour, with kidney beans, ground beef, and fire-roasted tomatoes in the mix. Chili powder, cumin, cocoa, and oregano give the broth deep, layered flavor. Set out shredded cheese, scallions, avocado, or tortilla chips, then cool extra portions for another meal when the schedule fills up.
Get the Recipe: Beef Chili
Chicken Gnocchi Soup
With a 1-hour total time, Chicken Gnocchi Soup combines bite-size chicken, potato gnocchi, spinach, and a creamy broth with Parmesan and Italian seasoning. The substantial bowl works for dinner, while the extra can be divided for tomorrow’s lunch. Serve it with bread to round out the meal, and keep a portion ready for the evening when the calendar leaves little room to cook.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
For a pot that can cover lunch and dinner, Roasted Tomato Basil Soup takes 50 minutes total and starts with Roma tomatoes, onion, garlic, and tomato paste. Basil leaves finish the tomato-rich base, which pairs naturally with a grilled cheese sandwich or toasted bread. Make extra when tomatoes are plentiful, then chill the remaining soup for a quick meal on a packed day.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Cabbage Soup
Throughout a steady one-hour simmer, Cabbage Soup brings together potatoes, green cabbage, carrots, white beans, and fire-roasted tomatoes. Vegetable broth and thyme season the base, while toasted bread turns a bowl into a more filling, complete meal. It is a practical choice for batch cooking, since portions can be packed away for another dinner or lunch during a hectic stretch.
Get the Recipe: Cabbage Soup
Chicken Pot Pie Soup
When a pot pie sounds good but the week calls for soup, Chicken Pot Pie Soup takes 45 minutes total, with chicken, potatoes, mushrooms, and mixed vegetables in a milk-and-stock base. The familiar mix makes a complete bowl without assembling a crust. Serve it with biscuits or rolls, and portion the remaining soup for a second dinner that needs only reheating.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Cheeseburger Soup
Crowded evenings suit the 50-minute total time of Cheeseburger Soup, a workable choice when dinner still calls for a hearty bowl. Ground beef, potato, frozen mixed vegetables, beef broth, and milk build its base, with crispy bacon as an optional finishing touch. Set out extra toppings at the table, then save the remaining servings for lunches or another evening when dinner needs to come together quickly.
Get the Recipe: Cheeseburger Soup
Corn Chowder
Cool evenings call for a bowl like Corn Chowder, which comes together in 50 minutes with potatoes, frozen corn, red bell pepper, celery, and vegetable broth. Heavy cream gives the soup a thicker finish, while black pepper and celery leaves add the final touches. Pair it with a simple salad or bread, and refrigerate extra bowls for a fast lunch the next day.
Get the Recipe: Corn Chowder
Hot and Sour Soup
Even on an evening already crowded, Hot and Sour Soup fits into a 35-minute total time. Chicken broth, mushrooms, tofu, egg, soy sauce, and white pepper give it a tangy, layered profile, with red pepper flakes for adjustable heat. Keep rice nearby for a fuller meal, and store any extra soup for a quick lunch rather than starting another dish from scratch.
Get the Recipe: Hot and Sour Soup
Marry Me Chicken Soup
Creamy and filling, Marry Me Chicken Soup takes 40 minutes total for a pasta-and-soup dinner in one pot. Shredded chicken, small pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, cream, and Parmesan combine in a substantial bowl that can carry dinner without many sides. Double the pot when the week looks crowded, then set aside portions for the next day’s lunch or another evening meal.
Get the Recipe: Marry Me Chicken Soup
Taco Soup
While the beef-and-bean base simmers for an hour, Taco Soup gives you time to catch up before dinner. Ground beef, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and taco seasoning make a filling pot, and shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream, or red onion can go on top. Make a larger batch for extra servings, then reheat them for a quick meal later in the week.
Get the Recipe: Taco Soup
Cheesy Broccoli Soup
Silky and cheesy, Cheesy Broccoli Soup takes 30 minutes total and blends broccoli with vegetable stock, ricotta, cheddar, and a little cream. Garlic and mint add herbal notes, while sourdough croutons make a crisp topping. It works as a light dinner with toast or as a starter before a larger meal, and spare servings can be saved for a quick lunch.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Broccoli Soup
Clam Chowder
At just 20 minutes total, Clam Chowder brings clams, potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion together in a creamy broth. Butter, flour, and half-and-half give it body, while bacon and parsley are listed for garnish. Pair a bowl with crackers or crusty bread for a quick supper, then chill leftover portions for another lunch when there is no time to cook.
Get the Recipe: Clam Chowder
Italian Penicillin Soup
Restorative and simple to portion, Italian Penicillin Soup takes 35 minutes total, with chicken broth, rotisserie chicken, pastina, carrots, celery, and garlic. Thyme and a Parmesan rind add depth to the broth without adding extra steps at serving time. Ladle it into bowls with grated cheese and parsley, then save extra portions for a busy lunch or an easy second dinner.
Get the Recipe: Italian Penicillin Soup
Mushroom Soup
Slow-cooked onions and sliced mushrooms build the base of Mushroom Soup, which takes 50 minutes total and gets its creamy texture from blended vegetables and sour cream. Vegetable broth, soy sauce, paprika, dill, and a pinch of nutmeg add depth without heavy cream. Serve it with toasted bread for dinner, then refrigerate extra servings for a quick meal later this week.
Get the Recipe: Mushroom Soup
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Fresh toppings give Chicken Tortilla Soup its finishing touch after 55 minutes total, with shredded chicken, green chiles, tomatoes, corn, and chicken stock in the chile-spiced broth. Cheese, avocado, green onions, and shredded lettuce can go on each bowl. Set out tortilla chips for crunch, and make extra servings for the next day when a filling lunch needs to be ready with minimal effort.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Tortilla Soup
Hamburger Soup
Familiar and filling, Hamburger Soup takes 50 minutes total and combines ground beef, potatoes, frozen mixed vegetables, beef broth, and tomato paste. Worcestershire sauce and Italian seasoning season the broth, making each serving substantial on its own. Offer bread on the side, then divide the remaining soup into containers for busy-day lunches or another quick dinner during a packed week.
Get the Recipe: Hamburger Soup
Pea and Mint Soup
Lighter than the heartier bowls in the lineup, Pea and Mint Soup takes 30 minutes total and suits evenings when a full, heavy meal is not appealing. Frozen peas, vegetable stock, onion, garlic, lime, and fresh mint create its bright green bowl, with bread alongside if you want a little more. Prepare extra for lunch or a first course, and freeze portions for a day when cooking needs to stay simple.
Get the Recipe: Pea and Mint Soup
Gnocchi Soup
Short on time? Gnocchi Soup takes 30 minutes total and pairs potato gnocchi with cooked chicken, spinach, carrots, and celery. Chicken broth and half-and-half give it a creamy base, while thyme seasons the pot. Serve it with a side salad or bread, then reserve extra portions for a quick dinner when the week’s schedule gets tight during busy evenings, too.
Get the Recipe: Gnocchi Soup
Red Lentil Soup
A 40-minute total time makes Red Lentil Soup a useful plant-based pot to keep on the week’s menu. Red lentils cook with tomatoes, vegetable broth, curry powder, garlic, ginger, and coconut milk, while lime and cilantro brighten each serving. Pair it with rice or flatbread, and portion the extra for lunch, where the lentils make a filling meal without another cooking project.
Get the Recipe: Red Lentil Soup
Hearty Potato Soup
Dinner stays straightforward with Hearty Potato Soup, which has a listed cook time of 1 hour and uses potatoes, vegetable stock, butter, bacon, and sour cream. Parsley or other fresh herbs finish the pot, and the ingredients keep the method simple. Serve it with salad or bread, then chill leftover servings so another meal is ready when the week turns hectic.
Get the Recipe: Hearty Potato Soup
Gazpacho
Chilled for serving, Gazpacho has 10 minutes of prep and 2 hours total, with ripe tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, olive oil, and sherry vinegar. A slice of white bread helps give the blended soup body, and diced vegetables can go on top. Make it ahead for a no-reheat lunch, keeping extra bowls ready in the refrigerator for a busy day.
Get the Recipe: Gazpacho
Chicken Dumpling Soup
As the dumplings cook directly in the pot, Chicken Dumpling Soup takes 45 minutes total and combines shredded chicken, carrots, celery, thyme, and a creamy chicken broth. The dumplings use flour, baking powder, and milk, making the soup a full bowl for dinner. Serve it while they are tender, then save remaining portions for an easy meal when the week fills up.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Dumpling Soup
Minestrone Soup
Italian-inspired and ready in 45 minutes, Minestrone Soup is a practical pot for a night when vegetables, beans, and pasta can do the work together. Zucchini, carrots, celery, white beans, kidney beans, small shell pasta, and spinach simmer in tomato and vegetable broth. Add bread at the table, and portion extra servings for lunches or another dinner that needs little more than reheating.
Get the Recipe: Minestrone Soup