30 Soup Recipes To Warm You Up - Once Upon a Chef (2024)

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When it’s cold and gray, we crave warmth and sustenance. From vegetable soups, like potato leek and lentil, to hearty chilis and stews, these classic soup recipes will warm you from the inside out. Some of these soups simmer on the stove for hours, while others can be whipped up quickly for instant gratification.

30 Soup Recipes to Warm You Up

1. Potato Leek Soup

Potato leek is a classic French soup, and it’s endlessly versatile. Serve it cold for Vichyssoise,or garnish it with fresh herbs, bacon, diced vegetables, or whatever you have on hand to make it your own. Get the recipe for Potato Leek Soup.

This vegetarian soup is made almost entirely from pantry staples. It is the perfect weeknight recipe: it takes just 30 minutes to make, yet tastes like you spent all day at the stove, and it’s super healthy, too. Get the recipe for Smoky Chickpea and Red Lentil Soup.

3. Asparagus Soup with Lemon and Parmesan

Perfect for early spring, this creamy soup is made without heavy cream – just asparagus, aromatics, broth, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese blended to silky perfection. Get the recipe for Asparagus Soup.

One of my most popular soup recipes, this fragrant, slurpy noodle soup tastes like sunshine on a dreary day. Since it’s made with a rotisserie chicken and Thai pantry staples – like green curry paste, coconut milk, and fresh ginger – you can have it on the table in no time. Get the recipe for .

5. Pasta e fa*gioli

Pasta e fa*gioli, literally “pasta and beans” in Italian, is a hearty and comforting soup, perfect for a cold night. The base of the soup is made with pancetta, vegetables and white wine, which give the soup wonderful flavor, and the broth is thickened with puréed beans. Get the recipe for Pasta e fa*gioli.

6. Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

You’ve probably got most of the ingredients for this soup lingering in your veggie bin, so it’s easy to whip up on a cold day. The sweet potatoes add body to the soup, making it deliciously creamy, without even the slightest bit of heavy cream. Get the recipe for Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup.

7. Lentil Soup

Whether you’re looking to eat better or chase the winter blues away, this French lentil soup is the ticket. Be sure to use French lentils, which hold their shape nicely when cooked and thicken the soup without turning it to mush. Get the recipe for Lentil Soup.

8. Italian Wedding Soup

The name of this soup derives from the Italian phrase minestra maritata – or “married soup”– which is a reference to the lovely way the flavors combine, like a happy marriage. The soup is traditionally made from homemade stock, but to save time, I use a combination of good-quality store-bought broth flavored with wine and lots of vegetables. Get the recipe for Italian Wedding Soup.

9. Ultimate Beef Chili

This is my go-to beef chili recipe. It is thick, rich, melt-in-your-mouth tender, and delicious served over rice or scooped up with tortilla chips. Feel free to add a can of your favorite beans, if you like. Get the recipe for Beef Chili.

10. Thai-Inspired Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk

This Thai-inspired butternut squash soup is flavored with ginger, red curry paste, and coconut milk. It’s creamy and flavorful, and the heat from the spices will warm you right up. Add a scoop of jasmine rice to each bowl to make it a meal. Get the recipe for Thai-Inspired Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk.

11. Pea Soup with Basil

When we think of pea soup, we usually think of the hearty split pea variety flavored with a ham bone (there’s a recipe for that below). This version, however, is made from sweet green peas, fresh basil, and lime, making it light, bright, and perfect for warmer weather. The soup can be served hot or cold, depending on the temperature outside. Get the recipe for Pea Soup with Basil.

12. Tomato Soup

Made from canned tomatoes, this vibrant tomato soup is my go-to when fresh tomatoes are out of season. Top the soup with basil, croutons, and Parmigiano-Reggiano – or serve it with grilled cheese sandwiches to make it a meal. Get the recipe for Tomato Soup.

13. Avgolemono Chicken Soup with Rice

This classic Greek egg and lemon soup with chicken and rice makes a comforting yet light soup. The only tricky part of the recipe is tempering the eggs, but I make the process easy by using a blender. My secret for this soup is adding a bit of heavy cream – it’s not traditional but it balances the acidity of the lemon and gives the soup a silky finish. Get the recipe for Avgolemono Soup.

14. Chicken Tortilla Soup

Inspired by the signature chicken tortilla soup served at Tommy Bahama Café in Lido Key, FL, this creamy tortilla soup is made from puréed vegetables and corn tortillas. It is a nice change from the traditional broth-based tortilla soup. Get the recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup.

15. Classic Turkey Chili

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen, this classic turkey chili has a spicy, rich flavor and thick texture, and it’s packed with fiber-rich beans. Instead of adding all of the turkey at the beginning, a portion is held back and added towards the end in small pieces, almost like mini meatballs, which creates nice chunks of turkey in every bite. Get the recipe for Turkey Chili.

16. Pumpkin Soup

When we think of pumpkin, we usually think of sweets, but pumpkin is delicious in savory dishes, too. This creamy pumpkin soup is flavored with leeks, apples, maple syrup, smoky cumin and cayenne pepper. It may sound unusual, but one reader wrote to me that it was one of the best soup recipes she’s made in over 50 years of marriage! Get the recipe for Pumpkin Soup.

17. Cioppino (Fisherman’s Stew)

Brimming with seafood in a tomatoey broth that tastes like the sea, this Italian-American fish stew originated with Italian fishermen in San Francisco, CA. Serve the stew with crusty bread for sopping up the savory broth. Get the recipe for Cioppino.

18. Black Bean Soup

Made from pantry staples, this Southwestern-style soup is a quick and easy. You can have it on the table in 30 minutes! Get the recipe for Black Bean Soup.

19. Mulligatawny

Mulligatawny beautifully marries the spicy warmth of Indian flavors with British cuisine, all in one heartwarming bowl. Get the recipe for Mulligatawny Soup.

With thousands of 5-star reviews, this stew is my all-time most popular recipe. Pieces of well-marbled chuck roast are seared in a hot pan, and then gently braised with aromatics in a wine-based broth. After several in the oven, the meat becomes fork-tender and swathed in a rich, deeply-flavored sauce. Get the recipe for Beef Stew with Carrots and Potatoes.

21. Crab Soup

Filled with fresh crab and seasoned simply with Old Bay, this soup tastes like a day on the Eastern shore. The recipe was given to me by the chef at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay. It is unapologetically rich and 100% worth it! Get the recipe for Crab Soup.

22. Easy Butternut Squash Soup

This is the easiest recipe butternut squash soup recipe out there, and yet, it is everything you expect a good butternut squash soup to be: silky, sweet, and loaded with flavor. Get the recipe for Butternut Squash Soup.

23. Coq au Vin

A classic French stew, coq au vin is made with chicken braised in a red wine broth with pancetta and mushrooms. It is best made ahead of time, as the flavor continues to develop overnight, and it freezes beautifully too. Serve the stew with egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or good bread for soaking up the sauce. Get the recipe for Coq au Vin.

24. French Onion Soup

The mark of a good French onion soup is a rich, deeply-flavored broth. The secret is patience: the onions must be cooked slowly so that they sweeten and turn a deep caramel color without burning. Get the recipe for French Onion Soup.

25. Broccoli Cheddar Soup

If you’re a fan of the rich and creamy broccoli cheddar soup served at Panera, you’ll love this copycat recipe! Get the recipe for Broccoli Cheddar Soup.

26. Creamy Zucchini Soup with Walnuts and Dill

This creamy zucchini soup with fresh dill is surprisingly healthy. There are no dairy products in it; rather, it is thickened with flavorful toasted walnuts. You can have the soup on the table in 30 minutes, and it’s good cold or hot. Get the recipe for .

27. Southwestern Corn Chowder

From my second cookbook and one of my all-time favorite soup recipes, this summer-into-fall recipe is ideal for when the nights turn cooler and you’re looking for new ways to use up late-season corn. I love to serve this soup with chips and guacamole. Get the recipe for Southwestern Corn Chowder.

28. Matzo Ball soup

Matzo ball soup is a bit of project, but it is the ultimate comfort food and oh so worth it. If you have two large soup pots, double the recipe and freeze half for later – you’ll be so glad you did. Get the recipe for Matzo Ball Soup.

29. Split Pea Soup with Ham

This classic American soup is made from split peas and a pork-flavored broth. It’s an easy recipe that delivers big flavor, and it’s hearty enough to serve as a main course. Pair the soup with artisan bread or fresh cornbread. Get the recipe for Split Pea Soup with Ham.

30. Chicken Noodle Soup

Whether you’re under the weather or just in need of a little pick me up, chicken noodle soup will make you feel all better. Whip up some biscuits to round out the meal. Get the recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup.