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🏠Home » 101's Best Recipes

Our Best Soup Recipes—Small to Large Batch

Last Updated: Jan 12, 2026 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan · 14 Comments

Time to make some soup. Other than the ham bone recipes, all are easily adjusted to the size you need—many even work in mini 2-quart crock pots. Pick one of my favorites, try a classic, use up that ham bone, or try a new chili or stew.

Our best soup graphic.
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Jump To (scroll for more)
  • 😀 My Three Favorite Soups
  • 👨‍🍳 Four Traditional Soups
  • 👍 Three Change of Pace Soups
  • 🐖 Three Ham Bone Soups
  • 🙂 BONUS #1: Two Stew Recipes
  • 🙂BONUS #2: Three Top Chili Recipes

😀 My Three Favorite Soups

It is hard to pick, like picking a favorite child, but here are a few of my favorites— at least for today.

Broccoli Cheese Soup (Easy and Creamy, One Pot)
Stovetop only—crock pot version below
This amazing Broccoli Cheese Soup is delicious and creamy. One of the best soup recipes for home cooks. It is a simple one-pot soup from scratch with multiple options to make it your way.
Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
broccoli cheese soup in blue bowl
Crockpot French Onion Soup (Slow Cooker, Easy & Deep Flavor)
For Mini 2-qt, small, and full-size crock pots
The best Crock Pot French Onion Soup has a rich beef broth and deeply caramelized onions. The easiest way to caramelize onions is by cooking them all day in a slow cooker rather than on the stovetop. The onion soup is served with toasted crusty bread and melted cheese.
Crock Pot French Onion Soup
French onion soup with browned cheese.
Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe (Stovetop or Crockpot)
For Stovetop, mini 2-qt, small, and full-size crock pots
This Easy Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe is packed with tender beef, vegetables, and hearty broth. Adapted from Betty Crocker, it has trimmed a chuck roast, chopped vegetables, and cooked in flavorful beef broth with spices on the stovetop or in a crock pot. It's the perfect old-fashioned soup for a cold winter day.
Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe
Vegetable Beef Soup in a spoon.

👨‍🍳 Four Traditional Soups

A collection of old-fashioned soups with great taste. All are easy to make with simple instructions.

Beef Barley Soup (Easy Any-Size Crock Pot Recipe)
For Stovetop, mini 2-qt, small, and full-size crock pots
An easy and delicious dump-and-go crock pot beef barley soup recipe with tender stew meat, beef broth, vegetables, and plump barley. Use any size slow cooker, from mini crock pots to full-size.
Crock Pot Beef Barley Soup
Ladle of beef barley soup over a crock pot.
Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup (1972 Betty Crocker Version)
For Stovetop, mini 2-qt, small, and full-size crock pots
This simple classic Chicken Noodle Soup recipe can be made in a crock pot or on the stovetop—get a great homemade taste with tender chicken, noodles, and vegetables.
Small Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Ladle of chicken noodle soup over the crock pot
Crock Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup (Fresh or Frozen Broccoli)
For Mini 2-qt, small, and full-size crock pots
Rich and creamy, this easy Crock Pot Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Soup is made with frozen or fresh broccoli, cheddar cheese, and common ingredients in only a few minutes of prep before going in your slow cooker—the perfect comfort food for a cold winter day.
Crock Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup
Broccoli cheese soup in a spoon
Healthy Tomato Basil Soup—Quick and Easy
Stovetop only
This Healthy Tomato Basil Soup has a thick, creamy texture and deep, rich flavor. A fast and easy recipe that only takes 25 minutes (or less) to make.
Healthy Tomato Basil Soup
image of a bowl of tomato basil soup in a white bowl on orange plate

👍 Three Change of Pace Soups

When you want something delicious but different.

Crock Pot Taco Soup
For Stovetop, small and full-size crock pots
This easy crock pot taco soup recipe features seasoned ground beef, beans, and thick, spicy tomato broth. You can make it spicy, thick, or thin, or make a small batch for two. But you will never make a more delicious taco soup. It's spicy tacos in a bowl, perfect for Taco Tuesday.
Crock Pot Taco Soup
Bowl of taco soup with toppings.
Pasta e Fagioli Soup
For Stovetop or large crock pot
Olive Garden's Pasta e Fagioli Soup is a version of the traditional Italian Pasta Fagioli recipe. It is loaded with beans, pasta, vegetables, a spicy tomato sauce, and beef. My copycat version is easy to make at home in a crock pot or a Dutch oven.
Pasta e Fagioli Soup
Pasta e Fagioli Soup on a spoon.
Crock Pot Cheeseburger Soup
For Small or large crock pot
Loaded with ground beef and vegetables in a cheesy broth, this Crock Pot Cheeseburger Soup is an easy dinner the whole family will love.
Cheeseburger Soup Recipe
Cheeseburger Soup on a spoon

🐖 Three Ham Bone Soups

Most people only know about ham and bean soup, but there are more delicious choices to use a ham bone.

Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup (With Ham Bone)
For Large crock pot only
Crockpot Ham and Bean soup is easy to make with leftover ham bones, dry white beans, and vegetables. It is old-fashioned comfort food at its best—delicious and hearty—and is a simple and economical recipe for ham and beans in the crock pot.
Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup
Ham and bean soup on spoon
Ham and Vegetable Soup (Crock Pot or Stovetop)
For Stovetop or large crock pot
Don't toss that leftover ham bone; make a delicious hearty soup loaded with tender vegetables and ham instead. Super easy on in your crock pot or on the stovetop.
Ham and Vegetable Soup
Ham and vegetable soup on a spoon.
Puerto Rican Ham Bone Soup with Potatoes and Beans
For Stovetop or large crock pot
An excellent ham soup bursts with potatoes, rice, carrots, and beans in a spicy broth. Give that ham bone a great ending today with this hardy soup you will love.
Puerto Rico Ham Soup
Ladle of ham soup

🙂 BONUS #1: Two Stew Recipes

There is nothing like a great hearty stew on a cold winter day. Give these easy recipes a try.

Easy Crock Pot Beef Stew (Best Any Size Slow Cooker Recipe)
For Stovetop, mini 2-qt, small, and full-size crock pots
It's easy to make and one of the best beef stew recipes. This simple classic stew features tender chunks of stew meat, soft potatoes, and carrots in a rich tomato sauce. It's also a versatile small-batch recipe—you can make it for two in a mini crock pot or larger for a crowd.
Small Crock Pot Beef Soup
beef stew in a white bowl
Slow Cooker Chicken Stew (Easy Any Size Crock Pot)
For Stovetop, mini 2-qt, small, and full-size crock pots
This easy crock pot Chicken Stew recipe features tender chicken, potatoes, and lots of vegetables in a tasty broth. This versatile small-batch recipe can be made for two in a mini crock pot or scaled up for a crowd. I have also included stovetop instructions for faster results.
Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
Chicken stew in a ladle.

🙂BONUS #2: Three Top Chili Recipes

Not soup, not stew, but still, you will love these recipes.

Small Crock Pot Chili (Ground Beef & Bean, Easy for Two or More)
For Mini 2-qt, small, and full-size crock pots
Easy to make and one of the best homemade chilies, this small-batch crock pot chili recipe is versatile—you can make chili for two in a mini crock pot or larger for a crowd. It's a classic recipe with ground beef, a mildly spicy tomato-based sauce, and tender beans.
Small Chili Recipe
orange bowl with chili with cheese
Small Crock Pot White Chicken Chili (Easy 5 Ingredients)
For Stovetop, mini 2-qt, small, and full-size crock pots
This easy-to-make homemade chicken chili is my best chicken chili. Only 5 ingredients are needed: shredded chicken, white beans, salsa, cheese, and cumin to make this dump-and-go small-batch white chicken chili recipe, which can win the office chili cookoff.
Small Crock Pot Chicken Chili
spoonful of white chicken chili.
Texas Chili (No Beans, Crock Pot or Stovetop)
For Stovetop, mini 2-qt, small, and full-size crock pots
Texas Style Chili with tender chunks of beef with a rich, warm heat from three types of chili peppers. Easy to cook on the stovetop or small crock pot, but adjustable for larger amounts to fit your needs.
Texas Chili Recipe
Texas style chili on a spoon.
Molly and Lilly running in the snow.

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Editor's Note: Originally Published as "A Week of Soups" on January 6, 2018. At that time, I updated and republished yearly with variations. I will be updating this roundup yearly.

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  1. Nancy Fish says

    January 18, 2023 at 10:28 am

    I have used several of these recipes before but I have now saved this post with them all together. I have printed a couple of them to make in the next few weeks.
    t
    Thank You for helping save some of our old but favorite soup recipes.

    Nancy Fish
    P.S. I love the head shot photos of your dogs in the main picture for this post.

    Reply
    • Susan Ellerbrock says

      January 13, 2026 at 11:32 am

      Grateful to have found your blog. Looking forward to small batch recipes after 42 years of cooking for 4 or more. Now widowed, it’s exciting not to have a weeks worth of leftovers to pawn off on family and friends.

    • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says

      January 13, 2026 at 7:16 pm

      Hi Susan,

      Welcome to the blog.

      Thanks for the note. Let me know if you need anything.

      Dan

  2. Celesti says

    January 17, 2023 at 12:08 pm

    I sent my daughter your recipe for Crock pot French onion soup and she loved it. We made this soup several times at my husbands request. Onions are so delicious in the beef broth we always double up on this recipe. We call this an eat today and enjoy later in the week meal. Your recipe for Cheesy broccoli was delicious, and so was your Taco soup.

    Reply
  3. Sandra says

    January 20, 2019 at 6:35 pm

    The cheeseburger soup is my husband’s all time favourite. Can’t get enough of it. We’re out here on the wet west coast, no snow but the soup still fits the bill for comfort food .

    Reply
    • DrDan says

      January 21, 2019 at 6:27 pm

      Hi Sandra,
      A stick to the bone soup like this works almost anywhere.
      Dan

  4. Linda Lee says

    January 20, 2019 at 10:09 am

    As a Michigan gal myself I was thrilled to get the recipe again for the soups. I had tried the Broccoli Cheese Recipe and it was a keeper! Today a great day for a warm hearty easy to make yet delicious and filling. Dr. Dan maybe you could create a good tomato basil soup? Quite hearty and good with a grilled cheese some evening:) Thank you for the time taken to provide these recipes!

    Reply
    • DrDan says

      January 20, 2019 at 10:20 am

      Hi Linda,
      Welcome to the blog.
      I was "due" to do this post a few weeks ago but we hadn't had snow for weeks. I saw the forecast so brushed it off for today.
      I do have a tomato basil soup that I just published last week. I didn't include it in this roundup since I just published it. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/tomato-basil-soup/
      Dan

  5. Sonia says

    January 07, 2018 at 9:45 am

    can't have more colder winters than what we have here in Canada

    I am in Montreal, Quebec and we are going through a real chill now temperatures
    minus 30 including wind chill factor feels like minus 40 no kidding BURRRRRRRR

    Soup is great at this time

    Reply
  6. Maryellen says

    January 06, 2018 at 6:13 pm

    North Dakota girl here!! Soup = winter comfort food for sure!!

    Reply
  7. Joan says

    January 06, 2018 at 4:25 pm

    Actually, we have agreed to leave February 22 and will try to stretch the trip until March. We are returning to Kalamazoo, our hometown. We have some excited children and grandchildren. It’s a change of lifestyle, but we did it before when moving to Florida. We sold turnkey so we will just pack the car and leave.

    Reply
    • DrDan says

      January 06, 2018 at 5:08 pm

      Ahh, the south snow/tornado belt. Be careful on I-94 around there. I'm near Grand Haven.
      Dan

  8. Joan says

    January 06, 2018 at 12:48 pm

    It looks good! We are moving back to Michigan after 25 years in Florida. I know the soup recipes will come in handy.

    Reply
    • DrDan says

      January 06, 2018 at 1:50 pm

      Hi Joan,
      OK, I'll bite, where in Michigan and hopefully not for a few months.
      Dan

DrDan imageHi, I'm DrDan.
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