A Chef Shares The 10 Absolute Best Soups To Serve In A Bread Bowl

Is there anything more comforting than a warm bowl of soup on a cold winter day? Well, ditch that boring bowl for a bread bowl. Now, you have a truly hearty comfort meal.

"A bread bowl is an essentially a round loaf of bread with the top cut off and the inside hollowed out to create a bowl-like shape," says Nic Vanderbeeken, the executive chef at Apéritif Restaurant. "It's designed to hold soup, making it an edible vessel that contributes to the dish in both flavor and texture." 

While you can pair soup and a non-edible bowl relatively easily, it's important to pay attention to the type of soup you serve in a bread bowl – especially considering you can eat the bowl afterward. Generally speaking, as chef Vanderbeeken notes, "hearty, thick soups" help prevent a soggy bread bowl. But since this soup category is so vast, we had to get his advice on the best types of soup for serving in a bread bowl.

Chowder, in general, has a long, storied history and comes in many different variations. However, when it comes to being served in a bread bowl, creamy New England clam chowder takes the cake — or should we say, bread?

New England clam chowder is thick, creamy, and milky-white in color, and is made with clams, broth, various vegetables, pork or bacon, and milk or heavy cream. It is also common to top the soup with oyster crackers, which essentially act as sponges for flavor. If you feel inclined, you can add a splash of sherry to give the dish a nutty and sweet flavor.

One of the reasons chef Nic Vanderbeeken believes clam chowder is a "classic choice" for a bread bowl because of the way the soup and bread interact with each other. "The creamy texture and rich flavor of clam chowder pair beautifully with the crusty exterior and soft interior of the bread bowl, making it a satisfying combination," says Vanderbeeken. Creamy New England clam chowder in a bread bowl is a classic dish for a reason, and if you've never tried this glorious combination, then you are truly missing out.

Potatoes, in any form, are as delicious as they are comforting. French fries, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes — could they get any better? Just think about potatoes in soup form. 

Cream of potato soup is extremely easy to make. Most recipes call for simple ingredients, including diced potatoes, chicken broth, milk, and aromatics. You'll get a solid balance of the creamy, well-cooked potatoes, along with the burst of herbiness from the seasonings.

When it's served in a bread bowl, cream of potato soup is an excellent match that truly ups the level of flavor the dish brings. The thick, creamy soup pairs well with the soft, bready interior of the bowl. Likewise, the richness of the potatoes and spices are complemented by the yeasty flavor of the bread. After eating cream of potato soup in a bread bowl, you'll likely never want to eat potatoes in any other form again.

Peanut butter and jelly. Cookies and milk. Spaghetti and meatballs. Are there any greater combinations of food? How about tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich? Now you're talking.

Creamy tomato soup is a quick and easy meal that is rich in flavor. The creamy version shares similar ingredients with other types of tomato soups, like our roasted tomato soup recipe, including crushed tomatoes, broth, butter, garlic, and onions. The creamy variety, however, contains one extra, crucial ingredient. Adding whipping cream to your tomato soup makes it a creamy delight with comparatively less acidity.

Creamy tomato soup is best served in a bread bowl for the same reasons tomato soup is often paired with a grilled cheese sandwich. Dipping a grilled cheese sandwich into the soup creates the perfect combination of flavors, as the bread soaks up all of the soupy goodness. You are left with a satisfying bite that may change the way you eat (and serve) tomato soup forever. If your ultimate comfort food is tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich, then try using a bread bowl instead. 

Although it only is made with a few ingredients, broccoli cheddar soup boasts a complex flavor. The recipe for this soup is rather simple and puts the grated cheddar and broccoli at the forefront. Plus, the recipe's ingredient list is just as simple as the steps you need to make it. 

Not only is broccoli cheddar soup vegetarian friendly, but it is also full of flavor and is excellent to serve in a bread bowl, as Nic Vanderbeeken says. "The sharpness of the cheddar and the earthiness of the broccoli complement the slight sweetness of the bread, creating a harmonious flavor profile," he says. Pairing the two together results in a highly complex meal that will surely make its way into your normal soup rotation.

Cream of chicken soup is a nostalgic dish that will send you back to your childhood. Who doesn't remember being given a bowl of Campbell's chicken soup when they were sick? While grabbing a can of Campbell's on your next grocery trip is perfectly acceptable, you can up your chicken soup game by making it at home from scratch. Likewise, you can save yourself dish duty by opting for a bread bowl instead of a regular one.

Cream of chicken soup tastes great in a bread bowl for the same reasons as most other soups on this list. Essentially, the creaminess of the soup translates well to the bready vessel. Its interior soaks up the salty, brothy soup while the exterior remains crunchy. Additionally, the nostalgic taste of the chicken soup pairs well with the yeasty notes of the bread bowl and creates the ultimate comfort food.

Are you ready for a soup that is earthy, velvety smooth, and dripping with flavor? Then creamy mushroom soup is right for you. The ingredients tie together nicely to create a classic dish that will leave you coming back for more. Best of all? It's entirely vegetarian-friendly.

Creamy mushroom soup is fairly straightforward to make. The list of ingredients mainly includes mushrooms (pick your favorite kind), shallots, garlic, white wine, and heavy cream. What type of mushrooms you decide to go with is really up to you. Button mushrooms are milder in flavor and are more readily available in stores than other varieties. Crimini mushrooms, also known as baby bellas, have a more pronounced mushroom taste. Shiitake mushrooms have a rich, meaty flavor. You can also opt for a combination of mushrooms to get the soup just right.

Creamy mushroom soup in a bread bowl is an out-of-this-world dish worth making. The earthy taste of the mushrooms pairs well with the yeasty notes of the bread bowl. This is especially true if you opt for mushrooms with a more woodsy flavor. This unique soup, served in a bread bowl, will surely leave you satisfied. 

Onion soups have been around for thousands of years, but the kind topped with bread and cheese wasn't invented until the 18th century. French onion soup, as the name implies, first originated in France and quickly became a national treasure. In fact, the soup is still so popular today that it is easily one of the most well-known French dishes.

French onion soup is made from caramelized onions and broth topped with bread and cheese. For the cheese, Swiss is often a popular option, however, provolone and Gruyére are also solid choices. After assembling the ingredients, the entire dish is then broiled in the oven.

French onion soup is typically served in a ramekin, also known as a soufflé dish. However, Nic Vanderbeeken recommends serving it in a bread bowl instead. "The bread bowl can soak up the flavorful broth while the caramelized onions and melted cheese provide a robust, savory experience," he says. After all, since the bread already on top of the soup is bursting with flavor; it only makes sense that the entire dish would translate well to a bread bowl.

While pumpkin spice is the unofficial mascot of fall, butternut squash is the true G.O.A.T. of the season. Butternut squash is a bottle-shaped winter squash that grows on a vine like a pumpkin. The squash's skin is dull tan, while the inside is bright orange. Although it's considered a fruit, butternut squash is typically used as a vegetable in the kitchen, where it is roasted, sauteed, and pureed into dishes — like soups, casseroles, and pies.

Butternut squash soup works well in a bread bowl because the soup is thick enough that it won't compromise the structural integrity of the bowl. The slightly sweet flavor of the squash also plays well on the neutral flavor of the bread bowl and makes for a delicious dish that will make any day feel like autumn.

Believe it or not, beer cheese soup comes from 17th-century Germany and was originally considered a breakfast item. Known as biersuppe, beer soup resembled a thick, cheesy eggnog more than anything else. When German immigrants made their way to the United States, particularly the state of Wisconsin, they had the genius idea of combining biersuppe with cheese, and the rest is history.

Modern beer cheese soup is as rich and creamy as it is cheesy, which makes it an excellent fit for a bread bowl. First, as Nic Vanderbeeken points out, thick and creamy soups are best served in a bread bowl. Beer cheese soup is both of those, which means it'll absorb into the bread bowl's interior without softening the exterior. In addition, the cheesy quality of the soup pairs nicely with the yeasty notes of the bread bowl.

The act of stewing meat over an open fire is one of the oldest methods of cooking. From the dawn of society, people have used this cooking method to produce highly nutritious meals with limited resources. Since those days, meat stews have taken on a new form and evolved into delicious meals. 

Beef stew is a hearty dish that can be made in several ways. While you can use a number of ingredients, many recipes, such as our old-fashioned beef stew recipe, usually share common components, including beef chuck, beef stock, and a variety of vegetables and spices. You can also add some red wine to the stew to help balance out the richness of the other ingredients. Once your stew is done and ready to serve, opt for a bread bowl instead of a regular one to truly watch the magic happen.

Although stew isn't technically a soup, the two share many similarities. One shared trait is that they both can be improved when they're served in a bread bowl. Nic Vanderbeeken explains that "The bread bowl's structure holds up well to the stew's chunks of tender meat and vegetables." The executive chef also feels this allows you to "enjoy every bit of the broth." In short, the chunks of meat and vegetables are perfectly suited for the bread bowl's design, and the bread is still able to soak up the stew's broth for a flavorful bite.