After flavoring the beans for this creamy winter soup, smoked ham hock is shredded and pan-fried, rendering it crisp and intensifying its flavor. Bill Phelps
SHARE

As winter sets in, we look for warmth in hearty, gut-sticking comfort foods and piping hot soups and stews.

Many of our favorite winter soups are loaded with beans, which pair excellently with proteins and provide the heft necessary to thicken a basic stock. Our white bean and ham hock soup is topped with lacinato kale, while our Portuguese chickpea stew adds carrots, potatoes, and butternut squash to a meaty base of sausage, lamb, pork, and veal.

Adding pasta is another way to bulk up a winter soup—think Karfiolleves, a paprika-spiced cauliflower soup from Hungary. Then there are the stews: boeuf bourguignonne is a classic French recipe that cooks beef down in wine and nestles it in a pot packed with onions, mushrooms, and carrots.

Ready to get started? From Thai boat noodle soup to Dominican cream of pumpkin soup, these are our favorite winter soup and stew recipes.

"Bread

Bread and Garlic Soup with Cilantro

Mexican Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Caldo de pollo, a comforting chicken and vegetable soup. Get the recipe for Mexican Chicken and Vegetable Soup »

Carrot Soup with Leeks and Ginger

This spicy carrot ginger soup is an easy winter weeknight meal. See the recipe for Carrot Soup with Leeks and Ginger

Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup (Sopa Azteca)

This simple pasilla chile- and tomato-based soup is ladled onto tortilla chips and topped with creamy avocado, jack cheese, and tangy Mexican crema. Get the recipe for Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup (Sopa Azteca) »

Yellow Tomato Soup with Lamb Meatballs, Yogurt, and Mint

“Spices have always fascinated me. I collect them from all over the world,” says Giorgia Goggi, who accents this soup with Middle Eastern sumac and Indian garam masala. If you can’t find fresh yellow tomatoes, red will work just as well. Yellow Tomato Soup with Lamb Meatballs, Yogurt, and Mint »

Tortellini in Broth

Adapted from Trattoria Sostanza, a Florentine institution, this prosciutto-and-cheese-stuffed pasta is served in a simple chicken broth. Get the recipe for Tortellini in Broth »
"yunnan

Yunnan-Style Breakfast Noodle Soup (Mi Xian)

Yunnan breakfast noodle soup
"Lamb

Lamb Soup With Sour Cream (Palócleves)

Hungarian chef Andrea Németh mixes sour cream with flour before adding it to this paprika-spiced lamb and vegetable soup. It thickens the soup and prevents the cream from curdling. Get the recipe for Lamb Soup With Sour Cream (Palócleves) »
"Sri
Get the recipe for Sri Lankan Fish Curry »
"Onion

Onion Fennel and Mushroom Soup

Onion Fennel and Mushroom Soup
"Korean

Korean Spicy Clam Soup

White Bean and Lacinato Kale Soup with Smoked Ham Hock

After flavoring the beans for this creamy winter soup, smoked ham hock is shredded and pan-fried, rendering it crisp and intensifying its flavor.
"Chickpea

Chickpea Stew with Lamb, Pork, and Veal (Cozido de Grão)

Chickpeas are bolstered with spicy sausage and three kinds of meat in a filling stew served at País das Uvas in Vila de Frades, Portugal. Get the recipe for Chickpea Stew with Lamb, Pork, and Veal »

Portuguese Tomato Soup with Poached Eggs (Sopa de Tomate)

Portuguese home cook Conceição Louro of Estremoz infuses tomatoes with smoky bacon and sausage in this rich tomato soup served with poached eggs.
"Thai

Thai Boat Noodle Soup (Kuaytiaw Reua)

This spicy, delicious Thai noodle soup is enhanced with a touch of crimson pig’s blood. Get the recipe for Thai Boat Noodle Soup (Kuaytiaw Reua) »
"Paprika-Spiced

Paprika-Spiced Cauliflower Soup (Karfiolleves)

This recipe for paprika-spiced cauliflower soup comes from chef Andrea Németh at the restaurant Bagolyvár in Budapest. To form the tiny dumplings, called galuska, she simply drops bits of dough into the simmering broth. Get the recipe for Paprika-Spiced Cauliflower Soup (Karfiolleves) »
"Chickpea

Chickpea and Pasta Soup

Chickpea and Pasta Soup
"Michel

Normandy-Style French Onion Soup

Normandy-Style French Onion Soup
"Japanese

Japanese New Year’s Soup

Japanese New Year’s Soup
"Beef

Beef Broth with Tortellini and Parmesan (Brodo)

Cheese tortellini dot a rich umami broth well-worth a lengthy cooking time. Get the recipe for Beef Broth with Tortellini and Parmesan (Brodo) »
"Dominican

Dominican Cream of Pumpkin Soup (Crema de Auyama)

This rosemary-accented crema de auyama—Dominican cream of pumpkin soup—is the perfect Thanksgiving treat.
"Burgundy-Style

Burgundy-Style Beef Stew (Boeuf Bourguignonne)

With its brisk acidity, a good-quality pinot noir from France’s Burgundy wine region marinates and tenderizes the meat and structures the flavor of the sauce in this classic French beef stew. Get the recipe for Burgundy-Style Beef Stew (Boeuf Bourguignonne) »
"Red

Red Lentil and Squash Soup (Shorabit Jarjir)

Protein-rich red lentils and hearty butternut squash are transformed into a smooth fragrant soup; served with flatbread, it’s perfect as a simple main course. This recipe first appeared in the iPad edition of our December 2013 issue with the article Heart of Palestine. Get the recipe for Red Lentil and Squash Soup (Shorabit Jarjir) »
"Borscht"

A Colorful Bright Pink Soup

Eaten hot or cold, vegetarian or with shreds of beef, enriched with a dollop of sour cream and wisps of dill, this beet-based soup is the quintessence of good Eastern European cooking. Get the recipe for Classic Borscht»
"Senate

Senate Bean Soup

Senate Bean Soup
"Mediterranean

Mediterranean Mussel and Chickpea Soup with Fennel and Lemon

Light enough for a summer dish, this terrific soup is also delicious in the winter months made with Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) mussels instead.

MORE TO READ