What to Serve with Vegetable Soup: 11 Must-Try Side Dishes

There are so many different types of vegetable soup, and all of them are delicious! Whether you opt for something more akin to beef stew or prefer a smooth, creamy soup of pureed vegetables, once you’ve chosen your favorite recipe, your mind will likely turn toward what to serve with vegetable soup.

Bread is a popular soup side for a reason, but sometimes you just want something a little different or perhaps just an additional side.

What to Serve with Vegetable Soup

You might want a more substantial side, like baked chicken, or maybe two sides to go with a vegetable-only soup. Consider something lighter for a heartier vegetable soup, such as a green salad or scones.

Need a recipe for vegetable soup? Try my easy homemade vegetable soup, or use up those veggies languishing in the crisper drawer with clean-out-the-fridge vegetable soup.

1. Quiche

Bring the feeling of a café home with quiche and soup for lunch. This vegetarian side provides filling protein with a meatless vegetable soup, and it’s easier to make than you might think! Follow a recipe the first couple of times, like wild mushroom and gruyere quiche, then try experimenting with your own fillings and flavors.

2. Sourdough bread

While any bread goes well with soup, sourdough has a wonderfully distinct flavor and chewy texture that can’t be matched. If maintaining and using a sourdough starter sounds intimidating, start with basic white bread made with a sponge. Though a similar idea, it only requires mixing up a yeast “sponge” the night before.

3. Salad

Though a green salad might feel redundant with all the veggies packed into vegetable soup, you can never have too many vegetables in a meal! Plus, the crisp texture of a salad nicely complements the soft contents of a bowl of soup. Try a protein-based salad like this lentil rice and fruit salad for variety and something a little heartier.

4. Grilled cheese

Grilled cheese and soup seem like the epitome of comfort food. While this is great with a fresh pot of vegetable soup, it also works well for lunch with leftovers the next day. Use whatever bread and cheese you have on hand — even tortillas for yummy, gooey quesadillas! Or, go all out and make this roasted beef and smoked gouda grilled cheese.

5. Baked chicken

Switch things up and serve vegetable soup as a side or appetizer for baked chicken. There are many baked chicken options, but this easy oven-roasted spatchcoked chicken is my favorite! Throw some chopped potatoes or other veggies into the pan with the chicken to round out the meal, or choose another side or two from this list.

6. Scones

Like quiche, scones seem fancy but are actually quite easy and quick to make! Soft and flaky like biscuits, they pair well with almost any type of soup. Drop scones are simple and rustic, while traditional scones take just a few minutes to pat out and cut into wedges. Herbal or cheese scones would go particularly well with vegetable soup.

Try these herbed parmesan pumpkin scones.

7. Paninis

Take your grilled cheese up a notch and make paninis. If you don’t have a panini press, use a countertop grill, the flat sides of a waffle iron, or even just a skillet. These hearty sandwiches pair perfectly with vegetable soup and can be made in myriad ways with various combinations of fillings. This is a fun opportunity to let each person create their own sandwich.

Here's the recipe for the vegetable panini above.

8. Crackers

Crackers make a nice side to vegetable soup for a light meal or appetizer. They add a nice crunch to complement the soup and make for an excellent presentation without being too filling. Try making your own crackers from scratch, such as these five-seed crackers — delicious and gluten-free.

9. Fritters

Fry up some fritters while your vegetable soup simmers. Crispy on the outside and soft inside, these versatile veggie patties work equally well alongside soup as a complete meal or as part of an appetizer spread to preclude a feast with friends. If you don’t already have a favorite fritter recipe, try these delicious cauliflower broccoli fritters.

10. Sliders

Sandwiches go so well with soup I couldn’t help but sneak one more option onto this list. While grilled cheese and paninis can, at best, be made two at a time, you can toast a whole pan of sliders in the oven. Use Hawaiian rolls for their mouthwatering sweetness, and fill them with your favorite deli meat and cheese.

Try this turkey slider recipe.

11. Pierogis

If you’ve never had pierogis, you might want to give them a try. These delicious little Polish dumplings are often filled with mashed potatoes and perhaps some cheese and ground meat and served with sour cream for dipping. I’ve sometimes seen them in the freezer aisle if you don't feel like making your own.

Try these pierogis with butter and onions.

There are so many yummy options to choose from! If you often struggle with what to serve with vegetable soup, you might want to bookmark or pin this list to come back to. Many of these sides work well with other types of soup, too.