Creamy Carrot Soup MAKES: 4 servings TIME: 45 minutes This classic French soup can be varied in several ways and can also be produced in a completely different fashion, as in the Glazed Carrot Soup and the Thai version at right. Pure carrot soup is thick and smooth...

Cream of Parsley Soup MAKES: 4 servings TIME: 30 minutes This brings the green, fresh taste of parsley to soup. Be sure to wash the parsley very, very well (use a salad spinner, repeatedly, until the water is perfectly clear): The tiniest bit of sand can ruin your...

Corn Chowder MAKES: 4 servings TIME: About 1 hour This chowder celebrates the bounty of a single summertime crop—corn. And since you will probably make it only once or twice a year, I would opt for the richer half-and-half option, though the leaner version has a...

Cool Yogurt Soup with Nuts MAKES: 4 servings TIME: 4 hours, largely unattended There is nothing easier than turning a couple cups of yogurt, some herbs, and a handful of cut-up vegetables—or fruit, for that matter—into a quick chilled soup, but this is a little...

Cold Cucumber and Seaweed Soup MAKES: 4 servings TIME: 20 minutes Japanese and Koreans make good use of both cucumbers and seaweed, and this is an example of how the two combine with their love of cold soups. Add a little shredded daikon or thinly sliced red radish...

Classic Lentil Soup MAKES: 4 servings TIME: About 1 hour This recipe is about as easy as cooking can be, especially for a dish so filling and nutritious. Unlike the overly thick versions that put so many people off, this lentil soup is nicely balanced. 1 cup dried...