I would do soup if we were all seated around one table. I would have the soup in a tureen and as the hostess, I would ladle it out and hand the soup plates around while we were all seated. But, I wouldn't do this for more than 12 at most.
I do not put soup at a buffet for lots (12+) of people.

I don't do soup for T'giving...
But for a party I often do...
I set the table....dinner plates, then dish up the soup in the kitchen and have a helper carry the bowls to the table and set them on the dinner plate.
Then collect the soup bowls and put the platters of food on the table or buffet.
Works very well...
Or you could collect the under plates and replace with different plates filled with food...if you are plating in the kitchen.
you don't need a maid....just a family member to dish while you put the soup on the table.
Linda C

You betcha I do! (Sorry, I couldn't resist.) I serve soup for all holidays and for most Friday night dinners and dinner parties, come to think of it.

I fill the bowls in the kitchen and bring them out. For the main course, I do as the OP says: pass platters and bowls around at the table.

I have a cart that really helps with serving from the kitchen. But before I had it, I just took two at a time, and if there was a big group, a couple of people always helped me. It's no big deal. Don't let more than two people help; that's about as fast as I can fill the bowls, so any more just makes a traffic jam.

I don't have a tureen. I'm not sure I would like it if I did, though; doesn't the soup start to cool off? I like the soup to be really hot. Maybe for chilled soups, though.

Tureens work well if they're good ones. I fill them with soup and keep them hot in the oven. I love tureens though, some are so beautiful.
I think people enjoy watching me serve from the tureen and pass the soup plates around...something elegant that they don't often experience. At least I like to think so!

Oh, heating the tureen -- I see. I do think tureens are so beautiful, and I do think that would be elegant, bumblebeez. I just don't happen to own one.

Thank you all! Well doggoneit now I want a tureen!! But I should stick to my priorities and get a turkey roasting pan. We are a hopelessly casual extended family when it comes to some things but I'd like to inject a tiny bit of pomp into Thanksgiving this year. That doesn't necessarily mean soup, but it seems a soup starter might help us all stay on our diets...anyway I just didn't know how people properly serve soup, silly as that sounds.

Last T-day I was at inlaws. I got to bring the paper plates and plastic cups. So maybe my side of the family isn't really that casual. We may not always wear shoes but we do dig out the good china for holidays!

It's not Thanksgiving in our house without peanut soup. You don't want a huge bowl of it to start off with, so I serve it in pretty, small bowls and have them at the place settings just before sitting down.

Oh my!! I forgot peanut soup! haven't had it in years and years....my recipe was from Williamsburg Virginia...
It was chicken broth based and had a bit of something hot....tobasco? jalapenos...hot peppers of some sort?
how about your recipe, Annie?
Linda C

Yes please! Recipe! No fair teasing without a recipe!!

gellchom, this IS your soup, isn't it? Its in my repertoire (sp?) now.

Polynesian Peanut Soup
1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut (I had shredded, so I used that)
1 T canola oil
1 c finely chopped onion
1/4 c finely chopped fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 14-oz. can light coconut milk
3/4 c vegetable stock
3/4 c smooth natural peanut butter
1/4 c mango chutney
1 T minced fresh jalapeno chili, or to taste
salt to taste
1/4 c finely chopped green onions
2 T minced fresh cilantro [I omit this, as we are "tasters"]
sesame oil, for garnish
In a small dry skillet, toast the coconut over medium heat, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes (took less for me). Transfer to a plate and cool.
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.* Add the onion, ginger, and garlic . Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion and ginger are very tender, about 10 minutes.
Transfer the onion mixture to a blender or food processor. Add the coconut milk, vegetable stock, peanut butter, chutney, and jalapeno [I chopped the jalapeno in there first and then added the rest]. Puree until smooth (anticipate a little leakage if you're doubling the recipe!). If the peanut butter is too thick, it might be necessary to add more stock (I like it thick, though).
Transfer the soup to the Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until heated through. Season with salt to taste.
Meanwhile, toss the coconut with the green onions and cilantro, if using.
To serve, drizzle each bowl with some sesame oil and top with a mound of the coconut mixture.

Hit 'submit' too fast.

I think 'tomato soup' for Thanksgiving. As much as I'd love to consider a roasted butternut squash and pear, I'd like those as sides. Here is another one with peanut butter, its a HUGE hit, LOL, watching people try to figure out the secret ingredient.

Trinity Square Cafe Moroccan Tomato Soup

2 tb Olive oil
1 Onion, chopped
5 Cloves garlic, minced
1 cn Tomatoes (28 oz)
1 c Peanut butter
1 ts Cumin
1 tb Hot pepper sauce
2 tb Cayenne
1 tb Chili powder
2 tb White vinegar
1 ts Salt
1 ts Pepper
1 tb Sugar
1/4 c Tomato paste
2 c Water

In a large sauce pan, heat oil and fry onion and garlic until golden brown. Place the tomatoes and their liquid in a bowl, and crush the tomatoes with a potato masher or a spoon, breaking them into small pieces [I put the tomatoes through my food processor or blender first]. Add the tomatoes and their liquid to the onions, reduce heat to very low, add peanut butter, and stir until well combined. Add cumin, hot sauce, cayenne, chili, vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, tomato paste and water, and stir until well combined. Cook over low heat at a bare simmering for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. (This soup burns very easily, so keep the heat low and don't allow it to come to a full boil.)

My peanut soup recipe is straight out of colonial Williamsburg. It's chicken- stock based (I usually have my own stock in the freezer, but boxed or canned works well, too.) If you have the Williamsburg cook book, they'll take you through the chicken stock process, which I used to think was key to the wonderful soup and proceeded to kill myself every Thanksgiving eve until I realized "it's just chicken stock!" The rest is easy -- I usually cut this recipe in half. The full recipe serves 10 - 12.

1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs of celery, chopped
1/4 cup butter
3 Tbs flour
2 quarts chicken stock
2 cups smooth peanut butter
1 -3/4 ups light cream
peanuts, chopped
Saute the onion and celery in butter until soft, but not brown.
Stir in the flour until well blended.
Add the chicken stock, stirring constantly, and bring to a boil, remove from the heat and puree (I use an immersion blender, now).
Add the peanut butter and cream, stirring to blend thoroughly.
Return to low heat and heat until just hot -- do not boil.
Serve garnished with peanuts.
This soup is also served ice cold, but I prefer it hot.
Enjoy!
Annie

Yep, Jessy, that's my soup! I just love it. It's a great company dish, and the leftovers are yummy.

Thanks....that's the recipe I was looking forw hen I found the elephant soup
Linda C

Thank you! These all look really good, and except for the Moroccan soup, toddler-friendly (which is important when your kid won't even try mashed potatoes). The rest of us will be trying that one soon though!

Now, can that Wmsburg soup be served lukewarm for disorganized households? ;P

I have been married for 47 (YIKES!) years. In all these years we have had soup as part of our Thanksgiving dinner only one time, about 45 years ago. My father in law was a wonderful cook and we went to their home that year. He started the meal with a pumpkin soup. It was delicious and here it is, so many years later, and I still remember that meal and even where I was sitting at their table. It certainly made an impression on me. I wish I had the energy to add soup to the menu this year, but with two large tables to serve, I'll wait for another year. Enjoy your soup!

Another So. CA gal here, Fori, and I cannot imagine soup for Thanksgiving. There are too many traditional dishes to be served already, and I just could not be bothered with all the extra bowls either!

That said, the soup recipes posted here sound wonderful and I will definitely try one, but not tomorrow!

I decided not to do soup for Thanksgiving but now we'll be celebrating T day on Friday and I think I will do soup for dinner on Thursday. We'll have some guests already and I think a light dinner will be perfect. So, while I chickened out on soup for Thanksgiving, I'll be doing soup ON Thanksgiving.

So far I've tried one of the peanut soups. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm not diet food, but so so good!

fori,
So, you're celebrating Thanksgiving on Friday, but you'll have guests on Thursday (Thanksgiving). Honey, anyway you look at it, Thanksgiving is Thursday (has been of decades). Enjoy the soup, any day you can.