These Breakfast Soups Are the Best Way to Start the Day

A bowl of breakfast soup is filling, comforting, and healthy—and will leave you feeling satisfied until lunchtime.

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Published on April 11, 2023

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Split-Pea Soup with Spinach and Barley — Photo:
Kate Mathis

If you love oatmeal for breakfast, consider branching out—you might love soups and stews in the morning, too. A hearty bowl of soup is a helpful remedy for a cold or a warming way to end the day, but it's also a delectable option for a hearty, filling breakfast. Don't take it just from us: Apparently, breakfast soups are trending on TikTok—and they don't necessarily reimagine traditional brunch foods.

We're talking about real, actual soup for breakfast, something that has been a popular morning option across the world, from a fragrant bowl of pho in Vietnam to encebollado de pescado, an Ecuadorian tuna soup with pickled onions or curtido, tomatoes, and cilantro. But if you'd rather go simple and savory, read on—we have options aplenty for picky eaters that will bring them to the breakfast soup table. From hearty, vegetable-packed soups to smooth puréed affairs, the best comfort breakfast is the soup du jour.

01 of 19

Breakfast Vegetable-Miso Soup with Chickpeas

Bryan Gardner

Just three steps and eight ingredients—many of which you'll already have in your pantry—form this appetizing breakfast soup. It's basically a miso soup with vegetables and chickpeas, so this recipe that serves four can be ready in just 20 minutes.

02 of 19

Chicken-and-Mushroom Congee

Chicken-and-Mushroom Congee recipe — Lennart Weibull

All you have to do is simmer the ingredients of this cozy stew for a filling, savory breakfast. For rushed mornings, make everything ahead, simmering the chicken, broth, rice, ginger, scallion, salt, and water together until the chicken is cooked.

03 of 19

Smoky Sweet-Potato Soup

This smooth soup is easy to digest early in the morning and contains no dairy. You can choose your own spice adventure for the combination of sweet potatoes, apple, and leeks; add as much chipotle in adobo as you'd like—or none at all.

04 of 19

Ginger-Lemongrass Broth with Noodles and Broccoli

Ginger-Lemongrass Broth with Noodles, Silken Tofu, and Broccoli recipe — Yuki Sugiura

This smooth and silky soup has hearty wheat noodles, silken tofu, and Broccolini or Chinese broccoli, plus plenty of aromatics to awaken your senses in the morning. To enjoy this soup on a busy day, make the broth and cook the noodles the night before. Then, heat the broth at breakfast and add the noodles to combine.

05 of 19

Stracciatella with Brown Rice

With just six ingredients and 30 minutes of cooking, you'll have four servings of this Italian egg drop soup. Pre-make the brown rice and freeze it so it's ready to use in this uncomplicated ode to the humble magic of eggs, Pecorino-Romano cheese, spinach, and brown rice in chicken broth.

06 of 19

Minestrone

Minestrone (for breakfast) in 25 minutes? It’s totally possible, with the help of the microwave and canned beans and broth. Combine the ingredients in a three-quart microwave-safe dish, stir and microwave for an easy meal, then serve with parsley and cheese.

07 of 19

Creamy Broccoli and Spinach Soup

broccoli and spinach soup recipe — Yuki Sugiura

Mustard and broccoli meld together in this mouthwatering bowl of soup, which also features tender baby spinach and aromatic sautéed leeks. Drizzle with crème fraîche and serve with bread.

08 of 19

Mushroom-and-Dill Chicken and Dumplings

mushroom and dill chicken and dumplings — Justin Walker

Chicken and dumplings makes a stellar breakfast and is an easier feat to achieve than you think. Whether you go with a simpler recipe or brighten it up with this recipe starring dill and buttery mushrooms, don't be intimidated by making quick dumplings to drop into your breakfast soup.

09 of 19

Bread Soup with Spring Vegetables

If you love croutons and bread with your soup, go for this veggie-heavy version of ribollita, an Italian soup employing leftover bread. It's a one-pot meal—and it's so fragrant and delectable, it'll get everyone to the kitchen first thing in the morning.

10 of 19

Potato, Broccoli, and Cheddar Soup

Potato Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

If you’ve got 35 minutes, you can make this broccoli soup with creamy potatoes and cheddar cheese. It’s a breakfast repast that’s rich, filling, and primed for eating with crusty slices of sourdough. (Another option is to make it the night before or on the weekend.)

11 of 19

Kitchen-Sink Chicken Stew

Grab chicken drumsticks from the freezer and all your leftover crisper vegetables for this common-sense stew that will fuel you for days—and means zero waste in your kitchen. Worcestershire sauce ties it all together with a tangy flavor.

12 of 19

Fish-Soup Avgolemono

fish-soup avgolemono served with fresh herbs — Christopher Testani

If fish soup is a hard sell for you for breakfast, hear us out: The velvety flavor of avgolemono, a Greek egg and lemon soup, pairs so nicely with white-fish fish like halibut or cod. You really should try it. The lemony flavor brightens the fish, and there's plenty of protein in this dish, too (so go ahead and start the day off strong).

13 of 19

Creamy Lentil Stew

creamy lentil stew topped with fried egg — Christopher Testani

Coconut milk, a low and slow simmer, and a partial purée are the tricks to pulling off this creamy recipe. You can use red, pink, or yellow lentils, and garlic, ginger, thyme, and cinnamon add flavor and a warm, wafting aroma. Drizzle with plain yogurt, top with chopped, roasted pistachios or extra-virgin olive oil, and serve poached or fried eggs on the side.

14 of 19

Test Kitchen's Favorite Chicken Soup

chicken soup — Armando Rafael

Though this fortifying recipe needs to be made-ahead, once you have it in your fridge or freezer, it’s an apt breakfast before a long meeting or plane ride. For the richest broth, have your butcher divide a chicken into pieces and give you the backbone.

15 of 19

Split-Pea Soup with Spinach and Barley

Split-Pea Soup with Spinach and Barley — Kate Mathis

This puréed green soup makes for a lovely breakfast when ladled into bowls, drizzled with yogurt and oil, and topped with barley. And it's not just a pleasing way to welcome the morning: This meal also packs in spinach, carrots, celery, and leeks, so you've got a healthy serving of vegetables in before lunch.

16 of 19

Slow-Cooker Ribollita

slow cooker ribollita — Stephen Kent Johnson

This wholesome vegetarian soup featuring kale, tomatoes, zucchini, and cranberry beans is from our cookbook Martha Stewart's Slow Cooker. Make it the day before you want to eat it for breakfast; it's even better when the flavors really meld together. The aromas that fill your house will make you glad you picked this recipe.

17 of 19

Corn, Watercress, and Potato Soup

corn watercress and potato soup topped with flaky sea salt — Christopher Testani

It might sound unusual for breakfast, but this vegan soup is a lovely complement to hunks of crusty country bread or even eggs on toast or a vegetable omelet. The creaminess comes from white or yellow miso. You can serve it hot (so it's perfect for a summer breakfast!) or cold, and its ingredients are fairly simple.

18 of 19

Beef, Pumpkin, and Shiitake Soup

beef, pumpkin, and shiitake soup recipe in bowls — Christopher Testani

Make this healthy soup ahead so it's ready for breakfast, and you'll have an efficient, tasty meal that makes use of leftover bones and scraps. You'll need several pounds of beef chuck, neck bones, shin bones, or oxtail, or a combination, so this is a fun weekend project to feed you during the week. Substitute whatever vegetables you have in the fridge if you don't have cabbage and squash.

19 of 19

Pasta-and-Fava-Bean Soup

pasta and fava bean soup recipe in bowls — Bryan Gardner

Pasta for breakfast? Why not. For a shortcut to this hearty soup, buy vegetable stock instead of making it as the recipe directs. Then, just add beans, tomatoes, and pasta, and top with basil, cheese, and a drizzle of oil.

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