22 Winter Soups That Will Keep You Cozy

Chicken soup, tomato soup, smoky bean soup, and minestrone are just a few of the winter soups in this comforting collection.

Chicken soup with carrots
Photo: Diana Chistruga

A bowl of one of our winter soups will warm you when you come in from the cold—and ease that lingering chill of a frosty day. For that reason, these filling soups are bowls of comfort. Some, like chicken noodle soup and cream of tomato soup, are time-honored classics. Others are creative new takes on coziness that achieve deep, smoky flavor in record time thanks to carefully chosen ingredients and a streamlined technique. Make one on a weeknight when you need a soothing, but quick meal.

Our collection of winter soup recipes includes meaty broths, smooth purées, and vegan options—all are guaranteed to make you feel cozy and satisfied.

01 of 22

Smoky Black-Bean Soup with Sausage

smoky black-bean soup with sausage
Nico Schinco

This hearty soup tastes like it cooked long and slow, but it comes together in just 40 minutes. Using canned fire-roasted tomatoes and andouille sausage are shortcuts to complex, smoky flavor.

02 of 22

Pork and Cabbage Soup

pork cabbage soup
Christopher Testani

Just what you need on a chilly night, this filling soup features pork in two forms—smoky bacon and meaty ribs—plus leeks and onions as well as fresh and fermented cabbage (sauerkraut). Serve with plenty of sour cream and fresh dill.

03 of 22

Test Kitchen's Favorite Tomato Soup

tomato soup with basil
Sidney Bensimon

No cream is needed for this favorite tomato soup. Instead, a butter-and-flour roux is used to achieve its velvety, rich texture. Enjoy a bowl on its own or pair it with a grilled cheese.

04 of 22

Escarole and Bean Soup

red-bean-soup-026-d111386.jpg
Linda Pugliese

This quick and hearty meatless soup uses two types of canned beans, garbanzo and red kidney, and a whole head of escarole. Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth to make it vegetarian—and don't skip the toasted bread for serving.

05 of 22

Vegan Lentil Soup

vegan lentil soup in bowl on blue table
Justin Walker

Fiber-packed, filling, and meat- and dairy-free, this lentil soup uses crushed tomatoes for its base, while an array of vegetables—broccoli rabe, carrots, and celery—give the dish its vibrant color and deep flavor.

06 of 22

Beef, Pumpkin, and Shiitake Soup

beef pumpkin and shiitake soup served with fresh basil
Christopher Testani

From Vietnamese pho to French stew, this recipe takes inspiration from cuisines around the world. Beef chuck is boiled until it is fall-off-the-bone tender, then onion, chopped pumpkin and its peels, shiitake stems, and cabbage leaf are added to the pot to cook. Use basil and a splash of fish sauce to add a dose of umami flavor.

07 of 22

Chipotle Chicken and White-Bean Soup

Chipotle Chicken and White-Bean Soup
Alpha Smoot

One-pot meals are the MVP of dinner, and this take on tortilla soup is no exception. Using three-canned ingredients—tomato sauce, chipotles in adobo, and white beans—make it a real time saver without sacrificing flavor.

08 of 22

Minestrone with Winter Greens

pasta-white-bean-soup-097-d112404.jpg
Sharon Radisch

Take your taste buds to Italy without leaving the comfort of your kitchen with this minestrone soup. Packed with protein-rich cannellini beans and studded with your choice of shredded chicory, escarole, or kale, the dish is homemade cooking at its finest.

09 of 22

Ginger-Lemongrass Broth with Noodles, Silken Tofu, and Broccoli

Ginger-Lemongrass Broth with Noodles, Silken Tofu, and Broccoli recipe
Yuki Sugiura

This soup will keep any winter cold at bay thanks to protein-rich tofu and broccolini, which is loaded with vitamin C. The dish gets a kick of spice from Thai chile pepper.

10 of 22

Turkey-Pesto Meatball Soup

turkey pesto meatballs
Lennart Weibull

You need just a few ingredients to make the delicious meatballs for this soup. Mix ground turkey with panko breadcrumbs, egg, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Streamline soup prep by making the meatball-mixture a day early and storing it in the refrigerator.

11 of 22

Carrot-Ginger Soup

Carrot-Ginger Soup
Bryan Gardner

One way to ensure you're maintaining a healthy diet is to eat meals rich in color, like this vibrant orange soup. One pound of carrots, a medium-sized sweet potato, fresh ginger, and shallots are cooked together, then puréed. Serve each bowl with a dollop of yogurt for a welcome tang.

12 of 22

Vegetable-Bean Soup

turkey-bean-spoup-med107742.jpg
Romulo Yanes

This fuss-free comfort food meal comes together in under an hour and uses easy-to-find vegetables including carrots, celery, and onion. Canned diced tomatoes and vegetable broth are used as a base while cannellini beans add a boost of protein.

13 of 22

Potato, Broccoli, and Cheddar Soup

Potato Broccoli and Cheddar Soup
Alpha Smoot

Few foods have a reputation for being as comforting as potatoes. For this soup, they are boiled with broccoli and shallots then blended with cheese until a smooth, creamy soup is formed. Be sure to serve with crunchy cheese toasts that are also part of this recipe.

14 of 22

Wonton Soup

wonton soup

Ground pork, cabbage, scallions, fresh ginger, and sesame oil make a tasty filling for wontons in this favorite soup. Once prepared, the wontons are cooked in a pot of vegetable broth.

15 of 22

Split-Pea Soup with Spinach and Barley

spinach split-pea soup with barley topped with yogurt
Kate Mathis

Split peas and spinach are puréed into a vibrant green soup that's as nutrient dense as it is colorful. A swirl of plain yogurt adds a pop of brightness and creamy texture, while a sprinkle of barley fills your diet with beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that lowers bad cholesterol.

16 of 22

Basic Chicken Soup

basic chicken soup
Diana Chistruga

Everyone needs a go-to chicken soup recipe and this streamlined, five-ingredient version is one of our favorites. It uses the time-honored technique of boiling the chicken to start the soup.

17 of 22

French Onion Soup

french onion soup served with cheesy bread
Jenny Huang

You'll need 3 pounds of sweet onions for this take on the classic French soup. They're cooked slowly until caramelized, before being added to beef stock. The soup is poured into oven-safe bowls and each is topped with a slice of French bread and grated Gruyère cheese, then broiled to crispy perfection.

18 of 22

Bruléed Winter-Bean Soup

winter-bean-soup-gruyere-v4-049-d111633_f.jpg
Anna Williams

Bring bean soup to the next level by garnishing it with homemade croutons and grated Asiago. The cheese melts and gives the hearty soup a rich topping that contrasts with and complements the other ingredients, including kale, carrots, celery, and onion.

19 of 22

Butternut Squash Soup

soup-00126-md110428.jpg
David Malosh

Simmering winter squash and onions in the same pot you cooked crispy bacon in is the secret to this soup. It comes together in exactly one hour and is cream-free, meaning you can freeze it in batches to reheat and enjoy later.

20 of 22

Spicy Carrot Soup

mld106462_1110_carrotsoup1.jpg

Made with five ingredients (plus olive oil and salt), this easy soup comes together in 35 minutes. Carrots, leeks, and harissa—a hot chile sauce—are simmered until the flavors meld. Half the mixture is puréed while the rest is left chunky, creating a thick soothing consistency.

21 of 22

Pressure-Cooker Three-Bean Ribollita

pressure cooker three bean ribollita
Marcus Nilsson

Italian for "reboiled," ribollita is thought to have been created in Tuscany by cooks who needed to use up leftovers. Our version, which is made in a pressure cooker, uses bacon, a handful of vegetables, garlic, rosemary, and three bean varieties (cannellini, Great Northern, and pinto), as well as day-old bread.

22 of 22

Fish-Soup Avgolemono

fish-soup avgolemono served with fresh herbs
Christopher Testani

Avgolemono is a velvety egg-lemon-rice soup with a storied history throughout Greece, Italy, Turkey, and the Balkans. Although traditionally it's made with a whole fish, our simplified version uses fish broth and chunks of fillets.

Was this page helpful?

Related Articles