There's nothing like a warm bowl of soup in general, but especially on a freezing-cold day. Animals hibernate in the winter (the smart thing to do), while we attempt to continue life as normal, without getting frostbitten. A day out in the cold, and even the few hours it takes to get home from work in the cold, can render us pretty much useless when we finally return home. The rest of the evening must be spent thawing out and warming up; cranking up the heat, and sipping down some tea or soup. Under a blanket, curled up next to a fireplace, at the table, or while reading a good book — every perfect winter night scenario goes great with either a cup or bowl of soup.
Sometimes, when left to one's own devices, we can get in a rut of making the same old soups or the same old recipes. Not that its an issue, because sometimes, that's what our wallet dictates. More often than not, we just need some inspiration. Personally, after work, I do not feel like cooking even ONE thing. I barely want to put a piece of cheese on a cracker. The easiest thing is usually to pick up something or order something. But with soups and stews, ingredients can be thrown into a slow cooker before work, and be ready to serve upon returning home.
In addition to saving time, making various soups can save us some expense. Crock-Pot dishes usually last for a while, especially when served with rice. Imagine how much money we could all save if we ate different soups that lasted us at least four days or more, without ordering anything out. I shudder to think how much money I'd actually have left over. At any rate, trusty CafeMom has come to the rescue, and taken the work out of finding recipes to make during the frigid winter months. Here are 20, diverse, one-of-a-kind soup recipes that families will enjoy eating and moms will no doubt enjoy making (and having a few days off from cooking as a result).
Gumbo-laya Stew
As a person who never really knew the difference between gumbo and jambalya (and would gladly devour both), coming across this recipe forced me to look it up. This stew features such mouthwatering ingredients as spicy sausage, chicken, and shrimp and is paired with what Ingrid calls a "fragrant garlic rice."
Get the recipe here.
Thai Salmon Curry
An adventurous person at heart, I love to try foods of different cultures and from other countries. After tasting and trying to cook so many, I've come to realize that international cuisine as a whole is more alike than different. Many cultures have staple meals that are in essence stews or soups, typically served over rice. The differences between the recipes are just whichever seasonings, vegetables, and meats one chooses to interchange. This Thai curry is a really cool concept I'd love to try. I don’t know that I've ever tried a fish-based stew.
Get the recipe here.
Creamy Sausage Soup With Sage
How delectable this sausage-based chowder looks! With buttered breadcrumbs and sausage, the textures and flavors probably fuse so perfectly.
Get the recipe here.
Loaded Broccoli Cheese & Potato Soup
Technically, all soups are fusions of random ingredients in pot. But I still find it especially exciting to discover every new blend creative minds have tested and successfully made into tasty recipes for us. This broccoli cheese and potato soup (without the bacon) would be a favorite among my siblings who are vegetarian and love potatoes.
Get the recipe here.
Beef Stroganoff Soup
Who doesn’t love a good beef stroganoff? That was rhetorical, because if you don’t, I don’t trust you. Sorry. According to the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, this Russian dish gets its name from a phrase meaning "second dish of meat." In my mind, I'd probably be full after one course featuring the original. However, the idea of turning the hearty entrée into a borscht of sorts is super original (and one I'd also like to try). What's more, it's supposed to only take 30 minutes to prepare!
Get the recipe here.
Peruvian Seafood Stew in Cilantro Broth
Cilantro is one of my favorite herbs to add to my food. Nine times out of 10, when cilantro makes an appearance in a dish I've ordered, it's amazing. Just seeing the word cilantro in the menu item or description, I trust that I'll love it. This delicious-looking seafood-filled soup is one I'd definitely like to try, over some rice.
Get the recipe here.
Texas-Style Chili
I'm dying for an Instant Pot multi cooker. Everyone has one and I have FOMO. This recipe uses the instant pot, mainly because to really get the flavors going, without the pressure cooker, one would have to cook the meat and sauce all day long. I have a slow cooker, so I would probably use that. Whatever the case, this would be perfect for a cold night or better yet, Super Bowl parties (which this season will be happening during one of the coldest months of the year, February)!
Get the recipe here.
Thai Yellow Fish Curry
This Thai-inspired fish soup appears to have some great textures. In general, fish is quick to make and the sauce supposedly only takes five minutes to prepare. It also claims to be gluten-free.
Get the recipe here.
Beer-Braised Chicken Stew With Vegetables
At first glance, this stew resembles those seafood boils we eat in the summer, just because its jam-packed! Corn on the cob, chunks of carrots and potatoes, radish, and more. A special touch is the beer braising, which probably makes everything extra flavorful.
Get the recipe here.
Tomato Soup With Bacon & Gruyere Grilled Cheese Croutons
Tomato soup, although a basic and simple-sounding dish, is actually one of my favorites. When prepared and seasoned properly, the flavor rivals any other delicious plate on any given menu. As a tribute to the grilled cheese sandwich that is often paired with the soup, this recipe includes homemade grilled cheese and bacon croutons.
Get the recipe here.
Lasagna Soup
As an avid connoisseur of all pastas, lasagna is a dish I don’t mess around with. I enjoy mine with lost of sauce and cheese, but I like the pasta to be dry, not soggy. So the idea of lasagna in a soup is intriguing, to say the least. But, I'll try anything once. It definitely looks appetizing in this picture.
Get the recipe here.
Vietnamese Beef Stew
Here we have another internationally inspired delicacy in the Vietnamese beef stew. An Instant Pot was also used in the preparation, but a slow cooker left on while running errands or cleaning the house works just as good.
Get the recipe here.
Lentil Soup With Spinach & Garlic
Lentils always give me a warm feeling inside. Growing up, we ate so many of them. This version has a few extra elements (that I'm not mad at), like spinach, garlic, little bits of potatoes, and more.
Get the recipe here.
Wild Mushroom & Beef Stew
This year, I found a renewed love of mushrooms. After tasting them in various sauces and mixed with bundles of assorted vegetables, I love them. This mushroom and beef stew is definitely a meal I will be making to warm my family up this winter.
Get the recipe here.
French Lentil Soup With Garlic Croutons
Another version of the lentil soup, this time with European flair. This recipe incorporates, red wine, leeks and escarole (a vegetable from the endive family).
Get the recipe here.
Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana
I've never tried the zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden, but if this is what it looks like, I'm definitely trying it soon. The creator of this recipe tried her hand at this Italian-inspired dish, "soup in the style of Tuscany" and it looks delicious.
Get the recipe here.
Red Wine Oxtail Soup
Oxtail is one of my favorite pieces of beef. I don't eat beef often, but when I do, I love trying this piece. Usually, I've tried it at the hands of Jamaican chefs, but this dish is inspired by South African cuisine and created by a culinary artist from Johannesburg.
Get the recipe here.
Italian Wedding Soup
No list of soups is complete without including Italian wedding soup. On many a cold night, I've grabbed the canned version of this soup and been perfectly content. How much better would it have tasted homemade? Here's our chance.
Get the recipe here.
Slow Cooker Green Chile Enchilada Soup
Enchilada-inspired soup, filled with beans, chicken, cilantro, and topped with sour cream sounds delicious. Children may never choose soup off of the menu, but if this is placed in front of any of them, I'm sure they will lick the bowl.
Get the recipe here.
Asiago Cauliflower & Quinoa Chowder
For a a healthier, lighter option, we have this quinoa and cauliflower soup. The recipe doesn't include meat, for our vegetarians. But the recipe also suggests sprinkling bits of bacon, for the carnivores.
Get the recipe here.
