10 Kitchen Must-Haves for Soup Season

Soup season has officially arrived, which means it’s time to pull out our favorite recipes and try some new ones. To do so, however, you might need to purchase some new kitchen tools or upgrade your essentials.

Of course, you can make soup year-round, but, arguably, there’s nothing quite like a large pot of delicious-smelling soup simmering on the oven when it’s freezing outside.

Luckily, making soup doesn’t have to be complicated, especially when you have the right tools. They can allow you to be more creative with your recipes, prep your soup ahead of time, or keep it stashed in the fridge as long as possible.

We consider these items “soup necessities” because they make cooking dinner just a little bit easier. Oh, yeah, and they also make great gifts for the cooks in your life.

A Dutch Oven: Le Creuset 5.5-Quart Enameled Cast Iron

Some soups and stews are best when cooked low and slow, and that’s where a Dutch oven comes in. These heavy-bottomed cast-iron pots retain heat well and are also great at browning meat without burning it. They can also go in the oven or on the stove, which is great since some soups require both.

Le Creuset is known for its Dutch ovens, which are made from high-quality materials and built to last. While they’re definitely a splurge, they’re also an investment. This one has an interior enamel that’s more resistant to wear, doesn’t chip easily, and is easy to clean.

The lid goes on tight for maximum moisture retention. They’re also ready to use—no seasoning required! This is a really nice perk for anything made of cast iron.

A Stockpot: Farberware Classic Stainless Steel

A stockpot is a must if you make a lot of soup because they’re larger than other pots. Their tall sides really come in handy with soup, as they keep a lot of liquid from evaporating when you’re letting it cook. They can be used for any type of soup and are especially great for broths.

The Farberware 16-Quart Stockpot is particularly ideal if you need something extra-large. It’s versatile and can even be used as a lobster pot. The lid goes on tight and seals in moisture, while the pot itself is durable, sturdy, and will last forever. It’s also dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.

A Slow Cooker: Crock-Pot 7-Quart Manual

One of the best things about making most soups is they don’t require a lot of hands-on time, and that’s especially true if you use a slow cooker. You can throw everything in the pot in the morning and just let it sit, simmer, and cook on its own all day. This feature works so well with soups and hearty stews, which tend to be even tastier and more flavorful the lower and slower they cook.

The CrockPot slow cooker is an extremely popular option that’s reliable and easy to use. At seven quarts, it should hold enough food for at least nine people. You can set it on High or Low for a faster or slower cooking time. There’s also a Warm setting to keep food from getting cold when it’s done.

The lid and removable stoneware pot are both dishwasher safe, so this one is also easy to clean.

Wooden Spoons: OXO Good Grips Three-Piece Set

Every cook should have a set of wooden spoons, so if you don’t, take this opportunity to buy some. A long-handled spoon is ideal for stirring a large pot of soup. Unlike metal utensils, it won’t get so hot that it burns your hand, nor will it scratch your pots, whether you’re using cast-iron or stainless-steel.

This solid beechwood set by OXO includes three lengths. They’re solid with a natural oil finish and holes in the handles for easy hanging storage.

A Blender: Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender

You know those thick, creamy, puréed soups that are delicious? If so, you need a good blender, like the high-powered Vitamix 750. It can create the silkiest, thickest purée in minutes with just the push of a button. It’s definitely an investment, but it’s one that’ll last.

It even has a soup mode, so you don’t have to cook anything on the stove. Just stick all your ingredients in the blender and press the soup mode button. The blades are so powerful, the high friction heats everything up.

Another advantage is this blender has a self-cleaning mode. You just add a few drops of dish soap and warm water, and then push a button to thoroughly clean your blender so you don’t have to do any extra work.

An Immersion Blender: Mueller Austria Ultra-Stick 500

If you don’t have the budget or room for a fancy blender, an immersion-style makes a good replacement. In fact, it’s even more convenient in some ways. An immersion blender is great for making pureed soups, but it’s also ideal because you have more control over the speed and function. This allows you to easily purée only half of a soup, if you prefer.

With an immersion blender, you also don’t have to dump hot soup into a blender because you can blend it directly in the pot. This Mueller Austria immersion blender is a favorite for its power and versatility. It’s also very easy to use and clean, and comes with a whisk and milk frother attachment.

Soup Bowls: KooK Crock Set

You can, of course, put soup in almost any bowl, as long as it’s heat-safe. However, a soup crock is a nice touch whenever you’re serving guests. They’re large enough to hold a decent-sized portion and also have convenient carry handles so you won’t burn your hands.

This KooK four-piece set is great because they’re also oven-safe, which means they’ll work well for something like French onion soup. The chip-resistant porcelain looks nice and is meant to last, and the comfort-grip handles are super convenient. They’re also dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.

Storage Containers: Corningware French White Casserole Set

When making soup, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll have leftovers. Most recipes make large amounts that aren’t finished in one night. This is why a good set of storage containers that will hold large amounts of food are a necessity.

This set from Corningware is ideal for all of the uses we mentioned above. The design and shape of these three casserole dishes are perfect for soup. Plus, having three different sizes gives you plenty of options.

They’re freezer-, refrigerator-, microwave-, dishwasher-, and oven-safe, so they’re incredibly versatile, and can be used for much more than just soup storage. They each come with a glass or plastic lid for convenience.

A To-Go Storage Container: W&P Porter Seal-Tight Lunch Bowl

Okay, so you’ve meal-prepped a large amount of soup, but now you have to figure out how to safely transport it to work without worrying about leaking. These W&P Porter containers are a great find and are especially perfect for soup. Not only are they bowl-shaped, but they’re also wrapped in silicone, so they aren’t too hot to the touch when you heat up your soup.

The screw-top lid and double-walled glass construction also make these surprisingly leak-proof. You don’t want to carry them upside down, but overall, you should find that your soup won’t leak out of them. They’re durable, sturdy, dishwasher-safe, and very aesthetically pleasing.

For Frozen Soups: Souper Cubes

Another perk of most soups is they freeze really well. This makes it easy to make a huge batch, and then have a meal option for weeks. The only problem is freezing soup can often be annoying. A large container takes up a lot of space. Plus, when it’s all a frozen block, it can be hard to take out one portion at a time.

Enter, Souper Cubes. This ingenious invention is basically like a large ice cube tray, but for soup (and other foods). You can freeze large chunks of soup for perfect portions when you’re ready for just one bowl. They also don’t take up as much space as other containers. Each well has fill lines for easy measuring, and there are lids to keep it all fresh.

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These kitchen items make cooking up a big batch of soup or broth so much easier, so if you’ve been considering investing in one (or a few), go for it! You’ll be glad you did when the whole family is slurping those warm, delicious concoctions all winter.