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  4. Delicious Soup Recipes to Kick Off Thanksgiving Dinner

Delicious Soup Recipes to Kick Off Thanksgiving Dinner

Kaitlyn Yarborough, Assistant Editor and Writer for Southern Living
By Kaitlyn Yarborough
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Lemongrass-Turkey Soup Recipe
Credit: Alison Miksch
When November rolls around, it's time to start the countdown to the day of thanks and feasting. When it comes to the feasting, Thanksgiving Day is a marathon, not a sprint—and we relish every second of every course. Our mountainous menu must cover all of the bases, from our favorite family dishes to the bountiful fall flavors. We like to give every course our full attention, and we know it's just as important to pick the perfect starter to kick off the Thanksgiving feast on the right note as it is to bake those pumpkin pies. These soups are sure to impress your guests and get the ball rolling on a Thanksgiving dinner that won't disappoint. You can pick a soup that highlights the tastes of fall from the get-go, or you can select a palette-pleasing soup that saves those fall flavors for the main event. We love serving our starter soups in festive shooters for a pretty presentation and perfectly sized portions, while garnishing with toasted pumpkin seeds and fall-hued creams always gives that Thanksgiving pizazz. We can't wait to let these delicious soups don our Thanksgiving table this year! 
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Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Roasted Pumpkin Soup
Credit: Greg DuPree

Recipe: Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin is hands-down the flavor of the season, and roasting the pumpkin before combining the ingredients gives it a unique caramelized flavor that really ramps up the warm, cozy taste.

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Butternut-Squash Parsnip Soup

20 Soups and Stews Recipes: Butternut-Squash Parsnip Soup
Credit: Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Butternut Squash-Parsnip Soup

Butternut squash is one of our favorite fall standouts when it comes to Thanksgiving, and this simple, velvety soup is made even better with carrots, cream, and a hint of paprika and cumin.

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Smoky Red Pepper Soup

Smoky Red Pepper Soup
Credit: Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Smoky Red Pepper Soup

This smoky soup will get the family ready for round two, and we love the warm flavors that embody the season without using the expected ingredients. A touch of whipping cream adds a subtle creamy finish, while plenty of spices give epic flavor. Serve in copper mugs for a festive flair!

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Spicy Pumpkin Soup with Avocado Cream

Spicy Pumpkin Soup with Avocado Cream
Credit: Greg Dupree

Recipe: Spicy Pumpkin Soup with Avocado Cream

Make a statement with this fall-inspired soup. It’ll get your guests’ taste buds fired up for the main meal, but the smooth avocado cream is sure to give a cool finish to balance the heat.

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Creamy Potato-and-Ham Hock Slow-Cooker Soup

Creamy Potato-and-Ham Hock Slow-Cooker Soup Recipe
Credit: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Creamy Potato-and-Ham Hock Slow-Cooker Soup

We can’t get enough of this favorite fall soup, so we’re thinking it’s a great bet to impress our guests at Thanksgiving. It’s big on flavor, low on effort. Because all the ingredients sit in the slow cooker together, the potatoes soak up each element, especially the ham, so every bite is a full-flavored one.

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Sweet Potato Soup

Sweet Potato Soup, potato soup, soup recipes
Credit: Greg DuPree

Recipes: Sweet Potato Soup

The oven-browned onions are the secret weapons in this fall favorite soup. With only six ingredients, you’re definitely going to want to whip this up for an easy, delicious Thanksgiving starter.

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Maque Choux Soup

Maque Choux Soup
Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Maque Choux Soup

The charred sweet corn and paired spices, cumin and coriander, give this soup a completely amazing robust flavor. When you’re cutting the corn off the cob, make sure to catch the sweet corn milk in the bowl—it’s going to add a special touch.

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Classic Oyster Stew

Classic Oyster Stew
Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Classic Oyster Stew

Maybe your family usually does Oyster Dressing, but wants to try a new recipe this year without oysters—well, you can get your holiday oyster fix with this decadent seafood stew! To achieve the perfect texture of just-cooked oysters, poach them in the milk until their edges begin to curl, set aside, and return them to the stew just before serving.

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Spiced Butternut-Pumpkin Soup

Spiced Butternut-Pumpkin Soup
Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Spiced Butternut-Pumpkin Soup

Using an array of spices and fall produce, this soup is perfect for autumn. Butternut squash, pumpkin, sweet potato, and apple make sure all of your bases are covered. Since it’s thickened with cream, we like to serve this soup in smaller shooters for a fun presentation and perfectly sized portions.

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Carrot-Apple Soup

Carrot-Apple Soup
Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Carrot-Apple Soup

This soup is perfect for Thanksgiving because it’s full of fall-inspired ingredients that aren’t focused on as heavily in the holiday meal (such as how pumpkin, sweet potato, or squash are). Carrots, apples, apple cider, and thyme make this a fresh option for a starting course. If you want it a little thinner, stir in more broth a little a time until you hit the desired consistency!

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Parsnip-Potato Soup

Parsnip-Potato Soup
Credit: Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Parsnip-Potato Soup

Parsnips, leeks, and thyme give this potato soup a welcomed boost of flavor. The soup is not too heavy on the use of cream (using primarily chicken broth), making it a light potato soup to serve before the hearty holiday meal. Bonus: you can make this soup ahead of time!

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Pecan Soup

Pecan Soup
Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Pecan Soup

This velvety soup is like chestnut soup, but with a Southern flair. With the delicious (and crunchy) addition of toasted pecans, this starter soup gives the quintessential “fall in the South” taste we love.

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Wild Mushroom Soup

Soup Recipes: Wild Mushroom Soup
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Wild Mushroom Soup

Your guests will love this light, earthy, savory soup—it’s a great way to introduce the hearty meal coming! It’s packed with flavor, but won’t overtake the rest of the meal. It’s light enough to keep guests wanting more and doesn’t use traditional fall ingredients.

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Lyda's Cream of Carrot Soup

Soup Recipes: Lyda's Cream of Carrot Soup
Credit: Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Lyda's Cream of Carrot Soup

This pretty soup will look delightful on your Thanksgiving tablescape, and the creamy starter will go over just as well with your guests. Carrots, parsnips, and onion meld together in a Dutch oven for a flavorful result. We love to top with a dollop of sour cream, fresh chives, and freshly ground pepper—it gives a great finishing touch for taste and presentation!

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Buttermilk-Lady Pea Soup with Bacon

Buttermilk Lady Pea Soup with Bacon
Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Buttermilk-Lady Pea Soup with Bacon

This Southern-inspired soup doesn’t try to outshine your fall flavors, but just gives a delicious start to the festive meal. You can use Lady Peas that you’ve frozen from the summer, or switch them out for your favorite fall peas. The thick-cut bacon topping will get your guests feeling ready for the next hearty course.

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Creamy Southwestern Pumpkin Soup

Creamy Southwestern Pumpkin Soup
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Creamy Southwestern Pumpkin Soup

We love the idea of changing up the flavor palette a little bit for the first course, while sticking with traditional ingredients, such as pumpkin. This soup is bursting with fresh, Southwestern flavors that ensure a crowd-pleasing appetizer and enhance the pumpkin taste.

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Lemongrass-Turkey Soup

Lemongrass-Turkey Soup Recipe
Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Lemongrass-Turkey Soup

We like to call this soup “the antidote to a rich Thanksgiving feast,” making it the perfect light, fresh starter to cleanse and make ready your guests’ taste buds for that hearty meal.

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    1 of 17 Roasted Pumpkin Soup
    2 of 17 Butternut-Squash Parsnip Soup
    3 of 17 Smoky Red Pepper Soup
    4 of 17 Spicy Pumpkin Soup with Avocado Cream
    5 of 17 Creamy Potato-and-Ham Hock Slow-Cooker Soup
    6 of 17 Sweet Potato Soup
    7 of 17 Maque Choux Soup
    8 of 17 Classic Oyster Stew
    9 of 17 Spiced Butternut-Pumpkin Soup
    10 of 17 Carrot-Apple Soup
    11 of 17 Parsnip-Potato Soup
    12 of 17 Pecan Soup
    13 of 17 Wild Mushroom Soup
    14 of 17 Lyda's Cream of Carrot Soup
    15 of 17 Buttermilk-Lady Pea Soup with Bacon
    16 of 17 Creamy Southwestern Pumpkin Soup
    17 of 17 Lemongrass-Turkey Soup

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