15 Low-Effort Weeknight Soups When You're Too Tired To Cook

Get ready to be soup-er impressed!

By
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora's passion for cooking began early on as a young girl, working in the kitchen at her father's Greek diner in Brooklyn, NY. Her recipes have appeared on Delish, Spruce Eats, Today.com, Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon, Dinnerly, Simply Recipes, and in various cookbooks.
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Published January 21, 2026
Theodora Kaloudis
A serving of tortellini soup with a tomato based broth in a bowl, topped with parmesan cheese, with a spoon in the bowl

Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

When it comes to comfort food, soup reigns supreme. If you’re craving something warm and satisfying but you're short on time and too tired to cook, these low-effort soups are what you need. This collection features recipes that require minimal hands-on time, like creamy Red Lentil Coconut Soup, Easy Lasagna Soup, and comforting Sausage White Bean Soup. So grab a pot and get ready to dig into one of these cozy, weeknight-friendly soups.

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  • 15-Minute Black Bean Soup

    A bowl of black bean soup, topped with avocado cubes, jalapeño slices, pickled onion and and cilantro

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    “The only vegetable prep needed is chopping the garlic and onion, and you’re welcome to buy prechopped ones if you’d like to simplify things even further. Either 'jarlic' or frozen garlic cubes are a good substitute, and most grocery stores sell prechopped onions in the produce section these days.” —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Lasagna Soup

    A bowl of lasagna soup topped with ricotta cheese and basil

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors-Hall / Prop Styling by Abby Armstrong

    “You can make this soup up to three days ahead of time. Cook the soup and pasta separately, and store them in separate containers. Make the ricotta mixture. When ready to eat, heat up the soup in a pot and stir in the noodles. This prevents the noodles from overcooking and becoming mushy.” —Megan Scott, former Senior Editor

  • Cabbage and Potato Soup

    4-Ingredient Cabbage and Potato Soup in a large pot with a ladel

    Simply Recipes / Stephanie Ganz

    “​​When I’m craving extra protein, I’ll add some shredded chicken or canned white beans. My favorite way to enjoy this soup is actually for breakfast, with a fried or poached egg on top and a big hunk of crusty bread for dipping. It’s a lovely way to wake up on a chilly morning.” —Stephanie A Ganz, Recipe Developer

  • 15-Minute Tortellini Soup

    A serving of tortellini soup with a tomato based broth in a bowl, topped with parmesan cheese, with a spoon in the bowl

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    “There’s hardly any prep required to make this soup (virtually none if you use frozen or jarred minced garlic instead of chopping your own). It consists of just a handful of pantry staples simmered in a pot until the pasta is tender.” —Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 5 of 15 below

  • Easy Mushroom Noodle Soup

    A bowl of noodle soup containing mushrooms spinach edamame green onions and sesame seeds with a spoon on the side

    Simply Recipes / Alexandra Shytsman

    “Pacific Foods mushroom broth is widely available and what I typically use. Trader Joe’s ginger miso broth is also fabulous here. If you can’t find either, look for Better Than Bouillon’s mushroom base. Alternatively, use vegetable broth or any other broth you like.” —Alexandra Shytsman, Recipe Developer

  • 15-Minute Tuna and Butter Bean Stew

    15-Minute Tuna and Butter Bean Stew in a bowl with spoon, bread on the side

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    “What really surprised me was the use of tuna conserva (that’s a fancy way to say ‘canned tuna’). The dish elevated the tinned fish to new heights, reminding me that humble ingredients can be just as sophisticated and luxurious as their pricier fresh counterparts.” —Stephanie A Ganz, Recipe Developer

  • Sausage White Bean Soup

    A white bowl with kale, white bean and sausage soup, places on a dark green plate on a wooden serving board

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    “The soup is good without toppings, but if you have crushed red pepper or grated parmesan cheese, I recommend adding them. I always serve this soup with some kind of toasted, sliced bread for dipping in the flavorful broth.” —Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

  • 15-Minute Wonton Soup

    wanton soup next to a small bowl of sliced scallions

    Simply Recipes / Kris Osborne

    “This is an endlessly customizable dinner that you can whip up to suit a variety of preferences and needs. The aromatic broth, tender, juicy wontons, and fresh, vibrant greens make it taste like you devoted much more time than you did.” —Kris Osborne, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 9 of 15 below

  • Dump-and-Stir White Chicken Chili

    overhead view of a bowl of Dump-and-Stir White Chicken Chili

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Craig Ruff / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

    “If you’d rather not use canned chicken, you can swap it for two cups of shredded, cooked chicken. A rotisserie chicken is very handy here.” —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Red Lentil Coconut Soup

    Coconut Lentil Soup garnished with yogurt in a bowl with a spoon, naan on the side

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    “Red lentils are a great pantry staple to keep on hand as they’re quicker to cook than other types of lentils and lose their shape when cooked, meaning they melt away into various creamy soups, stews, or dips.” —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

  • Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup

    Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup in a Large Pot with Some Raised Up Using a Wooden Spoon, and Surrounding the Pot, a Kitchen Linen and a Stack of Bowls with Utensils

    Simply Recipes / Micah Siva

    “I prefer to use green cabbage in this sweet and sour cabbage soup. It’s hearty but breaks down without getting too soft or mushy. Red cabbage will leave you with an odd-colored soup, and napa cabbage doesn’t have the same texture or chew. Skip a step by buying pre-shredded green cabbage for an even easier recipe!” —Micah Siva, Recipe Developer

  • 3-Pea Soup

    A pot of threepea soup with a ladle containing visible peas carrots and herbs

    Simply Recipes / Jazzmin Kaita

    “Chopped fresh herbs like dill or parsley make a lovely garnish, and I love serving this soup with big hunks of bread for dipping into the thickened, silky broth.” —Lou Perseghin, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 13 of 15 below

  • Buffalo Chicken Chili

    Aaron Hutcherson

    “The only thing that really needs to be cooked in this chili is the chicken. You can use leftover shredded chicken or buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store to make this meal come together even more quickly.” —Aaron Hutcherson, Recipe Developer

  • 3-Can Chili

    A bowl of chili with black beans corn diced tomatoes tortilla chips and a spoon

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    “I like to make my 3-can chili special with canned chipotles in adobo sauce. Chipotles in adobo are an ingredient hack that add as much flavor as several spices and condiments, all in one little spoonful.” —Robin Asbell, Recipe Developer

  • Chicken Enchilada Chili

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    “This recipe lends itself to variations and additions. Sometimes I’ll add in leftover taco beef instead of the chicken. I’ll also vary the spices I add in, sprinkling in some oregano, ground coriander, chili powder, or smoked paprika. And if we’ve got a zucchini or bell pepper kicking around in the produce drawer, it’s going in there, too.” —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

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