26 Best Winter Soup and Stew Recipes to Ward Off Cold Weather
Our favorite one-bowl meals for hearty, soul-warming comfort
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.
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
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 »
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) »
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 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 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) »
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) »
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) »
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»
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.
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