Chickpeas are the base for this creamy soup enriched with spices and coconut milk. To save time, Anderson purees the chickpeas first before simmering.

This beautiful green soup pairs the tartness of green tomatoes with fragrant basil and thyme. Once you've finished off the soup you can eat the sourdough bread bowl.

The Good News Based on a brothy tortilla soup, this fiery, substantial soup is full of nutty-tasting barley, brown rice and bulgur, creating a dish that's high in fiber. Mary Ellen Diaz says it's one of the most popular recipes she makes for First Slice's soup kitchen. "Latin flavors do well on the street," she explains.

This creamy, comforting, spicy butternut squash soup gets a lift from tomato paste, harissa, and tangy goat cheese.

Marcela Valladolid's vegetable-packed pozole uses mushrooms for earthy heartiness without the meat.

The Good News Antioxidant-rich fennel is one of several good-for-you ingredients in this wonderful soup. Viana La Place simmers Parmigiano-Reggiano rinds in the broth to give it a rich, cheesy flavor. It's another example of the "nothing wasted" approach that Italians take to their cooking: "I also strain the soup and use the broth as a base for other dishes," La Place says.

In their book Wine Food, sommelier Dana Frank and recipe developer Andrea Slonecker pair funky, bright wines with flavorful, vegetable-forward dishes. In this vegetarian version of classic French onion soup, blue cheese and oloroso sherry bring new layers of flavor and depth. Notes of toasted nuts and fruit compote in the sherry pair well with caramelized onions, and its briny acidity cuts through the richness of the cheese.

Marcia Kiesel's luxuriously creamy soups are the perfect starters for Thanksgiving dinner because they can be made in advance, then reheated and garnished just before serving.

Make a hearty, robust, complex soup that's vegan and cooks without cords thanks to roasted vegetables, an umami arsenal of flavor boosters, and a Dutch oven.