Some Soups Recipe For Winter, Great Soups Recipe For Winter

Soups For Winter

A piping hot bowl of soup is the ultimate comfort food during the winter months. Soup doesn’t have to be rich and creamy to be satisfying, though. Our healthier winter soup recipes, including recipes for vegetable soup, chicken soup and more easy soup recipes, are healthier versions than traditional soup recipes. Try our Pork, White Bean & Kale Soup or Potato-Leek Bisque for a hearty soup dinner.

1.Chicken Noodle Soup

INGREDIENTS

3 quarts Homemade Chicken Stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth, skimmed of fat

3 carrots, cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces medium egg noodles

Cooked chicken meat, shredded (from Homemade Chicken Stock recipe)

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, or 1 tablespoon dried dill

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS

Place stock in a stockpot over medium-high heat, and bring just to a simmer. Add carrots, and simmer until tender, about 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Cook noodles until just tender, about 6 minutes. Drain noodles, and add them to the pot of stock, along with shredded chicken meat. Season with salt and pepper. Heat until very hot. When ready to serve, stir in dill and parsley.

2.Winter Vegetable Soup

INGREDIENTS

1 medium onion, chopped

1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large carrot, thinly sliced

1 celery rib, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 pound sweet potato, peeled and cubed (1/2 inch)

1/2 pound Yukon Gold or boiling potatoes, peeled and cubed (1/2 inch)

2 cups reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup frozen peas

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

PREPARATION

Cook onion with bay leaf and 1/2 teaspoon salt in oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add carrot and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute, then add sweet potato, Yukon Golds, broth, water, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Puree 1 cup soup in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids) and return to pot. Bring to a simmer, then stir in peas and dill and cook until peas are heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

3.Classic Tomato Soup

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons tomato paste

2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)

2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 cans (28 ounces each) whole peeled tomatoes in juice (with basil if available)

DIRECTIONS

In a 5-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat; add oil and onion, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and tomato paste; cook 1 minute.

To saucepan, add thyme, broth, and tomatoes, breaking up tomatoes with your fingers. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, 30 minutes. (Remove thyme sprigs before blending.)

Using an immersion blender, puree soup in pot, leaving a fair amount of the tomatoes in chunks. Or, working in several batches, puree half (5 cups) of the soup in a conventional blender until smooth; return to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

4.Alton Brown's Vegetable Soup

INGREDIENTS 

1⁄4 cup olive oil

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, halved and sliced (baby portobella or mushrooms of choice)

2 medium carrots, finely diced

2 celery ribs, finely diced

1 large onion, finely diced

1 tablespoon kosher salt

one can whole canned tomatoes (35 ounce)

2 teaspoons fresh sage leaves, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaf, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 1⁄2 quarts filtered water

3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

one piece parmesan rind (2x2 inch)

7 ounces butternut squash, cubed

5 ounces curly kale, chopped

2 (15 ounce) cans great northern beans, undrained

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

shaved parmesan cheese, for serving

DIRECTIONS

Place 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into an 8-quart stockpot over high heat until the oil shimmers. Add the mushrooms and saute until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside.

Decrease the heat to low, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the carrots, celery, onions and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 30 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, sage, rosemary and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring to break up the tomatoes. Add the water, soy sauce and Parmesan rind, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, about 15 minutes. Decrease the heat to low, add the squash and kale, cover and cook until tender, 30 to 35 minutes.

Return the mushrooms to the pot along with the beans and red wine vinegar and cook until all is heated through, about 15 minutes. Remove the cheese rind and serve warm with shaved Parmesan.

5.Chicken-Tortilla Soup

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves (3 to 4 pieces)

2 cups cilantro stems and sprigs plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

Two 14 1/2-ounce cans low-sodium chicken broth, skimmed of fat

3 cups water

1 1/2 tablespoons corn oil

4 plum tomatoes

2 small onions, halved lengthwise (unpeeled)

4 garlic cloves (unpeeled)

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

3/4 cup rinsed, drained canned chickpeas

5 fresh corn tortillas (5 1/2-inch diameter), cut in 1/4-inch-wide strips

1/2 small avocado

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tablespoon minced jalapeno

3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

DIRECTIONS

In a large saucepan, combine chicken, 2 cups cilantro, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently until chicken is just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate; let cool. Cut into 1/2-inch dice. Strain broth through a fine strainer lined with several layers of cheesecloth; reserve. Wipe out pot.

Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a cast-iron skillet on medium-high until hot. Add 3 tomatoes, onions, and garlic; cover and cook, turning vegetables occasionally, until skins are nicely charred, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. When vegetables are cool enough to handle, remove skins, stems, and cores; discard. Place tomatoes, onions, and garlic in a blender with 1/2 cup reserved broth; blend until smooth. Scrape mixture into saucepan; cook, stirring, over medium heat until thickened and darker, about 6 minutes. Stir in remaining broth, 1/4 teaspoon salt, corn, chickpeas, and chicken. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place tortilla strips on a rimmed baking sheet; toss with remaining tablespoon oil and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Bake until golden and crisp, about 12 minutes, turning once or twice. Cool.

Finely dice avocado; gently rinse with cold water. Place in a bowl. Finely dice remaining tomato, and add to avocado with lime juice, jalapeno, chopped cilantro, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Re-warm soup; ladle into bowls. Garnish with avocado mixture, sour cream, and tortilla strips.