Grandma’s Best Homemade Soups

From the Recipe Creator: I remember my mom making this soup; now I make it for my kids as often as I can. It's a good way to use up leftover vegetables. Sometimes I add a can of rinsed and drained kidney or garbanzo beans. —Angela Goodman, Kaneohe, Hawaii

From the Recipe Creator: While growing up in Texas, I spent a lot of time helping my grandma cook. Lemon and cilantro add a deliciously different twist to turkey soup. —Margarita Cuellar, East Chicago, Indiana

From the Recipe Creator: When I was a child, my mother made potato and onion soup because it was affordable and fast. I’ve trimmed the calories, but it’s still a comforting family favorite. —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas

From the Recipe Creator: We often start our stir-fry meals with this fast egg drop soup — it cooks in just minutes flat. There are many versions of the recipe, but we like the easy addition of cornstarch to thicken the soup and give it a rich, golden color. I got the recipe from my grandma’s old cookbook. —Amy Beth Corlew-Sherlock, Lapeer, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: I like to put twists on my grandmother's recipes, which is what I did with this one. I look forward to passing my own delicious comfort food recipes to my kids. —Jamie Chase, Rising Sun, Indiana

From the Recipe Creator: My mother was a pastor's wife, and she did a lot of cooking for potlucks. This recipe is one she created herself. I serve it frequently to my husband and to our four children. Every one of them is a hearty eater! —Marlene Doolittle, Story City, Iowa

From the Recipe Creator: My mother used to make this hearty soup from her garden's bountiful crop of beets and other vegetables. —Ruth Andrewson, Leavenworth, Washington

From the Recipe Creator: Just before the first frost of the season, we gather up all of the tomatoes from my mom’s garden to create this flavor-packed soup. Although it sounds like a lot of garlic, when it’s roasted, the garlic becomes mellow and almost sweet. We serve this soup with toasted bread spread with pesto. —Kaitlyn Lerdahl, Madison, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: Simmering up a big pot of this soup is one of my favorite holiday traditions. This is a variation on a recipe my mom made while I was growing up. My husband and children can't get enough of the tender dumplings. —Debbie Wolf, Mission Viejo, California

From the Recipe Creator: My grandmother hand-wrote a cookbook. She included this amazing pie crust, and I added this delicious chicken potpie soup for it. —Karen LeMay, Seabrook, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: This recipe is close to one my mom used to make for us kids when the weather turned cold. Hers called for heavy cream, but I came up with a slimmer version that I think is pretty true to the original! —Kendra Doss, Colorado Springs, Colorado

From the Recipe Creator: Creamy, rich and bursting with brightness, this soup is the ultimate sidekick to a grilled cheese sandwich. — Josh Rink, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: My mom dehydrates the last pick of tomatoes from her garden each fall—perfect for quick soups like this one. When I have time to prepare dried beans, I do—but don't worry if you don't. Canned beans are just as good. —Lori Terry, Chicago, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: My grandmother lived in the Appalachian Mountains and always served straight-from-the-garden corn and beans. I updated her dish with quinoa and herbs. — Kari Napier, Louisville, Kentucky

From the Recipe Creator: My mother sent me some of this pretty dry blend along with the recipe. The hearty soup is thick with lentils, barley and peas, and chicken is a nice change from the usual ham. —Susan Ruckert, Tangent, Oregon

From the Recipe Creator: When I was growing up, my mother prepared many different soups, each seasoned just right. She often made this colorful combination that's chock-full of harvest-fresh goodness. It showcases an appealing assortment of beans, potatoes, carrots and spinach. -Valerie Lee, Snellville, Georgia

From the Recipe Creator: This Italian zucchini soup recipe was given to me by my neighbor. Nice and simple, it's a good way to use a lot of your zucchini and other garden vegetables. It freezes well and is great to have on hand on a cold winter day. —Clara Mae Chambers, Superior, Nebraska

From the Recipe Creator: When the weather turns cold, get cozy with a bowl of this butternut squash soup. The cream adds richness, but if you're looking to cut calories, it can be omitted. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: This recipe is from my great-grandmother, though I've added a few ingredients to make it my own. Serve it with a side salad and some artisan bread for a wonderful, hearty family dinner. —Terrel Porter-Smith, Los Osos, California

From the Recipe Creator: This soup is just like a meal in a bowl ... or for heartier appetites, serve it with a sandwich. It's great for chilly days. —Sue Miller, Walworth, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: For years, I'd been trying to figure out how my grandmother made her rivel soup. Then I discovered that it wasn't just something she came up with, but a prized heirloom recipe. Many families have their own special version. —Kathy Kegley, Rural Retreat, Virginia

From the Recipe Creator: My grandmother used to make a similar classic Greek soup, avgolemono, every Sunday after church. Here’s my version of her recipe. The kids and I came up with this variation while experimenting with different ingredients. I think my yia-yia would be proud. —Nick Haros, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

From the Recipe Creator: When I was a little girl, I helped my parents work the fields of their small farm. Lunchtime was always a treat when Mother picked fresh vegetables from the garden and simmered them in her big soup pot. We loved making this delicious recipe. —Ethel Ledbetter, Canton, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: This family favorite is the same recipe my grandmother used. Now with the magic of the slow cooker, I can spend 15 minutes putting it together, walk away for five hours, and come back to "soup's on." Finish it with more milk if you like your soup a bit thinner. —Judy Batson, Tampa, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: The ingredients in this dish are a nod to my mother's tasty potato and rutabaga side dish, which was always paired with baked country ham; dishes she served during the cold months when I was a child. Whenever I make this chowder it brings me back to a time when life was just a little bit simpler. —Cheryl Perry, Hertford, North Carolina