These winter soups are just what the doctor ordered on a bitter cold, dark day. Nothing is better than a good home-style crockpot soup that you can store in the refrigerator or freeze to get you through the winter months. Some recipes can feel like a doozy but soup is worth slaving over for a few hours to have a hot, comforting meal for an entire week.
1. Chicken Noodle Soup
Our list of winter soups simply wouldn’t be complete without this recipe for chicken noodle. Everybody, and we mean everybody, loves a good homestyle chicken noodle soup, especially in the dead of winter. It’s healthy, satisfying, and tastes amazing.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
Salt & pepper to taste
2 ½ pounds bone in, skinless chicken breasts
2 ½ cups wide egg noodles
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions
Start by melting butter in a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook the veggies until they’re tender. This should take about 3-4 minutes. Then, add in garlic for an additional minute.
Whisk in your chicken stock and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken and allow it to boil before reducing the heat and simmering. Cover the pot and cook the chicken for about 30-40 minutes. Once cooked the whole way through, remove the chicken and dice it into pieces after it cools.
Add the chicken back in along with the noodles and cook for about 6-7 minutes. Remove it from heat, stir in parsley, dill and lemon juice. Add in the final dash of salt and pepper, or however much you like! Serve while it’s hot!
2. French Onion Soup
Calling all melted cheese lovers, this one’s for you. The ingredients for this recipe are simple and the instructions are even easier. Warm up to a soul-soothing beefy broth and heaping spoonfuls of caramelized onions.
Ingredients
½ cup unsalted butter
4 onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 fresh thyme sprigs
Salt & pepper to taste
1 cup red wine
3 teaspoons all purpose flour
2 quarts beef broth
1 baguette sliced
½ pound grate gruyere
Directions
First, melt a stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add in your onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook for about 25 minutes or until the onions are soft and caramelized. Then, add the red wine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry. This will take about 5 minutes.
Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Dust the onions with the flour and stir. Turn the heat down to medium low to prevent the flour from burning and cook for 10 minutes. This is an important step to get rid of the flour taste, so don’t skip it! Add in the beef broth and bring the soup back to a simmer for 10 more minutes.
Preheat the broiler when you’re ready to eat. Slice your baguette and arrange the pieces on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the slices with gruyere and broil until bubble and golden brown. This could take anywhere from 3-5 minutes but keep a close eye on them!
Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the cheesy baguette pieces on top. Enjoy!
3. Wedding Soup
One of the most important winter soups to add to your repertoire is a killer recipe for Italian wedding soup. With tender meatballs, veggies, and pasta in a rich, flavorful broth, you really can’t go wrong. However, remember when we mentioned recipes that can be a doozy? This one is a prime example only because of how tedious it is to roll the little meatballs. But, if you stick it out we swear it’s worth it.
Ingredients for the meatballs
8 oz lean ground beef
8 oz ground pork
½ cup fresh hearty white bread crumbs
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 ½ teaspoon minced fresh oregano
½ cup finely shredded parmesan
1 large egg
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
Ingredients for the soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ¼ cups diced carrots
1 ¼ cups diced yellow onion
¾ cup diced celery
4 cloves garlic minced
5 cans chicken broth
1 cup orzo pasta
6 oz fresh spinach, chopped
Directions for the meatballs
Add the beef and pork in a large mixing bowl and add in bread crumbs, parsley, oregano, parmesan, egg, salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss and break up the mixture with your hands to evenly coat. Shape the mixture into small meatballs about ¾ inch to an inch. Move the meatballs to a large plate.
Next, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the meatballs and cook until browned, turning occasionally. Transfer the meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels but leave the oil in the skillet. Repeat the process with the remaining meatballs. The meatballs will not be cooked the whole way through. This happens in the soup.
Directions for the soup
While the meatballs are browning, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add in the carrots, onions, celery and saute them until they’re all soft. This may take about 6-8 minutes. Add in the garlic for an additional minute.
Pour in the chicken broth, season soup with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Add in the pasta and meatballs. Reduce to medium or medium-low. Cover your pot while the soup cooks. Stir occasionally until pasta is tender and the meatballs have cooked the whole way through. During the last minute of cooking, add spinach. When you’re ready to eat, serve and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
4. Chicken Tortilla Soup
Chicken tortilla soup is a hearty meal in itself and comes together in just a single pot. This recipe is like a taco in soup form with rich tomato and chicken broth pairing impeccably with veggies, chicken, beans, and sweet corn.
This is one of the easier winter soups that’s ready to serve in just 30 minutes and can last you up to 6 months in the freezer!
Ingredients for tortillas
10 small corn tortillas, cut into ¼ inch wide strips
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Ingredients for soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, diced
1 large jalapeno pepper, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
34 oz or 4 cups chicken broth
Two 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes and juice
One 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 ½ cups corn
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
⅓ cups fresh cilantro leaves, minced
Diced avocado for serving
Shredded cheese for serving
Sour cream for serving
Directions for tortilla strips
First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Loosely scatter the tortilla strips, drizzle olive oil on top, sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat evenly. Bake the strips for about 15-18 minutes or until they’re crisp and lightly golden brown.
Directions for the soup
In a large dutch oven or pot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat over medium-high to warm. Saute the onion and jalapeno for about 5 minutes or until they start to soften. Add the garlic and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes.
Next up is to add the chicken broth, tomatoes and juice, black beans, chicken, corn, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, 2 teaspoons salt, pepper, paprika, and bring to a boil. Allow everything to gently boil for about 5-7 minutes. Add the cilantro and boil for an additional minute.
Salt the soup to taste. If it’s to your liking, serve while hot and enjoy! Don’t forget to top with tortilla strips, avocado, cheese, and sour cream!
5. Broccoli Cheddar
Nobody does broccoli and cheese soup quite like Panera Bread. This recipe is a copycat and is every bit as creamy and delicious with only 417 calories per serving. There are plenty of variations and options to make this soup your own. For example, you can add extra veggies, different cheeses, garlic, green onions, or sour cream. Whatever you decide to add, don’t forget to top with extra cheese!
Ingredients
¼ cup melted butter
½ medium chopped onion
¼ cup flour
2 cups half-and-half cream
2 cups chicken stock or broth
½ lb broccoli chopped into bite size pieces
1 cup carrot (buy matchstick carrots)
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
8 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions
Melt the ¼ cup butter and saute the onions in it until they’re nice and soft. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and cook. Stir over medium high heat for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the half-and-half and chicken stock. Add broccoli and carrots to cook over low heat for 20-25 minutes.
Depending on your preference, you can leave the soup chunky or blend about 1 cup and stir it in to make the consistency smoother. After this step, if you choose to do it, return to low heat and add in the cheese and stir until melted and blended. Serve with crusty bread!
6. Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
We have another copycat recipe coming your way and this one’s reminiscent of Olive Garden. This is one of the easiest winter soups to make but it delivers restaurant quality every time. Bring some Italian flavor into your home with fresh veggies and a creamy broth.
Ingredients
3-4 boneless chicken breasts cooked and diced
1 stalk of celery chopped
½ white onion diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
½ cup shredded carrots
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
Salt & pepper to taste
1 teaspoon thyme
16 oz potato gnocchi
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup fresh spinach chopped
Directions
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add celery, carrots, onions, and garlic to saute for about 2-3 minutes or until you notice the onions are translucent. Add your chicken, chicken broth, salt, pepper, thyme and bring to a boil. Gently stir in the gnocchi for about 3-4 minutes longer before reducing heat to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes.
Stir in half-and-half and the spinach. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the spinach is tender. Add salt and pepper if needed and serve a creamy and delicious bowl!
7. Potato Soup
Load up just one pot with bacon and creamy potatoes for the ultimate comfort food and try not to count calories with this one. This recipe requires a little bit of effort but it’s well worth it! This is one of those winter soups that will never let you down.
Ingredients
6 strips of uncooked bacon, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium yellow onion
3 large garlic cloves
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ pounds golden potatoes diced
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
⅔ cups heavy cream
Salt & pepper to taste
¼-½ teaspoon ancho chili powder
⅔ cup sour cream
Shredded cheddar cheese, chives, and sour cream for topping
Directions
The first step is to place bacon pieces in a pot over medium heat and cook until they’re brown and crispy. Remove the pieces and set aside but leave the greasy fat behind. Add butter and the chopped onion to cook over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic for about 30 seconds.
Next, sprinkle the flour over the ingredients and stir or whisk until smooth. Add diced potatoes along with chicken broth, milk, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and ancho chili powder. Bring the ingredients to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender. This should take about 10 minutes.
Reduce the heat and simmer. Remove about half of the soup to a blender and puree until it’s smooth. Then, return the pureed soup to the pot and add bacon pieces and sour cream. Simmer the soup for about 15 minutes before serving.
8. White Chicken Chili
Winter marks the official start of chili season. So, just like chicken noodle soup, no winter recipe list is complete without chili. This 5 star recipe is a great alternative to a classic beef chili with the just right amount of spice and savory deliciousness.
Ingredients
1 yellow onion diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 cans chicken broth (14.5 oz cans)
1 can diced green chilies (7 oz)
1 ½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt & pepper to taste
1 8 oz package light cream cheese
1 ¼ cup frozen or fresh corn
2 cans cannellini beans (15 oz)
2 ½ cups shredded cooked chicken
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Directions
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and saute the onions for about 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute 30 more seconds. Add chicken broth, green chilies, cumin, paprika, oregano, coriander, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring everything to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low to simmer for about 15 minutes.
In the meantime, drain and rinse the beans and measure out 1 cup. Set whole beans aside and transfer 1 cup to a food processor along with ¼ cup brother from the soup. Puree until almost smooth.
Add cream cheese chunks to the soup along with corn, whole beans, and pureed beans. Stir well and let simmer for 5-10 minutes longer. Finally, stir in the chicken, fresh limes juice, and cilantro. Serve the final product with monterrey jack cheese if desired!
