I love a good pot of soup and making it with beans, lentils or split peas is one of the most economical ways to do it. As an added side benefit, these soups tend to be pretty healthy. They contain lots of protein and fiber from all those legumes.

If you are rushed for time, put on a pot of split pea soup, or make it from canned or previously cooked beans. This 5 can bean soup recipe is a great example of a fast and filling soup. Just dump a few cans of beans in a pot along with some seasonings, heat and serve.

Lentils also cook pretty fast which makes dishes like lentil vegetable soup, lentil stew and also my favorite lentil chili good options for those days when you don’t have the time to start your dinner early. Or if you’re in the mood for a hardy, meaty dish, make a pot of chili with previously cooked beans. Sure it gets better the longer it cooks, but it’s pretty darn good even if you just simmer it for half and hour or so.

One of my favorite beans has to be the black bean. I like the texture and it’s about the healthiest bean you can eat since it is full of anti-oxidants. I love a good cup of black bean soup, either made from canned beans or I fix the black bean soup from dry beans. It takes a little time to prepare, but it is so worth it – just taste for yourself.

Ready for some more tasty bean soup recipes? How about the famous congressional bean soup? If it’s on the menu in the Congressional dining area every single day, why not put it on your own menu every once in a while. It’s a good hardy soup that fills your belly and warms you up.

Another favorite of mine is lima bean and ham stew. It’s a great way to use up leftover ham, so it’s usually on the menu quite a bit after a big holiday.

Last but not least, there’s split pea dahl. It’s tasty, filling and very cheap. The spices make it taste very different from the rest of the bean dishes, brining a welcome variety to our dinner table. It’s my go to meal when the money gets tight toward the end of the month.

I hope this inspires you to try at least one of these legume soup this fall. I’m sure your family will love this dishes as much as mine does on a cool day.