We’ve all been there. You don’t have time to go shopping, and you need a quick recipe to make with what you already have in pantry staples. Easy soup to the rescue! Whether you use canned vegetables, bone broth, noodles, beans, potatoes, or other ingredients, this guide will show you how to create a healthy pot of “pantry soup.”
Why I Love This Easy Soup Recipe
It’s no secret that our family loves soup. Here are some of our favorite recipes we have shared over the years.
- Easy & Hearty Asparagus Soup
- Quick and Hearty Easy Tomato Soup
- Cream of Chicken Soup
- Savory Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
- Bread Soup
- Delicious Chicken Chili
- Easy White Bean Chicken Chili
- Hoover Stew: A Taste of American History
- Home-Canned Beef Stew
Not only is soup comforting and delicious, but it is also a key player in affordable meal planning on the homestead. Truthfully, this easy soup (aka pantry soup) is more of an idea than a recipe.
Perhaps you have a ham bone that needs to leave the freezer, too many beans to count, or veggies in cold storage that are losing vigor. So you dig in, find a mess of delicious things, and simmer them to delicious perfection.
Recipes are wonderful guides, but you don’t have to follow a recipe to a “T” to achieve the warming goodness you’re seeking. Substitute, add, and modify to your heart’s content. What’s most important is the steaming bowls at the finish line.
Understanding Soup Basics
Learning to make soup starts with the right tools. Choose a heavy-bottomed pot, such as an enameled cast iron Dutch oven, slow cooker, or multi-cooker, for even heat, which is key to a great soup.
Follow these tips, and in just 10 minutes in your multicooker or about 6 hours in your slow cooker, you’ll have a filling, warming, and nutritious meal from whatever ingredients you have on hand.
- Level Up the Broth – I make a point to always have home-canned bone broth on hand. It’s an inexpensive nutritional powerhouse that can transform a variety of pantry ingredients into a cohesive meal with the touch of a (multicooker) button. If you don’t have broth on hand, use bones, meats, or veggies with herbs and spices. You can even add fresh ingredients to store-bought broths to make them more flavorful.
- Boost Flavor – Go beyond salt and choose a spice profile (Italian, Middle Eastern, Latin, your choice!). Use dried herbs and seasonings like bay leaves, thyme, oregano, parsley, tarragon, basil, and black pepper. A bit of red or white wine, vinegar or lemon juice can also brighten the flavor and make your soup pop.
- Use a Standard Base – Start by sautéing onions, garlic, and celery. These three complement nearly any savory soup flavor. After adding your other ingredients, simmer gently to keep flavors together without cooking veggies too much.
- Choose a Protein – Use fresh, frozen, or canned meats and beans to create a filling and satisfying soup.
- Choose Your Vegetables – Choose a variety of vegetables (both starchy and non-starchy.) You can use fresh, frozen, canned, or even freeze-dried!
Shopping Your Pantry
The idea of straying from your family’s favorite meals or regular routine may seem intimidating, but ultimately, it is worth the convenience and cost savings to shop your own pantry (or freezer).
Many pantry ingredients are interchangeable with little difference to the final product. Here is a handy chart of substitutions to help you see the possibilities in your own home and save you an expensive trip to the store!
| Common Ingredient | Possible Swap |
| Chicken Broth | Bouillon Cubes + Water |
| Ground Beef | Ground Turkey or Lentils |
| Chicken | Turkey |
| Heavy Cream | Coconut Milk or Evaporated Milk |
| Rice | Quinoa or Barley |
| Tomatoes (Canned) | All Canned Tomatoes are interchangeable (Crushed, Diced, Whole.) |
| Tomato Sauce | Tomato Paste + Water |
| Beans | Almost all beans are interchangeable. |
| Fresh Onion | Onion Powder |
| Carrots | Sweet Potatoes, Winter Squash, Rutabega or Parsnips |
| Peas | Asparagus, Green Beans, or Potatoes |
| Fresh Garlic | Garlic Powder |
Using a Slow Cooker to Make Soup
Slow cooker meals are simple to make. Just throw in your ingredients and let the slow cooker do the work. With little effort, you get amazing flavors. The slow heat blends the ingredients perfectly, making every bite delicious.
I love that most electric pressure cookers come with a slow cooker button. This saves valuable cupboard space if you only have room for one large appliance.
When making soup in a slow cooker (or Instant Pot), layer your ingredients carefully. Put hard vegetables and proteins at the bottom. Add softer toppings on top. This way, everything cooks evenly and tastes great.
In the Homestead Kitchen
This recipe was featured in issue No.19 of In the Homestead Kitchen Magazine. If you are looking for a homesteading resource that can provide answers, guidance, encouragement, tips and tricks, or advice, this magazine was designed just for you.
As new homesteaders, it took us a lot of trial and error to overcome feelings of inadequacy. Now, we have made it our mission to share our journey and knowledge with others to help them bypass some of those growing pains.
With In the Homestead Kitchen Magazine, you will be put on the fast track to homesteading with confidence as we share how to overcome the big obstacles along with the little things that can make a huge impact on your success.
With the overwhelming voice of our subscribers, we’ve now made it a print magazine. That’s right, you can now get the comfort and warmth of home in the palm of your hand. So subscribe today to get the next edition sent straight to your doorstep.
How to Make an Easy Soup Recipe
Supplies Needed
- Soup Pot – A heavy-bottomed stock pot, enameled Dutch oven, slow cooker, or multi-cooker are all good choices.
- Basic Kitchen Tools – Depending on the ingredients you choose, you will need measuring utensils, a sharp knife, a cutting board, a garlic press, a spatula, and a wooden spoon.
Ingredients Needed
- Butter – Avocado, coconut, or olive oil can be substituted.
- Diced Onion – You can substitute 1⁄2 cup freeze-dried onion.
- Garlic Cloves, Minced – You can substitute freeze-dried garlic or 1 ¼ tsp granulated garlic.
- Something Made with Tomatoes – Use diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, pasta sauce, etc.
- Diced Vegetables of Choice – Choose from fresh, frozen, dehydrated or freeze-dried vegetables such as carrots, peppers, celery, mushrooms or cabbage.
- Greens Powder – Learn how to make DIY greens powder here!
- Pre-Soaked or Home-Canned Beans of Choice – I like canned black beans or white beans in soup.
- Optional Starches – For a heartier soup, add any of the following starchy options: diced white or sweet potato, diced squash, rice, quinoa, or barley.
- Optional Protein – If desired, a protein source such as cooked chicken, sausage, ground beef, lentils or chickpeas.
- Seasonings – Use seasonings of your choice, such as 1-2 tsp each of thyme, oregano, basil, paprika, rosemary, etc.
- Bone Broth – Any variety of bone broth will do (beef, chicken, turkey, etc.).
Step-by-Step Directions
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, sauté onions in olive oil or butter. Add carrots, celery, mushrooms, or bell peppers if using.
- When vegetables soften, add the garlic and seasoning for about one minute.
- Add tomatoes, broth, any remaining vegetables except greens and cabbage, and starches.
- Simmer until the grains are cooked, and starchy vegetables are fork-tender.
- Add beans, greens powder, and any meat you are using and simmer for a few more minutes to allow flavors to combine. Taste, and add salt and pepper as desired.
- Serve with crusty bread and a drizzle of olive oil.
Did you make this recipe? If so, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below. Then snap a photo and tag us on social media @homesteadingfamily so we can see what you put in your easy soup!
Other Posts You May Enjoy
- Easy & Hearty Asparagus Soup Recipe
- Quick and Hearty Easy Tomato Soup Recipe
- Cream of Chicken Soup Recipe (Or ANY Cream of Soup Recipe)
- Savory Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe
- Bread Soup – A Quick and Easy Lunch
- Delicious Chicken Chili: Best Recipe for Comfort
- Easy White Bean Chicken Chili – Pressure Canning Recipe
- Hoover Stew: A Taste of American History
Easy Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Soup Pot
- Basic Kitchen Tools measuring utensils, sharp knife, cutting board, spatula, etc.
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon butter or oil
- 1 whole onion diced
- 3 whole garlic cloves minced
- 1 pint canned tomatoes diced, crushed, tomato sauce, etc.
- mixed vegetables frozen, dehydrated, freeze dried, etc.
- 2 Tablespoons greens powder or a handful of kale, spinach or chard
- 2 pints canned beans
- optional starches
- optional protein cooked chicken, sausage, ground beef, lentils or chickpeas
- seasonings see ideas in post above
- 6 cups broth chicken, beef or vegetable
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, sauté onions in olive oil or butter. Add carrots, celery, mushrooms, or bell peppers if using.
- When vegetables soften, add the garlic and seasoning for about one minute.
- Add tomatoes, broth, any remaining vegetables except greens and cabbage, and starches.
- Simmer until the grains are cooked, and starchy vegetables are fork-tender.
- Add beans, greens powder, and any meat you are using and simmer for a few more minutes to allow flavors to combine. Taste, and add salt and pepper as desired.
- Serve with crusty bread and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
Shopping Your Pantry
The idea of straying from your family’s favorite meals or regular routine may seem intimidating, but ultimately, it is worth the convenience and cost savings to shop your own pantry (or freezer). Many pantry ingredients are interchangeable with little difference to the final product. Here is a handy chart of substitutions to help you see the possibilities in your own home and save you an expensive trip to the store!| Common Ingredient | Possible Swap |
| Chicken Broth | Bouillon Cubes + Water |
| Ground Beef | Ground Turkey or Lentils |
| Chicken | Turkey |
| Heavy Cream | Coconut Milk or Evaporated Milk |
| Rice | Quinoa or Barley |
| Tomatoes (Canned) | All Canned Tomatoes are interchangeable (Crushed, Diced, Whole.) |
| Tomato Sauce | Tomato Paste + Water |
| Beans | Almost all beans are interchangeable. |
| Fresh Onion | Onion Powder |
| Carrots | Sweet Potatoes, Winter Squash, Rutabega or Parsnips |
| Peas | Asparagus, Green Beans, or Potatoes |
| Fresh Garlic | Garlic Powder |
