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What are Some Easy and Hearty Winter Soups?

Devon Pryor
Devon Pryor

Eating hot soup can be particularly satisfying during the cold months of winter. But canned soups can be very high in salt, and may not be as nutritious as fresh soups made from scratch. Also, broth based soups may leave one feeling hungry, as they are mostly liquid. There are, however, some hearty winter soups that are easy to make, and are also a healthy way to add vegetables to a winter diet.

One of the best ingredients to help make winter soups really stick to one's ribs is potato. These can be regular potatoes or yams and sweet potatoes. Root vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, beets, and so on, tend to be available during winter months when many other fresh vegetables are out of season. They are also quite substantial in nutrients and calories and nutrients, which makes them a satisfying ingredient in winter soups. Following are three ideas for making easy and hearty winter soups from the above ingredients.

Garlic is often used to add flavor to soup.
Garlic is often used to add flavor to soup.

One easy way to ensure that your soup has flavor is by starting with garlic and onion. Mince one half clove of garlic and dice one half onion, and toss into a large pot. Add one tablespoon of oil and one pat of butter, and sauté the onion and garlic. The butter helps add flavor, and the oil keeps the butter from burning. Once the onions and garlic are softened, turn off the heat. This is the way to start each of the three soups described here.

Winter soups can be made with carrots.
Winter soups can be made with carrots.

The first soup is a potato, carrot, and squash soup. Boil one large potato, one large carrot, and an equal sized portion of any hard winter squash such as butternut, pumpkin, or spaghetti squash. These should be cut into chunks, and boiled all together until they are soft. One variation of this is to bake the vegetables until soft, which can add to the flavor of the soup, but may be a bit more difficult.

Squash is a flavorful way to thicken winter soup.
Squash is a flavorful way to thicken winter soup.

Once the veggies are soft, place them in a blender or food processor with a bit of cold water, and puree them. The onion and garlic should be blended as well, along with the vegetables. Once pureed, pour the vegetables back into the pot that contained the onion and garlic. Over a medium heat, add low sodium chicken or vegetable broth until the soup reaches an appetizing consistency. This part is up to the chef, but in general, the less liquid in a pureed winter soup, the more more hearty a meal it will make.

Onions add some bite to many easy, hearty winter soups.
Onions add some bite to many easy, hearty winter soups.

Another easy and hearty winter soup is carrot curry. To make this soup, begin the same way as the last, by sautéing onions and garlic in a mixture of butter and oil. Then, boil three or four large carrots until soft, and puree them with the onions and garlic. Pour the puree back into the pot, and over a medium flame, add low sodium broth until the soup reaches the desired consistency. Lastly, add a dash of curry. Be careful here, as the curry flavor may develop over time. Add curry slowly, and stir and taste until it seems like you've almost got enough. Remember that you can always add more when you serve the soup, but you can't remove the curry once you've added it.

Chicken soup is an easy and hearty winter soup.
Chicken soup is an easy and hearty winter soup.

The third variation of this easy and hearty winter soup is healthy, delicious, and very colorful. This soup starts the same way as the last two, with garlic and onions. Boil two medium potatoes until soft, and in a separate pot, boil and equal volume of fresh beets. The beets should be scrubbed prior to boiling, to remove the hairlike roots, and the tops should be cut off. Once the beets and potatoes are soft, puree them with the onion and garlic, then pour them back into the large pot. Add low sodium broth, just as with the other soups. This soup is particularly delicious with a generous amount of fresh cracked pepper, and to take any sweetness out of the soup, stir in a heaping spoonful of low fat sour cream just before serving. It may sound odd but this soup is a healthy and delicious meal that will likely surprise those you serve it too, considering that its color is bright magenta. It might even make a great dish for Valentine's Day!

Each of these winter soups freezes well, so portions can be doubled to make extra soup for later. The recipes are not exact because they truly don't need to be, which is one reason these soups are so easy to make.

Discussion Comments

chicada

My favorite winter soup is roasted butternut squash soup. This simple winter squash soup consists of caramelized and roasted butternut squash, onions, stock, and heavy cream, all blended until smooth.

To prepare this soup, I simply peel, seed and chop a couple of small butternut squash into even pieces. I roast them in a baking dish with butter and brown sugar until fork tender. I cook the onions in a little butter until tender. Next, I add a couple of cups of light chicken or vegetable stock, a pinch of salt, and the cooked squash. I blend the soup with a stick blender, bring to a simmer, and add the cream until the soup is the texture and consistency that I desire. Finally, I strain the soup through a sieve to remove some of the bigger pieces of pulp, leaving nothing but an exquisitely rich and creamy soup. This soup is great served with cinnamon and sugar croutons.

Georgesplane

I have to say that one of the all-time best soups is a bowl of piping hot cheddar ale. I was a cook for almost a decade in Vermont, and this was one of my favorite soups in the wintertime. I would make my cheddar ale soup with sautéed shallots, caramelized onions, a dark chicken stock (homemade of course with brandy, veggies and chicken), roux, local IPA microbrew, and lots of shredded extra sharp cheddar. Served in a bread bowl with a pint of ale is the only way to enjoy this good winter soup.

mentirosa

Another comforting creamy and rich soup is broccoli and cheddar. I peal the fibrous outer layer of broccoli stems, chop and cook first for approximately five minutes since it needs more time then florets.

Using chicken broth or vegetable broth, low in sodium adds flavor. A dash of nutmeg is nice also.

Cream and cheddar round up this delicious soup any time of the year, but particularly in winter.

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    • Garlic is often used to add flavor to soup.
      By: Schlierner
      Garlic is often used to add flavor to soup.
    • Winter soups can be made with carrots.
      By: Dionisvera
      Winter soups can be made with carrots.
    • Squash is a flavorful way to thicken winter soup.
      By: web2000ra
      Squash is a flavorful way to thicken winter soup.
    • Onions add some bite to many easy, hearty winter soups.
      By: Natika
      Onions add some bite to many easy, hearty winter soups.
    • Chicken soup is an easy and hearty winter soup.
      By: azurita
      Chicken soup is an easy and hearty winter soup.
    • Split pea soup is a healthy winter favorite.
      By: Igor Dutina
      Split pea soup is a healthy winter favorite.
    • Borscht is made from fresh beets, which give the soup its distinctive red color.
      By: jillchen
      Borscht is made from fresh beets, which give the soup its distinctive red color.
    • Bacon soup makes for a fairly hearty meal.
      By: marysckin
      Bacon soup makes for a fairly hearty meal.
    • Potatoes are a chief ingredient in many filling winter soups and stews.
      By: anjelagr
      Potatoes are a chief ingredient in many filling winter soups and stews.