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Warm Up with These 25 Nourishing Winter Soups

As the temperatures drop, a warm bowl of soup can be just what you need to thaw out and refuel. But why settle for bland, canned options when you can create a nutritious masterpiece with a few simple ingredients? Here are 25 healthy winter soup recipes to get you started.

Slow Cooker Italian Chicken, Quinoa, and Vegetable Soup

Load up your slow cooker with chicken, veggies, and a hint of red pepper flakes for a flavorful, nutritious meal that’s ready when you are.

Turmeric Tomato Soup

Combine turmeric, apple cider vinegar, and coconut oil for a nutrient-dense bowl that’s perfect for when you’re feeling under the weather.

Mediterranean Kale, Cannellini, and Farro Stew

This one-pot wonder covers all your nutritional bases with kale, cannellini beans, farro, carrots, and celery. A healthy, satisfying meal that’s easy to make.

Tomato and Vegetable White Bean Soup

Vegan and gluten-free, this soup is a cornucopia of veggies with protein on top. Add a baguette for a comforting treat.

Lentil Vegetable Soup

With just two steps and two hours of cooking time, this recipe is perfect for lazy Sundays. Enjoy leftovers throughout the week and feel productive!

Cauliflower Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Ever thought of turning cauliflower into a soup? Now you will! This simple recipe combines cauliflower and red bell peppers for a vitamin C-rich treat.

Nine Vegetable Hot and Sour Soup

This Asian-inspired veggie soup is perfect for nourishing yourself better. Nine veggies, half an hour on the stove, and enough goodness for a change of pace.

Butternut Squash Apple Soup with Sage Parmesan Croutons

Fruits and veggies unite in this creamy puree. Tender butternut squash cubes meet sweet-tart apples for a nutritional one-two punch.

Vegan Split Pea Soup

Don’t dismiss split pea soup just yet! This intensely flavorful, super-filling soup melds split peas with warming spices for an irresistible treat.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Mexican-inspired flavors in a soup? Yes, please! This one-dish meal is a liquid fiesta of spice with chicken, black beans, and veggies.

Dairy-Free Broccoli Soup

Rich, savory, and cheese-like, this broccoli soup is possible without cow’s milk. Soaked cashews, almond milk, and nutritional yeast recreate the creaminess you crave.

Moroccan-Inspired Chickpea Stew

Chickpeas aren’t just for hummus! They’re a fiber-packed, iron-rich choice for the centerpiece of a stew. Served over quinoa, it’s a vegetarian meal loaded with complete protein.

Pizza Soup

Pizza as a soup? Genius! This gluten-free, keto-friendly soup combines veggies like mushrooms and peppers with low-sodium beef broth for a comforting treat.

Easy Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

Having soup for dinner can sometimes leave you hungry an hour later. Not so with this healthy slow cooker white chicken chili! The ample protein from chicken, beans, and quinoa will stick to your ribs.

Curried Pumpkin Soup with Maple-Ginger Caramelized Onions

Pumpkin soup takes on a new level of flavor with unique maple-ginger caramelized onions. Get your fiber and vitamin A fix with this fall-inspired recipe.

Instant Pot Wild Rice Mushroom Soup

The Instant Pot makes quick work of cooking a wild rice-mushroom blend in this easy vegan recipe. Dairy-free cream cheese ups the ante on creamy texture.

Creamy Roasted Vegetable Soup

Show your leftovers some love with this innovative take on veggie soup. Using roasted veggies, you can create an entire second meal – a velvety, satisfying meal, at that!

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Stuffed peppers are a dreamy dinner, but let’s face it – they’re a slog to make. Shortcut your way to their piquant flavor with this savory soup.

Seafood Chowder

Introducing a lighter-than-usual chowder! A mixture of cod and shrimp provides ample omega-3 fatty acids, while half-and-half in place of heavy whipping cream scales back the calories and fat even more.

Slow Cooker Black Bean and Kielbasa Soup

One nutrient that’s often overlooked – but crucial for functions like lowering blood pressure and preventing kidney stones – is potassium. This black bean and kielbasa soup delivers more than 1,200 milligrams per serving.

Chard and White Bean Stew

What to do with a whole pound of chard? Make a soup, of course! This chard and white bean stew practically busts out of the pot with antioxidant-rich veggies.

West African-Inspired Peanut Stew with Chicken

Believe it or not, this West African-inspired stew comes together with common pantry staples. Chicken thighs, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peanut butter, and familiar spices combine forces to make a classic right in your home kitchen.

Potato Leek Soup

A bowl of warming potato leek soup is the perfect antidote to chilly evenings. Greek yogurt dials back the calorie and fat content (and boosts the protein) in this lighter version of the well-loved soup.

Red Lentil Dahl Soup

Red lentil dahl makes a hearty vegetarian curry – and an unforgettable soup. Turn the traditional Indian dish into something more sippable with this nourishing plant-based recipe.

Chicken Noodle Soup

You knew we couldn’t finish a list of winter soups without including a chicken noodle soup recipe. But this is much more than your run-of-the-mill canned variety. Complete with fresh ginger and garlic, this nourishing soup could help keep colds and the flu at bay.

The Benefits of Soup

Soup is a cozy way to take off the chill when it’s nippy out… but is it healthy for you? With the right ingredients, absolutely! One 2014 study even found that people who ate more soup had better diet quality and were more likely to eat fewer calories.

Soup is Hydrating

Soup’s liquid base contributes to your daily hydration – and that’s almost always a good thing. Getting dehydrated can lead to a bunch of unpleasant issues, including chapped lips, constipation, fatigue, dizziness, and headaches.

Soup is an Easy Way to Eat Nutrients

By choosing nutrient-dense ingredients, you can ensure that soup is more than just hydrating. In fact, it’s a perfect canvas for foods high in fiber, protein, healthy fats, and critical micronutrients. Beans and lentils, lean meats, whole grains, olive oil, and veggies easily slip into soup, making it a hearty, nutrient-rich meal.

What to Eat in Moderation

Depending on your dietary needs and goals, you might want to keep tabs on a couple of nutrients in soup: sodium and fat. Most commercially prepared broths come with high amounts of sodium. And creamy soups, which usually include butter and heavy cream, are notorious for their higher-than-usual saturated fat content. As you cook soup at home, keep an eye on the nutrition labels of ingredients you toss in your pot to make sure you’re crafting a bowl of nourishment.