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Home » Parties & Entertaining

How To Throw A Cozy Soup Party

Modified: Apr 17, 2025 · Published: Oct 6, 2014 by Dannyelle Nicolle-Ramjist · This post may contain affiliate links · 15 Comments

A soup party is the perfect idea for entertaining in colder weather. Our party was a huge hit with friends and we're sharing the easy menu and recipes, our top tips, and decor ideas for the perfect family party.

Soup party menu and recipes.
Jump to:
  • Why We Love This Party
  • The Soups
  • Bread
  • Drinks
  • Dessert
  • Buffet Style Soup Bar
  • Easy Fall Decor
  • Soup Party Tips
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • More Soup Inspiration

Why We Love This Party

  • Just about everyone loves soup, and it's the perfect food for cooler weather for cozy vibes.
  • Soup is easy to make ahead of time.
  • It's relatively inexpensive to feed a large crowd.
  • You pretty easy to make vegan, vegetarian, or dairy free options for any guests with dietary restrictions.

Fall is the perfect time to host a soup party.  You can do all the prep ahead of time, it’s warm and hearty on these cooler days, and it can feed a crowd.  

On the weekend, we had about 25 friends over for a simple lunch of soup and bread.  

We made all the soups from scratch.  Homemade soup will feel like a treat to your guests.  Nice fresh bread with butter is also such a crowd pleaser.  This simple lunch was such a hit with all our guests and the whole afternoon was so much fun.

The Soups

I wanted to offer a variety of soups, so our guests could try a few.  We wanted to offer a variety of different ones, so hopefully everyone could find something they liked.  We did two creamy soups, and two broth based soups.  Two of our soups also had meat in them and were more hearty.  

We didn't have any dietary restrictions to worry about, but if you did you could make a vegan, vegetarian, or dairy free option.

We made:

  • Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • Roasted Garlic Potato Soup
  • Chicken Noodle Soup
  • Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup

On Saturday afternoon, my husband and I made four different homemade soups.  For several of them we made a double batch.  

First we made Cream of Mushroom.  This was my favourite. This creamy soup has a fairly mild taste.  Making it homemade makes it extra special.

Bowl of mushroom soup with bread.

Next we made a Tangy Roasted Garlic and Potato Soup, it gets its tang from the buttermilk, can also easily be made veggie.  This is another creamy soup, but a little different from usual with it's tangy taste from the buttermilk.

Next, I made a classic chicken noodle, always a hit with the kids.  It was nice to have something kind of basic for those who are a little less adventurous.

Lastly we made Italian Sausage and Tortellini, and it was probably the most popular soup.  It's nice and hearty with the tortellini in it, and has a great mix of meat and veggies with a tomato broth base.  

Top Tip: don't add the tortellini until you reheat it to serve.  The pasta can get a little overdone and mushy if it's added the night before.

Tortellini and Italian sausage soup.

Bread

Bread table at a soup party with different bread and buns and butter.

In the morning we stopped at the bakery and picked up lots of fresh bread, then came home to re-heat the soup before our guests arrived.  We served the soup in the large pots we made it in.  A slow cooker for each soup would have worked really well too.

The store-bought fresh bread was the perfect, easy accompaniment.  We bought four different kinds of bread plus different buns.  It's nice to have a mix of things like sourdough, whole wheat, white, cheddar and herb.  

Again lots of our guests went back and tried lots of different kinds of the bread too.  We left the loaves whole, and put out a cutting board and bread knife for guests to help themselves, but it might have been easier for serving if we had asked the bakery to slice them.

Drinks

Soup party drink cart with iced bottled water and punch with glasses and straws.

We set up a little drink cart for guests to help themselves.  We had a bucket of ice water, and another of drinking boxes for the kids.  

Punch bowl with plastic glasses and fall leaf straws.

I also made a simple fall punch of peach juice, white cranberry, and ginger ale.  Apple cider would be a great choice too.

I love these sweet fall leaf paper straws and flowers in mason jars.  Love is in the details.

Dessert

Large apple crisp at a soup party.

For dessert, my husband made two big pans of apple crisp -see our recipe here, and we served it with vanilla ice cream. Yum!  It was the perfect way to finish a fall meal since apples are so perfect this time of year.

Buffet Style Soup Bar

We set everything up in the backyard, starting with the soup table.  Love these chalkboard buntings, they’re so handy since they can be changed for any party.  I also used one on the drink stand.

"Soup's On" chalkboard bunting banner at a soup party.

I used little chalkboards to label all the soups, which worked really well so our guests could see exactly what kind of soups they were.

Soup buffet at a soup party with large pots of soup and chalkboard signs.

We had so much delicious soup, and we needed a separate table for all the bread!  It worked out well this way for traffic flow too, so I recommend this if you're hosting your own soup party.  We used soup bowls from our regular set.  If you don't have enough though, feel free to mix and match small bowls from the thrift store, pick up some inexpensive white ones from the dollar store, or use disposable dishes.  

Soup party with soup buffet table and a table for bread and butter.

We served the soup in each large saucepan or dutch ovens we made them in.  It was casual comfort food, and our serving style was casual too.  A crock pot would work well for this too, and have the added bonus that you could leave it plugged in on a low heat to keep the soup nice and warm throughout the party.  And don't forget you'll need a large ladle for serving each soup too.  If you don't have enough be sure to pick up some extras so serving is easy.  It might be nice to have some salt and a black pepper on the table too, for guests who might want to add a little more to their soup.

Easy Fall Decor

Our party was on a very warm fall day and we set everything up outside. Most of us sat under the pergola. I added some fall mums, pumpkins, and fall garland.

Outdoor pergola with table and chairs.
Back deck decorated for fall with pumpkins and mums.

This menu worked out really well too.  Lots of people tried a bit of everything, and everyone could help themselves to as much as they wanted.  

I was able to freeze the leftovers the next day too.

I was tempted to add a veggie tray and salad and cheese and crackers as side dish options, but really there were lots of veggies in the soup main course, and everyone loved that all the different soups were homemade, so I’m glad we spent our energy on them and resisted the temptation to add other options.  

Soup Party Tips

  • Do offer different options, having some creamy, some with meat, and some with broth so that guests have some options.
  • Do space things out enough so that the line isn't too congested and slow.  Have one area for soup, another for bread, and another for drinks.
  • Do think through options for kids who might not be soup fans, maybe check with their parents before the party, and have some pb and j on stand by.
  • Do give yourself enough time to re-heat the soup.  This took a little longer than we expected because the soups were quite cold from being in the fridge overnight and were in such big pots.
  • Do make sure you have enough serving ladles to have one per pot of soup.
  • Do use your crock pots for serving, if you have enough, or consider borrowing some for the party, to keep the soup warm the whole time.
  • Do have extra containers to send leftovers home with guests, or to put in the freezer after the party.
  • Don't worry about having side dishes or appetizers, the simplicity of soup and bread is perfect.
  • Do keep dessert simple after making all those homemade soups.

It was a great menu for a get-together of this size, since it could all be made ahead of time, and was easy to have guests help themselves too.  A fun buffet is one of my favorite ways to host a crowd, and soup parties are so perfect for the fall and winter especially.  Lots of guests thought the best part was getting to try all the different soups and breads.

This would also be great as a potluck party.  Have guests each bring their different types of soup.  You could even have a friendly competition and have everyone vote for their favorite soup recipes at the end of the night.  A simple soup buffet is such a great idea for your next party.  Try it for a ladies luncheons, football games, souper bowl, a fun dinner party, soup club, or potluck luncheon.

With a fun fall soup party like this, life really is a party!

Frequently Asked Questions

How far ahead can you make the soup for a soup party?

We made our soup the day ahead, you can make it up to a few days ahead of time. Top tip, don't add your pasta until you're ready to serve so that it doesn't go soggy and become overcooked.

Did your soup buffet get cold without slow cookers?

No, we didn't have a problem with the soup staying warm. It was a warm day outside. If it was cooler you could use slow cookers. Or if you're party is indoors, serve the soups from the stove and turn them on if they start to get cold.

How many soups do you need for a soup party?

It's really nice to offer some variety and our guests really enjoyed trying all the different soups. We recommend at least 3 options to make it feel special. Try to include some broth, some creamy, some with meat and some without for variety.

Do I have to make all the soups from scratch?

Certainly not. Look for prepared soups in the deli section for a great store bought option. Also if you are short on time and making homemade versions look for time saving options like already chopped veggies or garlic.

More Soup Inspiration

  • homemade beef and vegetable soup
    Homemade Beef and Vegetable Soup Recipe
  • Tortellini and Italian sausage soup recipe.
    Tortellini and Italian Sausage Soup
  • Potato soup with buttermilk and roasted garlic.
    Buttermilk Potato Soup with Roasted Garlic
  • Homemade copycat Campbell's Tomato soup recipe.
    The Best Homemade Copycat Campbell's Tomato Soup

If you try having a Soup Party or any other ideas on my blog please let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting today!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. LakeAndlove5 says

    October 04, 2024 at 3:42 am

    We have a soup party every year in January. It is a favorite! Every family brings a different soup. We use empty Campbell soup cans with fresh flowers or branches for decor.

  2. dnr says

    October 24, 2018 at 11:19 pm

    Tena, we actually didn't use crockpots. I had several large soup pots which we used to re-heat all the soup on the stove before serving. I didn't find that that they got cold. Crockpots seem like a great idea though, and I'm sure they'd hold their heat quite awhile even unplugged. Best of luck with your party.
    Dannyelle

  3. Tena says

    October 19, 2018 at 3:01 pm

    Did you have a way to plug in all the crock pots or did everything stay warm enough to eat once cooked? Planning a fall party next week and that has been the main question.

  4. Mary Ann says

    October 17, 2014 at 11:09 am

    Great idea... and I love the straws, too...

  5. Bev says

    October 16, 2014 at 10:50 pm

    Looks like a great party! Love the way you set out the soups and everything is very attractive.

  6. carolyn says

    October 16, 2014 at 5:36 pm

    I love homemade soup! I am sure everyone enjoyed themselves.

    Carolyn

  7. heather meads says

    October 08, 2014 at 9:20 am

    I love soup season!! Your party looked great - perfect for soup lovers! I bet it was a huge success too, it looks so well put together!

  8. Andrea@personallyandrea says

    October 07, 2014 at 1:15 pm

    I love all your little details...garlands, signs...those straws are to-die-for! I love a soup party too, one year we even did it for Thanksgiving when we got together with my cousins...we decided to spend the day hiking and apple picking instead of slaving in the kitchen and came home to crockpots of soup. One of my favourite Thanksgivings yet!

  9. {aka} | design says

    October 07, 2014 at 10:54 am

    Ooh, what a fun idea! Love your backyard set up!

  10. Michelle says

    October 06, 2014 at 9:25 pm

    I think the only thing I like about cooler weather is soup. I should pull out my recipes and see what to make, although the sausage and tortellini one sounds yummy. Maybe I'll give it a try 🙂

  11. Courtenay @ The Creek Line House says

    October 06, 2014 at 7:23 pm

    So fun! I'd be so thrilled to be a part of a party like this! What a great idea for Fall!

  12. Lucy says

    October 06, 2014 at 1:34 pm

    I looooove this idea...cause Ioooove soup so much...made me hungry...beautifu...xo

  13. dnr says

    October 06, 2014 at 12:00 pm

    Hi Katie,
    The punch bowl is from Kitchen Stuff Plus, and I have to say I've gotten so much use out of it -even the glasses it comes with are cute.
    thanks,
    Dannyelle

  14. Dana says

    October 06, 2014 at 11:28 am

    What a cute party!

  15. katieedwardsis says

    October 06, 2014 at 11:25 am

    This is a great idea!! My husband LOVES soup - he would have a ball with this. Also, that spherical punch bowl is AWESOME - where did you get it?

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