20+ Winter Soup Recipes – Easy, Delicious, Comforting

updated October 28, 2024

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Need some comfort food this winter? Here are 20+ hearty and delicious winter soup recipes that are perfect for cold weather. Chunky, creamy, or smooth – all are comforting!

What more do you want on a cold winter’s day but a nourishing, warming soup? Whether it’s smooth and creamy, or chunky, or thick, a vegetarian soup, vegetable soup, or chicken broth, a warm bowl of comforting soup is the best remedy for the winter weather.

Below is my list of the best winter soup recipes – choose your favorites from:
Smooth Creamy Soups | Chunky Soups | Clear and Noodle Soups |
Thick Soups and Stews (Potage) | Broth
And of course, you’ll need some bread to go with your soup!

Why Make A Winter Soup?

Winter is coming? Then soup season is here! With all the other cold-weather staples like warming baked goods (like these stuffed baked apples) and hot drinks (like masala chai

Furthermore, soups are so easy to make. You can just add a few ingredients to your saucepan, let them simmer for a bit, and voila! Of course, you can also use an Instant Pot or a Crock-Pot to make the process even simpler. Switch up your veggies, add some cream, broth, or some sautéed mushrooms or homemade croutons, and you can always have a quick pipping hot soup at hand.

On the other hand, you could also make something more special and complicated that needs a bit more planning and making sure you have the right spices or herbs, or the right veggies like sweet potatoes or kale or white beans. Whatever winter soup recipe you choose – a creamy tomato soup, the classic minestrone, or Japanese-inspired ramen – I’m sure you can never get bored. In short, these healthy soups will always fill you up and satisfy your cravings on any day.

Plus, soups are easy to make in big batches and can be meal-prepped for the week. You can also freeze most of them and keep them for months, ready to defrost in minutes when you need them. I love portioning them and then freezing them in reusable Ziplock bags. And you can switch up your topping every time you serve it – grate some cheese, or finely chop some red peppers or celery, add some sweet corn, mince some fresh ginger, add a swirl of sour cream, or a drizzle of lemon juice. It all just tastes delicious! And without further ado, here’s my list!

Smooth Creamy Soups

Creamy soups might be my favorite – the silky mouthfeel and rich flavor make them so comforting. I often play around with the creamy element using heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk depending on how I feel.

Easy Creamy Tomato Soup – this simple, fresh tomato soup packs a flavor punch and can be made keto, paleo, low sodium, and/or dairy-free with just a few tweaks!
Cream Of Mushroom Soup – it’s super creamy, rich, and delicious. And it’s so easy to adapt to make it gluten-free or vegan.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup – this creamy, cozy, and warming soup is nourishing, flavorful, and immune-boosting! Ginger and turmeric are one of my favorite combinations!
One-Pot Turmeric Ginger Pumpkin Soup – here’s another comforting, warming, and packed with immune-boosting health benefits soup. Furthermore, you can make it on the stovetop, crockpot or Instant Pot!
Creamy Roasted Garlic Soup – this soup combines roasted caramelized garlic with potatoes and mushrooms that are blended till smooth, velvety, and creamy.
Green Pea Soup – this soup is fresh, light but also a lovely winter warming option that’s rich in flavor and nutrients.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup – this creamy carrot soup is a delicious vegetarian soup worthy of being a table centrepiece. Can be made vegan too!
Carrot Soup – this carrot ginger soup is creamy, comforting, delicately spiced, and ready in 30 minutes. Even better, it’s gluten-free, budget-friendly, and can be made with dairy or with coconut milk!
Roasted Cauliflower Soup – this soup is creamy, comforting, and impressively flavor-packed for just 8 ingredients! Plus, it’s gluten-free, easily adapted to vegan, and wonderfully creamy without any cream or nuts!
Best Broccoli Cheddar Soup – it’s rich, creamy, cheesy, and super comforting. You can enjoy it smooth or chunky, similar to Panera cheddar broccoli soup!
Zucchini Soup – creamy zucchini soup made with fresh zucchini and a few simple ingredients. It’s a comforting dish that’s perfect for any time of the year.
Roasted Tomato Soup – made with roasted tomatoes, sautéed onions, garlic, and seasonings and simmered with fresh basil for a comforting, flavorful treat.
Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup Recipe – This easy homemade cream of chicken soup is the perfect substitute for canned condensed soup, ready to add to casseroles & soups. Plus, you control the sodium levels and it’s freezer-friendly, too!

Chunky Soups

Love a bit of a bite? These chunky soups are perfect for you. And if you love the flavor but want it creamy, no worries – you can easily blend most of these into a smooth creamy texture.

Tom Yum Soup – this is a Thai hot and sour soup that is aromatic, rich, spicy, and satisfying! Plus, this recipe is customizable, meat-free, and can be made vegan!
Easy Potato Leek Soup – this soup combines the flavors of creamy potatoes with delicate leek and thyme for a naturally vegan soup. Enjoy it chunky or smooth!
Vegetarian Minestrone Soup – a hearty, budget-friendly, flexible, veggie-packed vegetarian minestrone soup (aka vegetable pasta soup).
Simple Lentil Soup – for this Lebanese lentil soup recipe (Shortbet Adas), simplicity is key. Plus, this recipe is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan!
Red Lentil Dal (Tarka Dal | Indian Lentil Dish) – this is a quick and easy meal for busy weeknights. It involves minimal hands-on prep and is ready in under 30 minutes!
Instant Pot Vegetable Soup – hearty, healthy, packed with vegetables, full of flavor, super adaptable, and ready in under 30 minutes!
Chicken Tortilla Soup – This soup is loaded with shredded chicken, beans, tomato, and corn, topped off with crispy tortilla strips for a comforting, flavorful, filling, protein- & nutrient-dense meal any day of the week!
White Bean Soup – This white bean soup is a comforting, wholesome, one-pot meal that’s perfect for busy lunches and weeknight dinners.
Spicy Black Bean Soup – When I need something hearty and comforting, this spicy black bean soup is my favorite! Made with canned beans and simple pantry staples, it’s easy to whip up and always a family favorite!
Cabbage Soup – The best cabbage soup is hearty, comforting, and packed with carrots, onion, celery, tomatoes, and potatoes. This quick and easy recipe will become a winter favorite.
Lentil Soup – This thick and comforting lentil soup is as easy to make as it is satisfying – ready in under an hour, made with simple pantry ingredients.
Beef Barley Soup – It is healthy, satisfying, flavorful, and easy to make with tender beef, nutty barley, and simple veggies.

Clear and Noodle Soups

These delicate soups are full of amazing flavors and great nutritional benefits. If you are feeling a bit under the weather, a hot bowl of one of these will be great to warm you up and give you a health boost.

Chicken and Rice Soup (in 30 Minutes) – this chicken soup is not only quick and easy but it’s packed with rice and veggies for a nourishing fuss-free meal.
Chicken Ramen – The best chicken ramen includes a tasty broth with roasted chicken, mushrooms, noodles, and a jammy egg – a quick, comforting Japanese-style meal in just 30 minutes!
Chicken Soup – This is the best chicken soup recipe for winter—tender chicken and hearty vegetables simmered in a light, flavorful broth that will warm and comfort you.

Thick Soups and Stews (Potage)

Although some would argue that stews are not soup since they contain just a bit of cooking liquid, I like to include them in my soup list as they are delicious and nourishing.

Vegetarian French Onion Soup – this vegetarian French onion soup is rich, decadent, super savory, and comforting. Plus, you can choose to make it vegan, and I’ve included differnet cooking methods.
Comforting pea stew (bazella) – Bazella is a hearty, comforting Middle Eastern stew with meat. It’s perfect for serving up as a warming dish.
Butter Bean Stew (Fasolia) – this is a traditional Lebanese stew made with beef/lamb (fasolia bi lahme). But you can easily make it as a vegan/vegetarian white bean soup.
Lebanese Okra Stew (Bamya Recipe) – this tomato and okra stew is hearty and healthy. It traditionally contains lamb (or beef) but I’ve included a vegan okra stew method, too.
Lebanese Green Beans (Loubieh Bi Zeit) – this dish combines just a few simple, fresh ingredients for a delicious but also super easy recipe.
Eggplant Stew – This hearty eggplant stew combines roasted eggplants with chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, aromatics, and flavorful spices. The perfect dinner for a busy weeknight!

Broth

Broths and stocks are the perfect addition to soups, stews, gravies, and sauces. Or you can just sip on them when you need a bit of a health boost.

1-Pot Homemade Vegetable Stock – this is my favorite recipe for a delicious vegetable broth that is vegan, gluten-free, salt-free, dairy-free etc.
Chicken Stock (Chicken Bone Broth) – this “liquid gold” homemade chicken stock is packed with flavor and healthy nutrients. Add to soups, stews, gravies, etc!
Beef Broth + Stock (Beef Bone Broth) – this 2-in-1 recipe focuses on how to make a fragrant, savory, meaty beef broth and a hearty bone broth (aka beef stock). Perfect for making beef stew.

Bread for Your Soup

To elevate any soup to the next level you need a delicious bread addition. Here are some of my favorites that are great for mopping up, dipping in, and crunching on.

Crusty Bread – homemade or not, a crusty bread is the ultimate accompaniment to any soup. You can serve it soft, toasted, rubbed with garlic, sliced or cut into cubes to go into the soup.
Homemade Croutons – these are perfect for adding a bit of texture to your favorite cream soup (or any soup, really). And they are the perfect way to use up stale bread. You can make them in the oven or the air-frier.
Garlic Naan (Indian Flatbread) – another delicous bread to serve with your soup or stew. It’s very easy to prepare on the stovetop.
No-knead Focaccia – this turmeric rosemary focaccia not only looks impressive but it is perfect for dunking and sopping up soups and stews.
Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread – this wonderfully light, moist, and flavorful cornbread is perfect for serving with soups and stews.
You can also accompany your soup with a Cheesy Garlic Bread or Roasted Garlic Bread – either will bring so much flavor with the caramelized roasted garlic, you will want to have a second (and third!) serving.

More Helpful Round-ups

If you try any of these winter soup recipes, I’d love to hear your thoughts and questions below. Also, feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!