This is a no-judgment zone, right? Good, because I ate soup for dinner every night this week. From Pho to chicken tortillas to Italian Wedding Soup, I just can’t buy enough — and I’m perfectly fine with it. Although I have to admit that I crave soup all year long, even in the heat of summer, my cravings peak in the winter. Comfort soup recipes are like a warm hug in a bowl, especially given the colder temperatures outside.
One of the most valuable cooking lessons I learned in 2021 is that soup is actually pretty easy to make. Homemade soup always scared me, but in the end I conquered my fear and I will never go back again. I still head to my favorite soup spots in Austin — Soup Peddler, Sip Pho, and Central Market — but making my own soup at home has become my favorite winter evening activity. Arguably the best outcome of my soup addiction is this list of tried-and-true comforting soup recipes. Whether you’re sick, have a cold, or just have an itchy rash, these 14 recipes are guaranteed to bring you cozy comfort.
14 comfort soup recipes to try this week
Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
Why we love it: This pleasant vegan soup is made from cream with coconut milk. It is healthy, delicious and very satisfying. Plus, it uses one of my favorite winter vegetables, pumpkin. Camille makes this soup whenever her body needs to recover, and you will too.
Hero composition: Pumpkin is the basic soup.
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Easy 1-pot tomato soup (vegan) from Minimalist Baker
Why we love it: Tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich could be my last comfort meal. I’ve always loved the tomato soup from La Madeleine, but this easy and healthy recipe cost me my money. It keeps the ingredients needed, time to a minimum and dishes in one pot.
Hero composition: I guess it would be weird if I didn’t say tomato.
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A pot of spicy vegetarian corn soup
Why we love it: This 30-minute one-pot corn soup is perfect for a cozy night out. Many people complain that corn soup can be too sweet, so Suruchi cleverly balances the corn flavor with spice from jalapeños, poblanos, and sriracha. It’s a quick and flavorful soup that is sure to become part of your weeknight rotation.
Hero composition: Jalepeños are the ultimate spicy recipe.
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5 green Chilean ingredients stewed from the defining dish
Why we love it: This green Chilean stew is Whole-30 compliant, yet incredibly comforting. A lot of times, stews and soups make eating clean easy because they’re packed with protein and vegetables. This recipe features pork, onions, potatoes, green peppers, and all the best garnishes. Because of its simplicity, you will definitely do this more than once this winter.
Hero composition: Please add green chili.
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Easy Mexican Chicken & Rice Soup
Why we love it: This chicken and rice soup should be prescribed for every ailment. Whenever I have a cold, the only thing that sounds delicious from afar is a simple soup packed with healing nutrients, and this one is perfect. All you have to do is throw everything on the pot and wait for the magic to happen.
Hero composition: The broth that this soup makes should be sold by the jar.
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Green curry chicken noodle soup from the defining dish
Why we love it: Not that the traditional chicken noodle soup really needs an upgrade, but this recipe takes the flavor to the next level. It uses coconut milk in green curry sauce to give it a taste of Indian cuisine, and garnishes it with lemon, cilantro and Thai basil for an extra pop of color. This recipe may sound complicated at first, but it actually comes together in 30 minutes.
Hero composition: The green curry sauce really makes up this soup.
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25 minutes wonton soup with sesame oil from a half-baked harvester
Why we love it: Craving Chinese takeaway food but too cold to leave your home? Enter: faster, healthier, easier, Homemade Wonton Soup. This recipe uses store-bought wontons, which completely simplifies the cooking process and chops the vegetables before serving, a delicious detail you can’t miss. Overall, this soup is nothing short of pleasant.
Hero composition: I like to put homemade chili sesame oil on top of everything.
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Easy Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup
Why we love it: This easy Mexican chicken tortilla soup recipe is a family tradition at Camille’s house. To this day, this is one of her most popular Instagram recipes, so if you haven’t already, here’s your sign. It’s also the perfect recipe for self catering for family gatherings.
Hero composition: Obviously I would opt for the homemade tortilla strips.
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Easy from Love & Lemons Vegetarian Pho
Why we love it: As I mentioned earlier, I love Noodle soup. I didn’t stop by Sip Pho at least once a week. However, the takeout window will start to miss me because I discovered this easy recipe. While this isn’t a completely authentic recipe, as it’s flavored with mushrooms instead of meat, it’s still super comforting and milder.
Hero composition: Mushrooms work wonders.
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Creamy French Onion and Mushroom Soup from Half Baked Harvest
Why we love it: It is never possible to have a list of comforting soup recipes that do not include some kind of French onion soup. However, this recipe goes above and beyond with caramelized onions, a touch of cream, and double the amount of herbs. While it’s not the healthiest soup, thanks to its delicious cheese bread toppings, it’s certainly one of the most pleasing.
Hero composition: Wild mushrooms have medicinal effects.
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Leek Soup Potatoes from What’s Gaby Cooking
Why we love it: This potato leek soup is a potato lover’s dream. Warm, hearty and delicious. It also freezes super well, so it’s perfect for meal planning, meal delivery, leftovers, etc.
Hero composition: Hot potatoes.
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Non-dairy chicken and vegetable soup from Nyssa’s Kitchen
Why we love it: This soup is the definition of healthy comfort food. After all, sometimes the most comforting thing is to give your body exactly what it needs. It has all the flavors of a classic chicken soup, but with added tomato and spinach cream. Plus, it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and bland, so even the pickiest members of your family will love this soup.
Hero composition: Cashews make for a delicious cashew ice cream that really elevates the comfort factor.
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Black bean soup from the specified dish
Why we love it: Believe it or not, this is a recipe that taught me to love making soup. I’ve got a can of black beans in my pantry and this is the perfect use. This dish is super easy to make but doesn’t compromise on flavor — it’s spiced, fragrant, and delicious. Serve this with fritos for late winter football night.
Hero composition: Leave that can of black bean juice to work.
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Italian Wedding Soup from Cooking Classy
Why we love it: The Italian Wedding Soup was a soup chosen by my roommate, so of course we had to try to cook it ourselves. We made this with simple beef balls and hot dogs for pasta, and thought it was awesome. This recipe calls for a combination of beef and pork meatballs, but I think you can use any meat you want for an equally delicious soup. Spinach, celery, onion and carrots also add a lot of nutrients, but feel free to combine them with vegetables.
Hero composition: Small pasta makes this soup heartier and more tolerable.
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What’s your go-to soup? Leave the recipe in the comments below.
