When the season changes and the temperature starts to drop, there's nothing like a hearty, delicious soup paired with a rustic loaf of bread or baked rolls to help you warm up and feel satisfied. Fortunately, you can make nourishing soups for yourself and your family without slaving away at the hot stove by making the most of easy crockpot soup recipes.

A crockpot, also called a slow cooker, makes it super simple to provide your family with a healthy, tasty meal. With easy crockpot soups, you toss in the ingredients before you leave your house for the day and come home to a delicious-smelling house and a nutritious, hot meal. The crockpot does all the hard work for you!

Getting Started With Crockpot Soups

First, you'll need a crockpot. If you don't have one, you won't regret purchasing one. It's an excellent appliance for busy families and individuals to add to their kitchens. Look for a six- to eight-quart model, so it's large enough to double the batch for company, a potluck, or because you love the recipe. Note: You can freeze a batch of soup for up to three months.

It's also a good idea to stock up on a few soup staples for the fall and winter seasons. Common soup ingredients include:

• Carrots
• Celery
• Onions (and/or Ello onion powder)
• Garlic (and/or Ello garlic powder)
• Diced or crushed tomatoes
• Broth (chicken, vegetable or beef)

Quick, Easy and Delectable Crockpot Soup Recipes

Here are a few easy-to-make recipes to start you off this cold weather season. These tasty soups will quickly become welcome additions to your meal rotation.

1. Hearty Vegetable Minestrone

This Italian-inspired soup combines beans, vegetables, spices, and pasta for a vegetarian and family-friendly favorite. One of the things that makes this soup so easy is that you most likely have all the ingredients in your pantry.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups vegetable broth

• 1 cup chopped carrots

• 1 cup chopped celery

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

• 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ¾ teaspoon dried thyme

• ¼ teaspoon Ello ground black pepper

• Beans: Choose from 2 15-oz cans of kidney or cannellini beans, or 1 of each

• Vegetables: Choose from green beans, zucchini, spinach or all of them

• ½ cup elbow macaroni or ditalini pasta

• Grated parmesan cheese to taste

   

Directions:

1. Place the first 10 ingredients, through black pepper, in the crockpot. Cook on low for six to eight hours or on high for three to four hours.

2. Open the lid and add the beans, vegetables and pasta. Cook on high for an additional 30 minutes.

3. Serve with grated parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

    

2. Creamy Broccoli and Cheese

This delicious classic soup is delightfully decadent but also nutritious, thanks to fiber-packed and vitamin-loaded broccoli.

Ingredients:

• 3 to 5 cups chopped broccoli florets

• 1 cup grated carrots

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 oz cream cheese

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• 2 ½ cups chicken broth or vegetable broth

• 1 12 oz can of evaporated milk

• 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated

   

Directions:

1. Place the first nine ingredients, through the broth, in the crockpot. Stir, cover with a lid, and cook on low for six to seven hours or on high for two to three hours.

2. Open the lid, pour in the evaporated milk and stir. Next, puree ¾ of the mixture with an immersion blender, food processor or standing blender.

3. Add a can of evaporated milk and cheese. Heat for 30 minutes on low.

    

3. Six-Ingredient Chicken Chili

This hearty, healthy soup is perfect for après sledding, skiing, ice skating or other winter activities. After making it once, it will, no doubt, become one of your go-to recipes.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless chicken breast

• 2 7 oz cans of salsa verde

• 1 tablespoon cumin

• 1 32 oz box of chicken broth

• 3 15 oz cans of great northern beans or cannellini beans

• Cilantro, shredded cheese and/or avocado

   

Directions:

1. Drain the beans in a colander and then toss all the ingredients in the crockpot. Cook on low for six to eight hours or on high for four hours.

2. Open the lid, take the chicken out and shred it. Then, place it back in the crockpot, and heat on low for 15 minutes.

3. Serve with your choice of cilantro, shredded cheese or avocado, or all of them.

    

These easy-to-prepare crockpot soup recipes are perfect for family dinners, potlucks or a cozy evening at home. A little prep work in the morning before you leave the house will pay off when you come home to tantalizing aromas and a ready-to-serve hot, nutritious and tasty meal.

Written by: Joelle Klein