If you’re planning to make soup for dinner, forget chicken noodles and take it a notch higher in terms of texture, flavor and nutrition – here are 4 delicious soup recipes that use all-natural herbs and spices that you must try:

Creamy Herbed Zucchini Soup

What you need:

• 10 cups zucchini chunks
• 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 4 tbsps. margarine
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp. dried savory

Melt the margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Turn the heat on high and add zucchini, potatoes and onion. Cover and cook for 2 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent the vegetables from sticking to the bottom. Lower the heat to medium low and add chicken broth. Cook for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Stir in milk, basil, tarragon, parsley and savory. Heat through then serve immediately.

Herbs and Spices Oat Soup

What you need:

• 5 large tomatoes, sliced
• 1 cup oats
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
• 3 tbsps. olive oil
• 3 tsps. chicken bouillon granules
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 cups water, divided

Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oats and cook until toasted, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside. Mix together tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro and 1 cup water in a blender. Puree until smooth. Pour the tomato mixture over the pan of toasted oats and add remaining water. Bring to a boil then stir in bouillon granules and salt. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Basil and Tomato Soup

What you need:

• 3 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
• 20 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups tomato-vegetable juice cocktail
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup butter

Mix together crushed tomatoes, chicken broth and vegetable juice in a large saucepan. Cook and bring to a boil, about 30 minutes. Pour the mixture into a blender and add basil leaves. Puree until smooth. Return the mixture to the pan then add heavy cream and butter. Cook over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Serve immediately.

Chilled Mint Peach Soup

What you need:

• 10 peaches, sliced
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 1 cup peach schnapps
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

In a medium bowl, combine cream, peach schnapps, sugar, white wine, mint leaves, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix until well-blended and sugar has dissolved. Add peach slices to the bowl and transfer the mixture to a medium saucepan. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until peaches are tender. Remove from heat and pour mixture into a blender. Puree until smooth. Allow to cool for a few minutes then refrigerate. Serve chilled.

Try these healthy herbs and spices soup recipes for a more appetizing dinner.