25 Traditional Irish Soups

Irish cuisine goes beyond cabbage and potatoes. Sure, those two are present in a lot of these Irish soups, but the cuisine has so much more to offer.

Take the beer cheese soup, for instance. This rich soup is brightly flavored with lager, cheese, and mustard, and has a crumbled bacon topping, to boot.

How can anyone say no to that?!

Then there’s the beef barley stew, which is a magnificent mix of beef, barley, peppers, corn, and mushrooms. Can you just imagine all the vibrant colors swimming in this bowl?

Today, discover more of these mouthwatering Irish soups and add them to your weekly meal rotation. There are 25 options to choose from, and all of them are too good to pass up.

1. Irish Parsnip Soup

Parsnips play a huge part in Irish cuisine. The root vegetable is extra handy during the winter when no other vegetable is in season.

If you’re not familiar, a parsnip is similar to a carrot, but it’s white in color and has a much sweeter flavor.

This soup is creamy and warming, with a subtle sweetness from parsnips and apples and a gentle kick from curry.

2. Carrot and Coriander Soup

This soup is extra popular in Ireland at Halloween, thanks to its bright orange hue.

If you’re not a fan of coriander (which, fun fact, is actually the seed of the cilantro plant), I’m positive this soup will change your mind.

Coriander has a wonderful balance of sweetness and spice, which is comparable to that of roasted orange peel. Add it in moderation (balance is key!) to carrot soup, and it’ll give it a nice pop of flavor.

3. Irish Seafood Chowder

If you check out a map, you’ll realize that Ireland is surrounded by salt water, which means it has an abundant supply of seafood.

And where there’s seafood, there’s chowder. That said, nothing beats the goodness of a bowl of Irish seafood chowder.

What’s great about this chowder is there’s no limit to the varieties of seafood you can add to it.

This recipe uses salmon, crab, and shrimp, but if you can find mussels, clams, and other shellfish, those work well, too.

4. Beer Cheese Soup

I’ve already talked a little bit about this beer cheese soup in my intro, and if that didn’t make you drool, I don’t know what will!

You really can’t go wrong with cheese and soup together in one bowl. Oh, and if you care to make it even better, here’s an idea: serve it in a bread bowl.

5. Vegetarian Irish Stew for Lentil Lovers

Traditional Irish stew contains bits of lamb or beef. If you’re a vegetarian, though, ditch the meat and go for lentils.

These tiny, starchy beans make this stew taste and feel so different from the classic, but I’m not complaining. In fact, I think this vegetarian version is even better.

And by the way, this recipe uses Guinness beer to add a punch of flavor to the stew. In case you’re wondering, this simple addition works wonders!

6. Slow Cooker Irish Potato Soup

A collection of Irish dishes isn’t complete without classic potato soup. This comforting bowl of spuds, cheddar cheese, chives, and bacon is as good as it gets.

This soup is more than just your average comfort food. It’s like a warm embrace, a shoulder to cry on, and a cheerleader all rolled into one.

7. Rutabaga and Carrot Soup

How fun is it to say “rutabagas,” am I right? Knowing that this soup has this Swedish turnip in the mix already assures me it’s delicious.

It’s not just rutabagas, though, but also carrots. Together, they form this appetizing yellow-orange soup that’s brighter than the sun.

The color is great, but the flavor is even better. With a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and creamy, it definitely hits the spot.

8. Irish Farmhouse Vegetable Soup

If you’re into chunky soups, skip ahead. The Irish vegetable soup is wonderfully smooth and silky.

It’s a vibrant blend of potatoes, carrots, onions, leeks, garlic, and a savory broth. Once pureed, the ingredients form a ridiculously creamy soup with a wonderful mix of flavors.

The fact that it’s nutritious is just a plus.

9. Dublin Coddle – Irish Bacon, Sausage, and Potato Stew Recipe

Dublin coddle is cooked low and slow (hence the term, “coddled”) to ensure the broth gets the deepest, most delectable flavor.

This soup has bacon, sausage, and potatoes in it! Phenomenal doesn’t even begin to describe how good it is.

It takes a while to cook, but I can’t think of a soup that’s more worth the wait than this. 

10. Beef Barley Stew

This beef and barley stew also requires slow cooking, which can only mean one thing: its flavors are crazy good.

Aside from the incredibly tasty broth, there are also a lot of things to look forward to in this stew, such as melt-in-your-mouth beef, hearty potatoes and carrots, fiber and protein-rich barley, sweet onions, and so much more.

11. Irish Leek and Potato Soup

This leek and potato soup looks incredibly fatty and creamy, but it’s surprisingly low in calories.

The soup gets its green hue from the leeks, but its flavor is primarily from potatoes. 

It’s delicious, hearty, and diet-friendly all at the same time. You won’t normally see these descriptions characterizing the same dish, which is why this recipe is absolutely a keeper.

12. Pea and Mint Soup

One might find this an odd combination, but pea and mint are actually a common tandem in Irish cuisine. In fact, it’s so popular, you can buy it in pre-made cartons in Irish groceries.

Get ready to be amazed at how wonderfully creamy and refreshing this soup is! While most of the soups in this round-up are perfect for the cold weather, this one is ideal for summer.

13. Paleo-Friendly Irish Beef & Cabbage Soup

This Irish soup features tender beef, sweet carrots, leafy cabbage, and a to-die-for tomato-based broth.

That’s not an exaggeration.

Flavored with red wine, tomato paste, garlic, and herbs, the broth has a fantastic blend of salty and umami, with just a hint of sweetness.

14. Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup

This traditional Irish stew of corned beef, potatoes, and cabbage is a magnificent meal in one.

Everything you need for nourishment is here: carbs, protein, vegetables, and fat. More importantly, the soup is freakin’ tasty. 

Try and see if you can limit yourself to just one serving! I’m willing to bet you can’t.

15. Irish Fish Chowder

This chowder is a combination of fish, mussels, and bacon — a fantastic surf and turf, if you will.

What makes Irish chowder stand out from other seafood chowders is the use of both fresh and smoked fish. Together, they create a lovely balance of flavors.

16. Potato Cheddar Guinness Soup

You know what gives this potato cheddar soup its Irish flair? The addition of Guinness extra stout.

If you’ve never used beer to flavor soups, this is the sign to do so! I’m telling you, it makes all the difference.

Oh, and don’t worry if you have to serve the soup to minors. The alcohol content evaporates during cooking, and all that’s left are the beer’s delicate flavors. 

17. Mulligatawny Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Fight off the gloomy weather with a bright and cozy mulligatawny soup. If this is your first time hearing about it, you’re in for a treat.

This soup is a lovely combination of chicken, wild rice, vegetables. 

The broth is undeniably flavorful, thanks to a variety of herbs and spices ranging from curry and aniseed to tarragon and coriander.

18. Creamy Roasted Garlic Irish Potato Soup

Roasted garlic and creamy potatoes make up the flavor profile of this Irish soup.

It’s earthy and peppery, buttery and creamy, and just simply divine. It’s amazing how just a handful of pantry ingredients can create such a masterpiece.

19. Irish Colcannon Soup 

Colcannon is a classic Irish dish of mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage. In this dish, you’ll get all those amazing elements, but in soup form!

Rich in cabbage, potatoes, onions, cream, and butter, this colcannon soup is the perfect way to warm you up this winter.

20. Irish Vegetable Barley Soup

The thought of a plant-based soup may not be that exciting, but wait until you try this one.

Vegetables and fiber-rich barley team up to make this surprisingly scrumptious vegan soup.

21. Parsnip and Apple Soup

Once again, parsnips and apples join forces to produce a sweet, savory, and creamy soup. A dash of curry powder and ground ginger are added to the broth to give it that extra oomph.

22. Roasted Carrot & Fennel Soup

If you want to enhance the flavors of carrots and fennels, there’s only one way to go: pop them in the oven.

Roasting carrots gives them a sweeter, caramelized taste while doing so with fennel reduces the strong, anise flavor.

Puree these roasted veggies along with spices and seasonings to create this highly refreshing and tasty soup.

23. Irish Creamy Cauliflower Soup

This soup is silky, velvety, and insanely delicious. The combination of cauliflower florets, potatoes, leeks, and sharp Irish cheese makes it so.

24. Guinness Onion Soup

Sweet, caramelized onions are bathed with an umami-rich beer broth and garnished with toasted bread and oozy cheese.

It may not be the same way they make onion soup in France, but I’m sure it’ll make Julia Child proud.

25. Nettle Cream Soup

Nettles – handle them the wrong way and their stinging hairs will hurt you. But cook them the right way, and they’ll give you a rewarding bowl of cream soup.

This soup is a scrumptious puree of nettles, potatoes, carrots, and cream. It can be served either warm or chilled, which makes it ideal for any kind of weather.