Since I'm cooking for a table full of people on busy days, I'm often throwing things in a pot (er, the instant pot)and I just thought I'd share that a soup doesn't just have to be a soup! Most times, I'm using the soup as a crutch - all the chopping and major seasoning done, main vegetable component of the meal ready, I can focus on adding other things and it's super easy and fast. Basically you have this veg version of a hamburger helper in the freezer. I rarely use it as a meal on its own (but of course, that's what it is).
Here are some ideas:
Sauté some ground beef, then add the soup and heat. Add some chopped spinach or some frozen peas at the end.
Throw (frozen even) chicken pieces in the instant pot, add a frozen soup and a handful of brown rice and a pinch of salt and cook it like a stew.
Heat the soup (a lot of times I have it on slow cook for 4 hours while we work in the mornings), and then when I come in, add a big bowlful of chopped greens (spinach, turnip greens, chard, kale), chopped green onions & some herbs (cilantro, dill or parsley) and heat until wilted.
Use the soup as a pasta sauce!
Add a can of beans and a dollop of curry powder and serve it over rice.
Let me know what you try ;)