40 Soup Recipes To Get You Through Winter
Warming recipes for every kind of soup-lover.
VICTOR PROTASIO; FOOD STYLING: RISHON HANNERS; PROP STYLING: AUDREY DAVIS
Grab your stockpot and start simmering. When the weather cools down, it’s soup season, and we couldn’t be more excited. To celebrate, these easy winter soup recipes will help keep your family warm and full all winter long. Whether you prefer soups made with chicken, beef, pork, or even meat-free vegetable soups, there is sure to be plenty of soup recipes on this list that you'll want to start cooking right away.
We’ve got soups for broth lovers, cream-base aficionados, chili fans, and gumbo enthusiasts alike. No matter your soup-for-supper preferences, these bowls of cozy comfort are sure to warm you up, even on the chilliest of nights—and many of them freeze beautifully so that comforting soup dinners can be steaming on the table in a snap for nights to come. Plus, many of these winter soup recipes come together in either a slow cooker or an Instant Pot, which makes them really easy to pull together without you having to stand by the stove all day.
Cheesy Lasagna Soup
Serve up the classic dish in soup form for a winter-ready way to enjoy the flavors of lasagna. Top with a dollop of ricotta and shredded mozzarella to mimic the creamy, cheesy goodness we all love in a lasagna. This supper will warm you from the inside out, guaranteed.
Slow-Cooker French Onion Soup
Thanks to your slow cooker, homemade French onion soup can come together with just 15 minutes of hands-on time. The slow cooker caramelizes the sweet Vidalia onions for you, just add broth and zingy sherry vinegar near the end of cooking. This luxuriously comforting dinner is just what the doctor called for.
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
This homemade chicken soup with lemon comes together quickly and easily thanks to rotisserie chicken. Vitamin-packed, cubed sweet potato adds vibrant color. We think this soup is best served by a roaring fire with a generous slice of crusty bread.
Cheesy Potato Soup with Bacon
Ideal for cold winter days, this potato soup is set for all sorts of toppings. We can't get enough of it with cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, sliced green onions, and a dollop of sour cream. It comes together easily too—sauté the vegetables in a few tablespoons of reserved bacon drippings for some smoky goodness, and to finish the soup, lightly mash the potato but leave some pieces behind for texture.
Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup
This recipe is a winner for weeknight cooks who are short on time. It comes together from start to finish in just 35 minutes. There’s all kinds of shortcuts that can be used for easier prep—rotisserie chicken, pre-washed, pre-chopped collard greens, and microwavable rice will help get this soup on the table fast.
Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Chicken pot pie is made even more comforting when served in soup form. Plus, without having to assemble a pot pie, this dish couldn't be easier. While the soup is like a pot pie’s creamy filling, to mimic the pie’s crust, serve with warm biscuits.
Slow-Cooker Winter Vegetable Soup with Bacon
Cooked slow on low, this warm veggie soup with bacon is worth the wait. One spoonful of this hearty greens- and beans-packed soup and you'll understand why. For easy prep, microwave the bacon, and for versatility, swap the kale for collards, use another small bean instead of dried navy beans, and add some heat with red pepper flakes.
Capitol Hill Bean Soup
This hearty bean soup has been on the menu in the Senate's restaurant every day since at least 1903. Use the quick-soak method included for the navy beans if an overnight soak isn’t possible. A ham bone provides smoky flavor while the soup simmers, and when the soup is done, shred the ham and return it to the Dutch oven. From the capitol to our our homes, this soup is a winner for a cold night's dinner.
Slow Cooker Lentil Soup
If you think plain-Jane lentil soup isn't for you, think again. This version gets plenty of flavor from herbs and spices. Simmer ingredients 6 to 7 hours, then blend 2 cups of the soup and return it to the slow cooker—this step thickens the soup without flour and loads it with even more flavor.
Bryant Terry's Turnip Green Soup
Eating your greens has never been easier. This soup recipe is packed with two pounds of baby turnips with greens. The health benefits are a plenty—turnips are rich in fiber, minerals, vitamins K, A, C, E, and B, and they aid in digestion and boost immunity.
Old-Fashioned Chicken And Dumplings
Chicken and Dumplings is comfort food at its finest. The fluffy dumplings add texture and flavor—and are Mama-approved. Buttermilk provides a light texture to the dumplings, when the dumpling dough is ready, drop it into the hot broth.
Ground Beef Vegetable Soup with Gnocchi
Ready in just 30 minutes, this homemade beef soup is the best medicine for hectic winter weeknights. Use refrigerated gnocchi for the fluffiest (and easiest!) addition to your soup. If you like, add more vegetables—like green beans or zucchini—for some extra nutrition and texture.
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
Thanks to your Instant Pot, you don't need to spend all day in the kitchen to get chili on the table for dinner. Dinner will be served in just 45 minutes. And what’s chili without tasty toppings? Try tortilla strips, sour cream, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and a squeeze of lime for some crunch, more creaminess, and a dash of tartness.
Slow-Cooker Peas-and-Greens Soup with Turkey Sausage
Instead of using winter kale for yet another salad, this recipe will help turn it into a comforting soup. Italian turkey sausage, black eyed peas, tomatoes, and greens blend together to provide lots of protein, fiber, and nutrients in one bowl.
Lucy Buffett's Winter Gumbo
Lucy Buffet is famous for her winter gumbo which features a dark roux. Her killer combination of cayenne, bacon fat, and filé powder will have you hooked. Set aside some time for this one, the effort will be worth it.
Smoked Chicken Corn Chowder
One look at this creamy soup and you'll be heading to the supermarket to grab the ingredients. The combination of bacon, potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, and fresh corn cannot be beat. This comforting chowder is versatile—swap the chicken for shrimp for a seafood twist, or leave the seeds in the jalepeño for more heat.
Smoked Chicken Tortilla Soup
This will be your new favorite tortilla soup recipe. Our version uses smoked chicken for extra flavor. Top with tortilla strips, fresh cilantro, avocado slices, lime slices, and crumbled queso fresco.
Split Pea Soup with Sausage
With hickory-smoked warmth in every spoonful, this split pea soup amps up the flavor with Conecuh sausage. Substitute for your favorite smoked sausage if you can't find this Alabama treat. This hearty, smoky, meaty soup comes together in under an hour.
Andouille Sausage and Smoked Chicken Gumbo
This flavorful gumbo is full of Cajun flavor. Andouille sausage and versatile rotisserie chicken make a winning combination. For a New Orleans-worthy gumbo, brown the chicken and sausage until crispy and caramelized, and develop a chocolate-colored rue using the drippings for deep flavor.
Soulful Chicken Soup
A slow-cooker soup with chicken so tender, it's sure to fall off the bone without any effort. You'll be adding this recipe to your winter weeknight rotation in no time. Whole bone-in chicken thighs leach flavor into the broth and vegetables by simmering for 6 hours. In the last 20 minutes, remove and shred the chicken, add it back in along with the the noodles to cook, and finish with a squeeze of lively lemon.
Roasted Tomato Soup with Cheddar Cheese
Hot tomato soup is best served on a cold winter's day. Oh, who are we kidding. This easy-to-fix soup is good any time your grilled cheese needs a partner.
Shrimp and Okra Gumbo
This untraditional gumbo recipe is thickened with okra instead of a roux. So, is it really gumbo? We'll let you decide. Shrimp, hot sauce, and filé powder are added in the last few minutes of cooking, serve over hot rice for a hearty meal that serves a crowd.
Green Chile-Chicken Soup
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis
This soup freezes well so make a big batch and separate it into smaller portions to pull out of the freezer on busy weeknights. It's super simple to make too. Shredded rotisserie chicken simmers in broth with poblano chiles, canned green enchilada sauce, garlic, and onions. More layers of flavor are added from toppings like cilantro and radishes used to garnish the soup when serving.
Pecan Soup
Pecan Soup? You bet. This velvety soup is special-occasion worthy. Garnish with crème fraîche, chopped chives, and additional toasted pecan halves.
Creamy Turnip Soup
Turnips and potatoes come together in the heartiest, tastiest soup you'll crave on a winter day. Turnip greens added at the end provide color and extra nutrition. This recipe will even please vegetarians by leaving out the bacon and swapping chicken stock for vegetable stock.
Southern Wedding Soup
Whip up Southern Wedding Soup for a special occasion or a busy weeknight. It'll be ready in under an hour. The mini meatballs can be made ahead, and you may want to make extra for spaghetti or sandwiches. We use baby kale for the greens, but baby spinach or turnip greens will work just as well.
Hearty Beef and Freezer Veggie Soup
A weeknight in need of comforting soup is often also one when convenience is key. This delicious soup takes advantage of the veggies collecting ice in your freezer and gives them tasty new life. Not only is this recipe easy, it's very flexible—feel free to make substitutions using your favorite beans and frozen vegetables.
Sweet Potato Soup
While the sweet potatoes steal the show of this soup, in both color and flavor, it wouldn't be as delectable as it is without Yukon potatoes, carrots, and warming spices. This savory soup only gets better when you find out that it'll be ready in under an hour. Serve with a warm loaf of bread and top the soup with toasted pecans, plain yogurt, and fresh parsley.
White Bean-and-Chard Soup
For an easy and inexpensive supper use white beans to build a scrumptious soup. This healthy green soup offers fiber and protein from the beans, and vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants from superfood Swiss chard. Garnish with crushed red pepper.
Broccoli-Cheddar Soup
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
This nostalgic soup will hit the spot every time. It makes for amazing leftovers too. Easy and cheesy, all you have to do is simmer broccoli, potatoes, carrots, and onion in a creamy broth, blend until smooth, and stir in cheddar cheese to finish.
Instant Pot Potato Soup
Serving up this soup will taste like a lengthy labor of love. However, little will your family know that your trusty Instant Pot helped whip up this decadent dinner in just minutes. Both russet and Yukon gold potatoes are used as each bring different textures and flavors to this tasty soup.
Chicken-and-Rice Soup with Mushrooms
This soup proves that creamy dishes aren't the only ones that can provide comfort. It's rich, flavorful, and will warm you to the bones with each spoonful of chicken, wild rice, onion, and mushroom. This hearty soup is ready in under 5 hours—it takes just 10 minutes of prep before going into the slow cooker for the remaining time.
Acorn Squash Soup
Sweet and savory, this cozy soup has got it all. It's a touch salty, too, thanks to deliciously crispy pancetta. Make this winter soup by roasting, simmering, and blending acorn squash into a bowl of soup that's uber creamy and satisfying. It also lends itself to creative toppings—the Southern Living test kitchen's suggestions include fried scallions, chopped toasted hazelnuts, a dash of hot sauce, or a sprinkle of cinnamon.
White Bean, Fennel, and Italian Sausage Soup with Parmesan Toast
An appetizing soup stirred up with pantry staples in under an hour? Sign us up. This soup is all that and a slice of toast. This warm, hearty soup is perfect for winter nights, and if you want to turn up the heat, swap mild for spicy Italian sausage.
Creamy Collard Green Soup with Bacony Croutons
This soup is a winter wonderland. It makes eating your greens a delightfully comforting and creamy experience. The bacony croutons certainly don't hurt either.
Easy Lentil Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Bacon
We took a classic and made it rave-worthy. This rich, smoky soup deserves a spot at your supper table, and we think your family will agree. Unlike a lot of dried legumes, brown lentils don't need to be pre-soaked overnight and get tender in about 45 minutes.
Instant Pot Creamy Root Vegetable Soup
Unlike some soups that use just one root vegetable, this one calls for the trio of sweet potatoes, carrots, and parsnips. Spices like red curry powder and a Thai spice blend take this flavorful trio to new snow-capped heights. Making this soup is a breeze using an Instant Pot to sauté and pressure cook the ingredients. To finish, blend the soup until smooth and top with yogurt and pistachios.
Cheeseburger Soup
Turn your favorite fast-food order into a creamy and comforting soup. Garnish the soup just before serving with dill pickle chips for a fun pop of brightness.
7-Can Soup
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
This is the fastest soup you'll ever make. Done in only 25 minutes, get your can opener ready, because before you know it, you'll have a hot bowl of hearty bean soup.
Chicken-and-Prosciutto Tortelloni Soup
Use store-bought stuffed pasta to get a soup on the table for supper in only 20 minutes. For added heat, garnish the soup with crushed red pepper flakes, or for a more mild garnish, grated Parmesan cheese.
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Read the original article on Southern Living.
