The Only 5 Soup Recipes You Need This Winter
- Green Bay Area Mom
- Feb 6
- 4 min read
I love soup. I could eat soup any time of year, including the middle of summer. I’d sweat my way through it and still enjoy it. I also love my crockpot, as you could probably guess from this recipe lineup.
Winter in Wisconsin is simply the BEST time of year for soups and stews. My husband thinks soup isn’t a full meal, so I have to work extra hard to find only the HEARTIEST of soup recipes for him. Add picky toddlers into the mix, and it gets even trickier. But after careful research (aka taste-testing), I think we have found our absolute favorites. Add your favorite crusty bread and a side salad to any of these for an amazing, complete meal.
These 5 soup recipes (plus the classic chicken noodle, of course) are regularly on the menu at our house. Try them and you won’t regret it!
Have you ever had Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscano? This is it, except homemade, and possibly better. One tip I’ve found useful – you need to use HOT Italian sausage. Mild just does not have the flavor that hot sausage will give the soup. And, here are a few things you can do that differ from this link’s recipe:
*Use 4-6 russet potatoes rather than the 4 yellow potatoes it calls for
*Add a little water so all your ingredients are under liquid before you cover and cook for hours
*Add 1/4 c crumbled bacon to it, or a Tbsp of bacon-flavored oil
*Use 2 Tbsp of flour or cornstarch to thicken your heavy cream
*Use a non-dairy version of heavy cream and skip the Parmesan to make this dairy-free
This makes a ton of soup, which is great if you are feeding a crowd or want leftovers. I love this recipe because most split pea and ham soup calls for a ham bone… I don’t often have access to a ham bone, nor do I want to go find one. And, we like our soups THICK, like this one.
This one is extremely hearty and wonderful. I personally do not shred my carrots and potatoes – I just use diced because that’s easier for me. I also use my wooden spoon to break up the pieces of stew meat into pretty small chunks once cooked and tender, because my kids are still young. Get the delicious recipe here.
Crockpot Ham and Lentil Soup
Are you noticing a trend here? I really do (obviously) love my crockpot. I’m a working mom, so when I manage to throw some veggies and meat into a pot in the morning (after I’m energized from some coffee), and then walk into my house hours later with dinner ready, I feel like superwoman.
This batch is pretty large as well, so you can easily feed a crowd with it.
Ingredients:
2 c. dry lentils, rinsed
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
4 carrots, sliced (about 2 cups)
4 Tbsp Chicken Bouillon soup base
1 Tbsp minced garlic with a pinch of dried basil and a pinch of dried parsley)
1 tsp finely shredded lemon peel (lemon zest)
A tiny pinch of each of cayenne, cumin, paprika, ground mustard, and oregano
2 c. cubed/cut up cooked ham
8 c. water
4 c. fresh spinach
Directions:
*Mix all ingredients except spinach and oil in your crockpot. Add the 8 c. of water and cover. Cook on low for 7-8 hrs or high 3.5-4 hrs.
*After cooking for the specified time, add ham and cook on high for an additional 10 min.
*Stir in spinach and grapeseed oil, ladle into bowls, and enjoy.
I saved this one for last because it’s literally my favorite. It is so unique, and so delicious, and everyone loves it at my house. We’ve served it to everyone – from the heartiest meat eaters out there, to strict vegans. It’s filling, healthy, and has so much flavor. I am also allergic to tomatoes, so it satisfies my “chili craving.”
One unique way that I cook this – I get this boiling on the stove, stick the cinnamon stick in, cover it, and put the entire pot into my Wonderbag. What is a Wonderbag, you ask? It is an “unplugged” version of a crockpot. A fabulous insulated bag that continues to keep your soups, stews, and other slower cooking foods brewing even when not on the stove. You can leave food in here supposedly up to 12 hours, but I usually only leave food cooking in it for 3-5 hours. At the end of those hours, you take your Vegan Quinoa Chili out, and it is HOT, fully cooked, flavors are at their peak, and it is ready. Top with avocado, cilantro, and lime before serving for some added flavor and textures.
Please try all of these and share your own favorite soup recipes!
Original post by Jolene on 2/6/19
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