25 Easy Soup Recipes to Make All Summer Long Despite the Heat

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Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup It might be a sweltering summer day, but despite the heat, you’ll still find us sipping a cup of piping hot joe in the morning on the porch. And before you accuse us of being crazy, there’s some science behind eating or drinking something hot […]

Click here to view original web page at www.southernliving.com

It might be a sweltering summer day, but despite the heat, you'll still find us sipping a cup of piping hot joe in the morning on the porch. And before you accuse us of being crazy, there's some science behind eating or drinking something hot on a warm day to cool off: When you consume something hot, it raises your body temperature, which tells your brain to cool the body down. So as much as we love a chilled gazpacho, this summer, we're not shying away from making hot soups. We may opt to skip the robust chilis this time of year, but there are plenty of soup recipes that are full of fresh, seasonal ingredients and are easy to pull together when you'd rather be relaxing by the pool (or you're just tired from chasing kids around said pool). Summer's bounty is full of so many delicious fruits and vegetables that we'd be remiss if we didn't take full advantage of them with 25 easy soup recipes. And you best believe we'll be freezing at least one big batch of soup with in-season flavors to pull out in the cooler months for a little taste of summer.

This vibrant asparagus soup is full of flavor and a few surprising ingredients (hint: TK), which make it irresistible. Serve it hot or chilled, but either way, don't forget the garnishes to make it shine.

It's always a good time for grilled cheese, which calls for its partner in crime: tomato soup. Pick up a few pounds of colorful heirloom tomatoes at the farmers' market for a truly seasonal soup.

Your new go-to warm-weather appetizer showcases one of summer's finest veggies—sweet corn. Start supper off with this pretty, chilled soup that can be served with an array of garnishes.

This soup uses just about all of the season's bounty with okra, corn, tomatoes, and lima beans in the mix. Double the recipe to have plenty to stash away in the freezer.

Collard greens aren't just a potluck and sideboard staple. We turned them into a soup perfect for any occasion; and as a Southerner, you know collards and bacon are a match made in heaven, so don't skip out on the croutons.

This fan-favorite comfort dish isn't just for cold nights—this is one you can never go wrong with, no matter the temperature outside. Try swapping frozen and canned ingredients with in-season produce.

We love a slow-cooker recipe that makes dinnertime easier, especially when it makes the most of sweet summer corn. You'll see why this recipe is one of our readers' favorites year in and year out.

Whether you're on the coast or not, this gumbo will take you there. This classic low-country dish is packed with flavor from okra, tomatoes, and, of course, shrimp. Use fresh ingredients to make this dish truly sing.

Look no further for a spoonful of summer. This dish uses whole-milk Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream for a lighter version of corn chowder (and it's ready in 30 minutes).

No matter the time of year, we always have a pot of gumbo stewing, plus a freezer stocked full of it. Whether you prefer chicken, shrimp, sausage, or crab meat in your gumbo, we can all agree that this dish is a Southern delicacy and best served over a bed of steaming rice.

Here's why you should be making tomato soup in the summer: fried okra. Garnish your bowl of soup with a generous handful of the South's favorite fried veggie. Instead of pre-breaded, frozen stuff, use our can't-beat fried okra recipe.

Chowder makes a comforting cool-weather meal, but when you're using warm-weather ingredients like corn and tomatoes, we advise adding it to your summer supper menu.

Have an unexpectedly full house to feed? Try a black bean soup bar. Serve it with plenty of garden-fresh toppings, like cilantro, chopped tomatoes, avocado slices, pan-roasted corn, and sautéed peppers and onions, as well as sour cream and shredded cheese. Add chicken for an even heartier meal.

Whether you picked up a few too many pounds of the season's best veggies on Saturday morning or want to stock the freezer for the cooler months—use what you have on hand and this foolproof recipe will capture the essence of summer.