It's that time of year again: all I want to make are comforting soups and stews. The air is growing crisp outside and we're well into turtleneck weather. Say goodbye to my favorite fresh summertime meals and hello to soup season!
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Soups and stews are comfort food, but that doesn't mean they can't be healthy, too. Some of these recipes whip up in 30 minutes, and others require some slow cooker or simmering action, but all of them are guaranteed to delivery cozy, comforting flavor. Here's our ultimate list of the top 20 soup recipes and stews we're looking forward to making this year.
1. Butternut Squash Soup
Nothing says seasonal like butternut squash, and this recipe is so rich and creamy you'll almost forget that it's healthy! It's also a great last-minute meal because you can pull this sweet and savory recipe together in just 20 minutes!
For some extra flavor, you can even toss in sweet potato. A small sprinkle of olive oil on top tastes delicious, too. Find the easy soup recipe here.
2. Minestrone
Minestrone is super hearty, but it's also not that unhealthy, either. Filled with fiber-rich beans and tons of vegetables, you can eat this recipe all winter long without expanding the waistline.
Find the delicious recipe here and feel free to indulge with this one-pot meal that even cuts out a step by using canned beans.
3. Cauliflower Bisque
I love rich and heavy bisques, but they don't always have to be made with seafood. Take this recipe for cauliflower bisque - cooked cauliflower is naturally creamy, so this soup will be more velvety than you thought possible. Top it off with brown butter croutons, and I'm a happy lady!
You might never want potato soup again when you taste just how creamy cauliflower can be. Find the recipe here.
4. Slow Cooker White Bean and Sausage Soup
This recipe couldn't be easier to whip up - combine all your ingredients in the slow cooker and say hello to a delicious meal later that night. The combination of those tasty white beans, sausage, and kale makes it filling, but you'll walk away still feeling light.
Find this easy Crock Pot recipe here and say hello to your new favorite homemade soup. Have you ever seen a white bean soup recipe so flavorful?
5. Chili
Ree Drummond knows her hearty soups, so I totally trust this recipe for simple, perfect chili. It has the perfect amount of spice to keep you warm on a cold night! And make sure to make enough for leftovers - we all know that chili is better the next day.
Don't forget the shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream to go on top! Find the recipe here.
6. Mushroom Soup
Creamy mushroom soup is so classic that it's the top-selling Campbells can! But who needs to make soup from a can when this recipe is so easy to pull off? This soup is so seasonal, feel free to mix together your favorite wild mushrooms.
Find the recipe here, and don't forget the sherry! It pairs perfectly with chicken broth.
7. Clam Chowder
Winter isn't complete without clam chowder. It's the ultimate cozy, warming, and comforting soup. This recipe will have you telling winter to bring it on! If you don't have access to fresh clams, the canned clams make chowder just as well so no worries.
Serve with classic oyster crackers or a hunk of French bread. Find the recipe here.
8. French Onion Soup
This delicious soup is a classic staple from my childhood. My mother made it every Thanksgiving and Christmas, at my father's request, and it became my definition of winter comfort. This recipe breaks it down and shows us how easy it is to pull off this deep, richly flavored soup.
9. Boeuf Bourguignon (Burgandy Beef Stew)
This classically French stew is so iconic that I've learned how to pronounce it in French (albeit not very well). Slowly simmered beef in a rich and savory broth, plus super soft onions, carrots, and potatoes, will warm you up even on the coldest day.
If you've never had it, this recipe is a must make this winter season!
10. Borscht
If we're talking about classic favorites, we would be remiss not to include this Russian beet soup. It's filled with beef, pork, and of course root vegetables like beets.
Top this recipe off with a dollop of sour cream and you may have a new favorite winter warmer! The next time you're craving chicken soup, try borscht instead.
11. Senate Bean Soup
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This soup is as American as it gets. In the early 20th century, it was decided that a bean soup should appear on the U.S. Senate restaurant's menus. And so this recipe was born.
Filled with creamy beans and tons of ham, this soup is rich and homey and may become your new favorite. A touch of red pepper adds just the right amount of heat.
12. Chicken Noodle Soup
How could we forget the soup that is good for the soul? It's so simple in its ingredients list you almost might think it wouldn't be comforting, but all you need to do is combine freshly made chicken stock with egg noodles in this recipe and you'll remember why you craved this meal when you're feeling under the weather!
13. Tomato Soup
Give me a bowl of tomato soup and a good grilled cheese sandwich any day of the week. It's good in the summertime when the sun is shining, but it somehow tastes better on days when a thin layer of snow covers the front lawn. This recipe is my absolute favorite for tomato soup.
14. Guinness Lamb Stew
I'll never say no to a tall pint of Guinness, and I'm even more ecstatic to use it to cook Guinness lamb stew! The combination of lamb, peas, and carrots in this recipe reminds me of the spring, but they're so rich and comforting in this stew that you'll feel right at home in the cold wintertime.
15. Broccoli Cheese Soup
A long time ago, when I hated vegetables, I loved broccoli cheese soup. My mother knew that the best way to get me to eat my vegetables was to puree them with a ton of cheese, and sure enough, she was right.
This recipe for broccoli cheese soup is actually gluten-free and low carb, so it makes me feel less guilty about eating all that cheese!
16. Potato Leek Soup
Julia Child was famous for her simple potato leek soup. This recipe is so simple - just potatoes, leeks, cream, and stock - but it's comforting in its simplicity. The next time you don't know what to make for dinner, whip up a pot of potato leek soup!
17. Texas Beef Chili (Chili Con Carne)
This recipe doesn't even mess around with beans - it's a true Texas chili, and you'll fall in love after the first bite. It's so thick and beefy, you'll be too full for seconds (although you might get some, anyway).
18. Black Bean Soup
When you cook down black beans, they become super creamy and rich. Add some spice and top it all off with avocado and you have a recipe for happiness! This recipe is a wintertime staple in my house.
19. Tater Tot Beer Cheese Soup
What could be better than beer cheese soup? This recipe, because it tops my favorite soup with tater tots! It's rich, it's decadent, and it's definitely what I want for dinner when I just finished shoveling the snow off the driveway.
20. Split Pea Soup
There's something so luscious about the texture of split peas after they've been simmering all day with a ham hock in this recipe. Don't forget to shred the meat off of the bone and add it to the soup!
With so many great favorites, how will you ever choose which one to make for dinner tonight? Let us know in the comments which are your favorite winter soups and stews.
