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Easy Cheap Soup Recipes
Cost: $4-8 for 4-6 servings | Prep: 15 min | Cook: 20-40 min | Freezes beautifully
Soup is the king of budget cooking. A few cheap vegetables, some broth, and pantry staples become a filling, nutritious meal that feeds a family for days. These easy cheap soup recipes are all under $8 to make, serve 4-6 people, and taste like you spent much more.
1. Minestrone Soup
Cost: $6.80 | 45 minutes | Vegetable-packed Italian classic
Ingredients (serves 6)
- 1 can kidney beans ($0.90)
- 1 can diced tomatoes ($0.90)
- 1 cup small pasta (ditalini or elbow) ($0.40)
- 4 cups vegetable broth ($1.60)
- 2 cups water ($0)
- 1 zucchini or 2 stalks celery ($0.70)
- 2 carrots, 1 onion, 3 garlic cloves ($0.90)
- 1 cup frozen green beans or peas ($0.80)
- 2 tbsp olive oil ($0.40)
- Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
- Parmesan rind if available (huge flavor) or regular parmesan ($0.40)
- Crusty bread ($1.00)
Instructions
- Sauté onion, carrots, and celery in olive oil over medium heat, 7 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Cook 1 minute.
- Add diced tomatoes, broth, water, and parmesan rind if using. Bring to boil.
- Add beans, frozen vegetables, and zucchini. Simmer 15 minutes.
- Add pasta in the last 8-10 minutes of cooking.
- Remove parmesan rind. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Serve with crusty bread and a sprinkle of parmesan.
Nutrition (per serving): ~220 calories | 9g protein | 38g carbs | 5g fat
2. Creamy Potato Soup
Cost: $5.80 | 35 minutes | Thick and satisfying
Ingredients (serves 5)
- 4 large potatoes (~2 lbs), peeled and diced ($1.80)
- 1 onion, diced ($0.50)
- 3 cloves garlic ($0.20)
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth ($1.60)
- 1/2 cup milk or cream ($0.40)
- 2 tbsp butter ($0.20)
- 1 tsp garlic powder, onion powder ($0.15)
- Salt, pepper
- Toppings: shredded cheddar, sour cream, chives, bacon bits ($0.95)
Instructions
- Sauté onion in butter over medium heat 5 minutes. Add garlic, 1 more minute.
- Add potatoes, broth, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Bring to boil.
- Simmer 15-18 minutes until potatoes are very tender.
- Use a potato masher to mash about half the potatoes right in the pot — creates a thick, chunky texture.
- Stir in milk. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve with cheddar, sour cream, and chives on top.
3. Red Lentil Soup
Cost: $4.50 | 30 minutes | Incredibly filling protein soup
Ingredients (serves 6)
- 1.5 cups red lentils ($1.20)
- 1 can diced tomatoes ($0.90)
- 5 cups vegetable broth ($2.00)
- 1 onion, 4 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp ginger ($0.90)
- 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp coriander ($0.25)
- 1 tbsp olive oil ($0.20)
- Juice of 1 lemon ($0.40)
- Salt, cayenne
- Crusty bread ($0.65)
Instructions
- Sauté onion in oil 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and spices, 1 minute.
- Add lentils, tomatoes, and broth. Bring to boil.
- Simmer 20-25 minutes until lentils are completely soft.
- Use an immersion blender or mash with a spoon for a thicker consistency.
- Add lemon juice and season with salt and cayenne.
- A drizzle of olive oil and pinch of smoked paprika on top = restaurant quality.
4. Chicken Noodle Soup from Scratch
Cost: $7.50 | 40 minutes | Real, from-scratch comfort
Ingredients (serves 6)
- 2 chicken thighs, bone-in ($2.50)
- 3 cups egg noodles ($0.80)
- 3 carrots, 3 celery stalks ($1.20)
- 1 large onion ($0.50)
- 4 cloves garlic ($0.25)
- 6 cups water ($0)
- 2 tsp chicken bouillon or 1 cup extra broth ($0.40)
- 1 tsp dried thyme, bay leaf ($0.15)
- Salt, pepper
- Fresh parsley optional ($0.40)
- Bread ($1.30)
Instructions
- Place chicken thighs in large pot with water, bouillon, and whole onion (halved). Bring to boil.
- Simmer 20 minutes. Remove chicken and onion. Shred chicken, discard bones and onion.
- Return shredded chicken to pot. Add sliced carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaf.
- Simmer 10 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Add noodles, cook 6-8 more minutes.
- Season generously. Serve with bread and parsley.
More Easy Cheap Soups
- 5. Black Bean Soup: 2 cans black beans + onion + garlic + cumin + broth. Blend half. Top with sour cream and lime. $4.50.
- 6. Tomato Basil Soup: 2 cans crushed tomatoes + garlic + onion + broth + cream + fresh basil. Blend smooth. $5. Serve with grilled cheese.
- 7. Split Pea Soup: Dried split peas + ham hock or smoked sausage + carrots + onion. Simmer 1 hour. Thickens to nearly a porridge. $6.
- 8. Vegetable Beef Soup: Beef stew meat + diced vegetables + broth + diced tomatoes. Simmer 1.5 hours. $9 for 8 servings.
- 9. Broccoli Cheddar Soup: Frozen broccoli + broth + cheddar cheese + a little flour to thicken. 20 minutes. $7 for 4.
- 10. Egg Drop Soup: Chicken broth + cornstarch + eggs drizzled in + soy sauce + sesame oil. 10 minutes. $2 for 4 servings.
Soup Budget Tips
- Save vegetable scraps in a freezer bag — carrot peelings, onion ends, celery tops. Simmer in water for free broth.
- Parmesan rinds add incredible depth to Italian soups — save them in the freezer.
- Soup always tastes better the next day as flavors develop.
- Freeze soup in zip-lock bags flat — stack them in the freezer like files. Saves huge space.
- A handful of pasta or rice turns a thin soup into a filling meal.
Soup Making Essentials
- Immersion Blender - Blend soups right in the pot, no mess ($35)
- Instant Pot 6 Quart - Pressure cook tough soups in 20 min ($89)
- 6-Quart Slow Cooker - Set and simmer all day ($35)