Common Ingredients in soup Recipes

We researched the most common ingredients in over a hundred popular soup recipes and found the top 15 ingredients.

The most common ingredient in soup dishes is onion.

Garlic, chicken broth, carrots, olive oil, tomatoes and celery are also common ingredients in soup recipes. For herbs and spices, cayenne pepper is popular. Variations include:

• vegetable broth and beef broth in place of chicken broth
• green onions in place of carrots
• potatoes in place of tomatoes
• green onions in place of celery

Salt is in 65% of soup recipes and pepper, 45%.

The average soup recipe has about 12.4 ingredients, with a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 37.

In terms of directions, soup recipes have about 5 steps on average, ranging from 1 to 51 instructions.

Ratios of Common Ingredients in Soup

For 1 onion (150 g), the median and average amounts of other significant ingredients are below. Some ingredients are potential substitutes for others, meaning they almost never exist together in a single soup recipe, and are marked below.

Ingredient	Median	Average	% of recipes with onion	Potential subsitutions
garlic	2.8 clove (8 g)	4.6 clove (14 g)	54%
chicken broth	5.5 cup (1358 g)	6.7 cup (1663 g)	48%	vegetable broth beef broth
carrots	0.94 cup (120 g)	1.3 cup (171 g)	42%	green onions
celery	2 stalk (128 g)	2.3 stalk (145 g)	38%	green onions
tomatoes	24.1 ounce (683 g)	26.4 ounce (748 g)	33%	potatoes
olive oil	1.9 tablespoon (25 g)	2.7 tablespoon (37 g)	33%
cayenne pepper	a quarter teaspoon (0 g)	0.63 teaspoon (1 g)	28%
butter	5 tablespoon (71 g)	5.8 tablespoon (82 g)	26%	parmesan cheese
parsley	1.9 tablespoon (7 g)	10.3 tablespoon (39 g)	21%	cilantro green onions

Ingredients by Average Weight in Soup

We also found the average content of the significant ingredients by weight in soup recipes. This would be: 56% chicken broth, 17% tomatoes, 14% onion, 5% carrots, 3% celery and 2% butter.

Here are the top ingredients, listed in order of popularity.

onion

Onion is the most popular ingredient in soup dishes. In fact, over 70% of soup recipes contain onion.

Variations of onion include:

• green onions: 9% of recipes

For soup recipes, onion is frequently used with salt, garlic, chicken broth, black pepper and carrots.

Potential substitutions for onion in soup:

• green onions

Also, onion is not often used with heavy cream.

salt

Another popular ingredient in soup is salt. From the recipes we've sampled for soup, over 65% have salt.

Salt is often included in soup dishes in amounts of 1 teaspoon, half a teaspoon or a quarter teaspoon.

In soup recipes that contain salt, it is on average, 0.2% by weight.

In recipes for soup, salt is often used with onion, black pepper, garlic, chicken broth and carrots. On the other hand, salt is almost never used with chicken breast and green onions.

garlic

Garlic is another common ingredient in soup dishes. In fact, over 45% of soup recipes contain garlic.

Minced, chopped, peeled, crushed, grated, diced, mashed, sliced and smashed are frequent preparations for garlic in soup dishes.

Common quantities for garlic in soup dishes include 2 cloves, 1 clove or 4 cloves.

In soup recipes that contain garlic, it is on average, 0.4% by weight.

Salt, onion, black pepper, olive oil and chicken broth are commonly used together with garlic in soup dishes. Conversely, garlic is not often used with butter, flour, milk and beef broth.

black pepper

Another popular ingredient in soup is black pepper. From the recipes we've sampled for soup, over 45% have black pepper.

Ground, crushed and cracked are frequent preparations for black pepper in soup dishes.

Black pepper is often included in soup dishes in amounts of a quarter teaspoon, 1 teaspoon or half a teaspoon.

In soup recipes that contain black pepper, it is on average, 0.1% by weight.

For soup recipes, black pepper is frequently used with salt, onion, garlic, carrots and chicken broth. However, cayenne pepper, milk, sour cream and green onions are almost never used together with black pepper in soup dishes.

chicken broth

Chicken broth is another common ingredient in soup dishes. In fact, over 45% of soup recipes contain chicken broth.

Chicken broth is often included in soup dishes in amounts of 6 cups, 4 cups or 2 cups.

In soup recipes that contain chicken broth, it is on average, 45% by weight.

In recipes for soup, chicken broth is often used with salt, onion, garlic, black pepper and carrots.

Potential substitutions for chicken broth in soup:

• vegetable broth
• beef broth

Also, chicken broth is not often used with tomatoes, potatoes, green onions and paprika.

carrots

Another popular ingredient in soup is carrots. From the recipes we've sampled for soup, over 30% have carrots.

Sliced, diced, chopped, shredded, peeled and grated are frequent preparations for carrots in soup dishes.

Common quantities for carrots in soup dishes include 1 cup, 3 carrots or 1 carrots.

In soup recipes that contain carrots, it is on average, 6% by weight.

Onion, salt, celery, black pepper and chicken broth are commonly used together with carrots in soup dishes.

Potential substitutions for carrots in soup:

• green onions

Also, carrots is not often used with cumin, milk, cilantro, sour cream, vegetable broth, chili powder and heavy cream.

olive oil

Olive oil is another common ingredient in soup dishes. In fact, over 30% of soup recipes contain olive oil.

Olive oil is often included in soup dishes in amounts of 1 tablespoon, 2 tablespoons or 3 tablespoons.

In soup recipes that contain olive oil, it is on average, 1.1% by weight.

For soup recipes, olive oil is frequently used with garlic, salt, onion, black pepper and chicken broth. However, butter, flour, milk, cilantro, sour cream and paprika are almost never used together with olive oil in soup dishes.

tomatoes

Another popular ingredient in soup is tomatoes. From the recipes we've sampled for soup, over 30% have tomatoes.

Soup dishes often call for tomatoes to be peeled, stewed, crushed, seeded, chopped, diced and drained.

Tomatoes is often included in soup dishes in amounts of 14.5 ounces, 28 ounces or 15 ounces.

In soup recipes that contain tomatoes, it is on average, 20% by weight.

In recipes for soup, tomatoes is often used with onion, salt, garlic, black pepper and carrots.

Potential substitutions for tomatoes in soup:

• potatoes

Also, tomatoes is not often used with chicken broth, butter, flour, thyme, milk, green onions and vegetable broth.

celery

Celery is another common ingredient in soup dishes. In fact, over 25% of soup recipes contain celery.

Diced, chopped and sliced are frequent preparations for celery in soup dishes.

Common quantities for celery in soup dishes include 1 stalk, 1 cup or 2 stalks.

In soup recipes that contain celery, it is on average, 5% by weight.

Onion, carrots, salt, chicken broth and black pepper are commonly used together with celery in soup dishes.

Potential substitutions for celery in soup:

• green onions

Also, celery is not often used with cumin, sour cream, vegetable broth, chili powder and paprika.

cayenne pepper

Another popular ingredient in soup is cayenne pepper. From the recipes we've sampled for soup, over 25% have cayenne pepper.

Ground, sliced, roasted and crushed are frequent preparations for cayenne pepper in soup dishes.

Cayenne pepper is often included in soup dishes in amounts of a quarter teaspoon, an eighth of a teaspoon or 1 teaspoon.

In soup recipes that contain cayenne pepper, it is on average, 0.2% by weight.

For soup recipes, cayenne pepper is frequently used with onion, salt, garlic, chicken broth and carrots. However, black pepper, sour cream, chicken breast and beef broth are almost never used together with cayenne pepper in soup dishes.

butter

Butter is another common ingredient in soup dishes. In fact, over 20% of soup recipes contain butter.

Soup dishes often call for butter to be melted.

Butter is often included in soup dishes in amounts of 2 tablespoons, a quarter cup or half a cup.

In soup recipes that contain butter, it is on average, 3% by weight.

In recipes for soup, butter is often used with salt, onion, chicken broth, flour and black pepper.

Potential substitutions for butter in soup:

• parmesan cheese

Also, butter is not often used with garlic, olive oil, tomatoes, parsley, basil, cumin, oregano, cilantro, green onions, chili powder and beef broth.

flour

Another popular ingredient in soup is flour. From the recipes we've sampled for soup, over 15% have flour.

Common quantities for flour in soup dishes include a quarter cup, 3 tablespoons or 0.667 cup.

In soup recipes that contain flour, it is on average, 2% by weight.

Butter, onion, salt, chicken broth and black pepper are commonly used together with flour in soup dishes. Conversely, flour is not often used with garlic, olive oil, tomatoes, bay, parsley, thyme, basil, cumin, parmesan cheese, oregano, cilantro, vegetable broth, green onions, chili powder and beef broth.

bay

Bay is another common ingredient in soup dishes. In fact, over 15% of soup recipes contain bay.

Dried is a frequent preparation for bay in soup dishes.

Bay is often included in soup dishes in amounts of 1 leaf, 2 leaves or 3 leaves.

In soup recipes that contain bay, it is on average, 0% by weight.

For soup recipes, bay is frequently used with salt, onion, garlic, black pepper and carrots.

Potential substitutions for bay in soup:

• oregano

Also, bay is not often used with flour, basil, milk, parmesan cheese, vegetable broth and green onions.

parsley

Another popular ingredient in soup is parsley. From the recipes we've sampled for soup, over 15% have parsley.

Soup dishes often call for parsley to be chopped and dried.

Parsley is often included in soup dishes in amounts of 2 tablespoons, 1 tablespoon or 3 tablespoons.

In soup recipes that contain parsley, it is on average, 1.1% by weight.

In recipes for soup, parsley is often used with onion, salt, carrots, garlic and celery.

Potential substitutions for parsley in soup:

• cilantro
• green onions

Also, parsley is not often used with butter, flour, cumin, vegetable broth and chili powder.

thyme

Thyme is another common ingredient in soup dishes. In fact, over 15% of soup recipes contain thyme.

Dried, picked and chopped are frequent preparations for thyme in soup dishes.

Common quantities for thyme in soup dishes include 1 teaspoon, 2 teaspoons or 1 pinch.

In soup recipes that contain thyme, it is on average, 0.1% by weight.

Salt, onion, black pepper, chicken broth and garlic are commonly used together with thyme in soup dishes.

Potential substitutions for thyme in soup:

• basil
• cumin
• chili powder

Also, thyme is not often used with tomatoes, flour, potatoes, milk, cilantro and sour cream.

Other soup Ingredients

Other significant ingredients used in soup recipes include:

• basil - 10%
• potatoes - 10%
• cumin - 10%
• milk - 10%
• parmesan cheese - 10%
• cilantro - 10%
• oregano - 10%
• sour cream - 10%
• vegetable broth - 5%
• chicken breast - 5%
• chili powder - 5%
• paprika - 5%
• heavy cream - 5%
• beef broth - 5%

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