Bone broth soup recipes

Start a soup with a good bone broth and it does most of the work for you. If you want the background first, here is bone broth explained. The method is simple and changes very little from one soup to another.

Start with aromatics. Onion, garlic, leek, ginger or celery build the flavour. Gently soften them in oil or butter, or skip this step for a very clear, light soup.
Add the bone broth. Pour in around 750ml to 1 litre of bone broth for two to three servings. Bring it to a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil.
Add ingredients in the right order. Root vegetables, grains and raw protein need more time. Greens, noodles, cooked meat and herbs go in later.
Simmer until everything is tender. Keep the heat steady. Bone broth does not need aggressive cooking.
Taste before seasoning. Bone broth already brings savour, so you need less salt than usual. Finish with herbs, lemon, chilli, olive oil or black pepper if they suit the bowl.

Once you have that structure, bone broth soup becomes an easy way to use what is in the fridge. Store leftovers in airtight containers for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer, then reheat gently.

Three simple bone broth soups

Chicken noodle. Simmer chicken bone broth with sliced carrot and celery until just tender. Add cooked, shredded chicken and noodles, then cook until the noodles are tender. Finish with parsley and black pepper. It is simple because the bone broth is doing the work.

Clean vegetable soup. Soften chopped onion and garlic, then add bone broth and diced vegetables such as carrot, courgette, leek or potato. Simmer until soft. Blend for a smooth soup, or leave it chunky. Bone broth gives vegetable soup the depth it can lack when made with water.

Ginger and greens. Warm bone broth with fresh ginger and a splash of soy or tamari. Add pak choi, spinach, spring onion or other greens and cook briefly so they stay bright. Add a soft-boiled egg, tofu or leftover chicken for more substance.

What soups can you make with bone broth?

Almost any soup that starts with stock can be made with bone broth, with a protein-rich, savoury base underneath. Season or add herbs to suit the type of soup:

French onion, made with slowly caramelised onions and beef bone broth.
Ramen-style bowls, with bone broth seasoned with miso, soy, ginger and spring onion, then poured over noodles and toppings.
Pulse and grain soups, such as lentil, barley or minestrone, where bone broth replaces the water.
Pureed vegetable soups, including squash, carrot and ginger, leek and potato, or mushroom.
Chicken soups, especially when the dish is meant to be clear, warm and easy to eat.

Match the bone broth to the soup. Use chicken bone broth for lighter, clearer bowls, and beef bone broth for darker, slow-simmered dishes like onions or mushrooms. If you are still deciding, our guide to the best bone broth to buy explains what to look for.

Using bone broth as a base, not an afterthought

Treat bone broth as the foundation of your soup and you can build a satisfying dish without heavy seasoning or a long ingredients list. The flavour comes from the slow-cooked base.

That is why a bone broth soup can be plain and still taste considered. A few vegetables, a little protein, some herbs and a good bone broth are often enough. It is also why bone broth soup is one of the easiest ways to bring bone broth into everyday cooking, without a separate drink or a supplement-style routine. Beyond the savoury side, there are even bone broth smoothie recipes and a warming bone broth hot chocolate to try.

For more ways to cook with bone broth across the week, here is the full set of bone broth recipes. A good bone broth for cooking makes soups like these effortless, and you can buy bone broth online in the format that suits you.

Your questions answered

Soften aromatics such as onion, garlic, leek or ginger if you are using them, then add bone broth and bring it to a gentle simmer. Add vegetables, grains or protein, starting with whatever takes longest to cook. Simmer until tender, taste before seasoning, and finish with herbs, lemon, chilli or oil. Around 750ml to 1 litre of bone broth serves two to three.

You can make chicken noodle soup, vegetable soup, ginger-and-greens soup, French onion soup, ramen-style bowls, lentil soup, barley soup, minestrone and pureed vegetable soups with bone broth. Use chicken bone broth for lighter soups and beef bone broth for deeper, slower-cooked ones.

Yes. Soup is one of the most natural uses for bone broth because the liquid forms the base of the dish. A good bone broth means you need less on top of it: vegetables, seasoning and a protein if you want one.