3 Winter Soups to Warm Your Cockles

Winter is the perfect time for warm and comforting soups. There are many delicious options to choose from, ranging from hearty stews to creamy broths.

Most soups freeze well and you can make several meals at once. Pair it with some nice, fresh bread and it’s a filling meal that warms you all the way through.

Here are some popular winter soups to consider:

1. Minestrone: A classic Italian soup made with vegetables such as carrots, celery, and tomatoes, and often with beans and pasta.
2. Potato Leek: A creamy soup made with potatoes, leeks, and milk or cream. It is a comfort food that is both filling and delicious.
3. French Onion: A caramelized onion soup that is typically served with a crouton and melted cheese on top. The broth is made with beef stock and red wine.
4. Chicken Noodle: A classic chicken soup made with a chicken broth, carrots, celery, and egg noodles. It is a comforting soup that is often served when someone is feeling under the weather.
5. Beef Stew: A hearty soup made with chunks of beef, carrots, potatoes, and other vegetables. It is often slow-cooked to create a tender and flavorful broth.

No matter which soup you choose, winter is the perfect time to enjoy a warm and comforting bowl. So, grab a ladle and enjoy!

I’ve given you three tasty ones to start with, see how many more great soups you can find before this winter is over.

1) Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

Our first soup is a tasty and easy to make Thai soup from the Food Network’s Tyler Florence. It makes enough for 8 servings, double it if you want to have lots leftover for freezing. When serving, avoid eating the lime leaves, ginger and lemongrass.

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 3 kaffir lime leaves, fresh or dried, hand torn (you can substitute grated lime peel, about 2 ½ limes)
• 2 small Thai chiles, halved lengthwise
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• One 3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 4 chunks
• 1 stalk lemongrass (white part only), cracked open with the flat side of a knife (you can also use lemon peel grated, about ½ lemon)
• 1 ½ cups shredded, cooked chicken
• 1 (13 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 (8 oz) can straw mushrooms, rinsed
• 2 TB Thai fish sauce (also called nam pla)
• 1 ½ tsps sugar
• Juice of 4 limes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Heat the stock in a soup pot over medium heat until boiling. Add in lime leaves, chiles, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for ten minutes so that the herbs and spices infuse the broth.

Uncover and stir in chicken, coconut milk, mushrooms, fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice. Simmer until chicken is heated through, about five minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with cilantro leaves.

2) Chunky Tomato Soup

This is another Food & Wine recipe. It’s courtesy of Steven Satterfield. If you love tomato soup (and who doesn’t?), you’ll find that making your own tastes much better than canned and isn’t that difficult to do.

• ¼ cup plus 2 TB extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and finely chopped
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 3 TB tomato paste
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 cups water
• 2 (28 oz) cans peeled Italian tomatoes—drained and finely chopped, juices reserved

In a large saucepan, add ¼ cup olive oil, onion, fennel and thyme. Cook vegetables over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Stir in the tomato paste and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add the water, the tomatoes and the tomato juices and bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until liquid is reduced by a third. It should take about 30 minutes. Discard the thyme. Take half of the soup and puree it in a blender, then return it to the soup pot. Top it with crushed crackers or croutons.

3) Black Bean Soup

This recipe comes from the Top Secret Recipe site which posts restaurant recipe imitations, in this case T.G.I. Friday’s. It was reposted to several recipe sites and has become extremely popular. It’s got a spicy warmth you will love.

• 2 TB vegetable oil
• ¾ cup diced white onion
• ¾ cup diced celery
• ½ cup diced carrot
• ¼ cup diced green bell pepper
• 2 TB minced garlic
• 4 (15 oz) cans black beans
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 TB apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsps chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp hickory liquid smoke

Garnish with shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese blend, chopped green onions, and sour cream

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, celery, carrots, bell peppers, and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent, about 15 minutes. Keep the heat low so that the vegetables don’t brown. Meanwhile pour the canned beans into a strainer and rinse them under cold water. Measure out 3 cups of the beans and pour them along with a cup of chicken stock into the blender and puree.

Take the puree, the whole beans, the rest of the chicken stock, and all remaining ingredients to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 50-60 minutes until all ingredients are tender. Garnish with cheese, onions, and sour cream.

This winter, explore the world of soups. You’ll be glad you did.

Do you want more recipes to enjoy  in cold days? Here are three healthy winter recipes to show you just what it can do with a slow cooker. If you haven’t got one yet, I suggest you invest.