31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (2024)

When it's chilly outside, cozy up to any one of these hearty soup recipes to warm your bones. From aromatic Shrimp Bisque to comforting Pollo Guisado to savory Tonkotsu Ramen and smoky Brisket Noodle Soup, these winter soups are bound to become cold-weather classics in your kitchen.

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Vegetarian 15-Bean Soup

Can't make up your mind about whether to make bean or lentil soup? Grab a bag of 15-bean soup mix from the dry goods aisle at the market and make this flavorful, hearty soup instead. Here, we include a few Parmesan cheese rinds for added depth and umami.

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Herb Garden Matzo Ball Soup

Matzo ball soup gets a glow-up in this version by cookbook author Leah Koenig, with fresh parsley, dill, chives, and fennel fronds in the matzo balls themselves, plus more herbs, lemon zest, and edible flowers adding color and bright, spring flavors to each finished bowl of soup.

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Mushroom-Chickpea Pozole

"Here I use mushrooms to give us that earthy heartiness that you expect from pozole, no meat needed," says chef Marcela Valladolid. "Guajillo, ancho, and árbol chiles are soaked and pureed for a perfectly balanced sauce that punches up the savory mushroom broth; the chickpeas are a yummy twist in place of the dried hominy."

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Shrimp Bisque

Sautéed shrimp shells impart a sweet complexity to the foundation of this deeply flavorful bisque. White rice is slowly simmered in the aromatic broth and then pureed to give the soup body and a velvety consistency, without masking the flavor of succulent shrimp. Serve with chopped steamed shrimp and a crusty baguette.

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Manhattan Clam Chowder

This recipe for Manhattan Clam Chowder — known for being tomato-forward with a broth base — has layers of flavor, from the clam broth spiked with white wine to the tender vegetables that are cooked in bacon fat. Half of the clams are roughly chopped, while the other half are left whole in their shells for contrast.

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Easy Chicken and Dumplings

This satisfying one-pot meal of silky chicken and tender dumplings starts with searing chicken thighs to render fat to cook the mirepoix in, building a flavorful base for this classic dish. Self-rising flour, buttermilk, and butter are the only ingredients in the pillowy dumplings, which come together in the final minutes, cooking right in the creamy soup.

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Restorative Ginger and Turmeric Noodle Soup

F&W Cooks contributor Hetty McKinnon says this soup is "like a hug" in winter. Garlic oil and ginger-turmeric curry paste add flavor — the paste can keep in the refrigerator for up to seven days and can be frozen, too, so it’s easy to prepare in advance.

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Smoked Brisket Noodle Soup

Pair barbecued brisket with tender egg noodles, okra, corn, and lima beans in each smoky bite.

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French Onion Soup with Roasted Poblanos

At Tzuco, in Chicago, the French onion soup arrives at the table piping hot, topped with a bubbling layer of Gruyère cheese. Hiding under the blanket of cheese, a thick slice of baguette soaks up a soup suffused with flavor from a mountain of jammy onions, balsamic vinegar, and bay leaves.

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Broccoli and Potato Soup

31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (10)

The bright green broccoli florets floating on top of this hearty soup make it especially eye-catching, but it's the broccoli stems that do the real work. They're cooked with the potatoes and then pureed to form a creamy base. A final sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese gives the soup an extra savory touch.

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Fire-Roasted Pasta e fa*gioli

31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (11)

Pasta e fa*gioli (literally, “pasta and beans”) is a traditional Italian soup beloved for its hearty nature. This version has all the vegetables, pasta, and beans you expect from the classic dish, plus fire-roasted flavor from charred tomatoes and peppers.

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Chicken Soup with Ginger and Cilantro

31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (12)

Here, quick-cooking boneless chicken pieces are gently simmered in a ginger and cilantro-infused broth with a dash of soy sauce. The eye-catching garnish tray doubles as a colorful centerpiece, allowing guests to pile their bowls with aromatic fresh herbs, spicy chiles, and juicy citrus.

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Avgolemono Chicken Soup with Rice

31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (13)

Avgolemono is a classic sauce of chicken broth, egg yolks, and lemon juice in Turkish, Balkan, Arab, Greek, and some Jewish cuisines; the addition of a bit more broth, rice, and shredded chicken turns it into a satisfying soup.

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Mole Verde con Pollo with Corn Tortillas

31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (14)

This green mole stands out from the pack of velvety sauces with its nutty, slightly coarse texture. A thin layer of fat on top of the mole is a sign that it's been prepared correctly. Sop up the sauce and tender chicken with plenty of warm corn tortillas.

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White Bean and Ham Soup

31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (15)

This creamy, pureed white bean soup is studded with ham and garnished with paprika-dusted croutons.

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Corsican Bean Soup with Greens and Pork

31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (16)

Full of hearty winter vegetables, this comforting soup is filling without being heavy. Dried beans are the key to the satisfying richness of the broth; if you want to use canned beans to save time, stir them in at the end of cooking.

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Soup Joumou

31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (17)

Soup Joumou is a rich and savory beef, vegetable, and squash Haitian stew commonly eaten on January 1 to signify the anniversary of freedom from French colonial rule in 1804.This recipe begins with an epis, the aromatic flavor base that's a backbone of Haitian cooking, which is made by pureeing bell peppers, scallions, onions, and garlic.

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Tonkotsu Ramen

31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (18)

A slow-simmered, savory tonkotsu broth is the base to this ramen, which is rich from the meltingly tender chashu pork and soft-boiled egg and brightened by pickled mushrooms.

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Smoked Ham Hock and Lentil Soup

31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (19)

"I love making this lentil soup when the weather begins to cool," says 2017 F&W Best New Chef Nina Compton, owner of New Orleans hot spot Compère Lapin. "The ham hock aroma hangs around the kitchen beautifully; the smell alone makes you warmer. Adding a little ginger and lemongrass brightens the soup and reminds me of being back home in St. Lucia. Using local okra reminds me of my Louisiana home and adds a different texture."

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Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (20)

Make use of leftover chicken with this great one-bowl meal for busy nights that requires just 20 minutes of active cooking time.

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Pollo Guisado

31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (21)

2019 F&W Best New Chef Kwame Onwuachi says this comforting recipe is "the soup allabuelitasmake their grandchildren, cookinga ojo, or by feel, with a million variations."

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Bún Bò Huế (Vietnamese Vermicelli Noodle Soup with Sliced Beef)

31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (22)

Topped with a multitude of garnishes, this aromatic and savory soup from Mailynh Phan features lemongrass-infused bone broth with vermicelli noodles and tender beef.

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Leftover Roast Turkey and Chinese Egg Noodle Soup

31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (23)

Andrea Nguyen was inspired by Vietnam's roast duck–egg noodle soup, called mi vit tiem, to make this mi ga tay ("mee ga tey"), which literally means egg noodle soup with Western chicken (and either bird works). This recipe uses an Instant Pot for the broth to extract maximum flavor fast.

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Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon and Crème Fraîche

31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (24)

Roasting the butternut squash with honey and a touch of salt intensifies its natural sweetness, and browning the onions low and slow deepens the foundational flavor of this hearty soup.

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Chunky Tomato Soup

31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (25)

For the best texture in this vibrant tomato soup, puree half of the soup until smooth, then stir it into the chunky base.

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White Bean Soup with Bacon and Herbs

31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (26)

The Spanish dish caldo gallego is the inspiration for this warming soup, combining the heartiness of white beans and crisp bacon with a light, herb-infused broth. To keep things vegetarian, you can swap the bacon fat for olive oil or butter and top the soup with another crunchy garnish of your liking, such as croutons.

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Classic Split Pea Soup

31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (27)

"I haven't met a bean or pea that I didn't love," says chef Steven Satterfield. Here, he soaks split peas for an hour before simmering them in the soup, so they're more tender and the soup is smoother.

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Classic Chicken Noodle Soup

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The queen of comforting soups, this deeply flavorful chicken noodle soup recipe is a tried-and-true classic.

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Lentil and Garlic-Sausage Soup

31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (29)

A riff on a classic Italian dish, this garlicky lentil soup skews pan-European, with French lentils, Manchego cheese, and any really good garlic sausage.

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Chunky Borscht

31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (30)

Brothy and brimming with beets, parsnips, turnip, celery root, and slices of kielbasa, this earthy beet soup gets a finishing touch of sour cream and fresh dill. Serve it in big bowls with plenty of crusty bread for an appetizing cold-weather dinner.

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31 of Our Most Warming Winter Soups (2024)

Vegetarian 15-Bean Soup

Herb Garden Matzo Ball Soup

Mushroom-Chickpea Pozole

Shrimp Bisque

Manhattan Clam Chowder

Easy Chicken and Dumplings

Restorative Ginger and Turmeric Noodle Soup

Smoked Brisket Noodle Soup

French Onion Soup with Roasted Poblanos

Broccoli and Potato Soup

Fire-Roasted Pasta e fa*gioli

Chicken Soup with Ginger and Cilantro

Avgolemono Chicken Soup with Rice

Mole Verde con Pollo with Corn Tortillas

White Bean and Ham Soup

Corsican Bean Soup with Greens and Pork

Soup Joumou

Tonkotsu Ramen

Smoked Ham Hock and Lentil Soup

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Pollo Guisado

Bún Bò Huế (Vietnamese Vermicelli Noodle Soup with Sliced Beef)

Leftover Roast Turkey and Chinese Egg Noodle Soup

Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon and Crème Fraîche

Chunky Tomato Soup

White Bean Soup with Bacon and Herbs

Classic Split Pea Soup

Classic Chicken Noodle Soup

Lentil and Garlic-Sausage Soup

Chunky Borscht

References