Peas, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, ham, corn, pasta – you name it, it's in a soup. We've all been there – pondering over what to do with our leftovers from the night before (or in my case, three nights before). A warm, hearty soup is the best comfort food on cold winter days. We've brought you classics (chicken noodle) and even some class acts (vegetarian chili).
1. Chicken Noodle Soup

An oldy but goody, this classic is sure to please everyone in the family
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 or 4 (or more!) cloves of garlic, chopped up small
- 2 or 3 stalks of celery, chopped
- 2 liters of homemade chicken stock (If you don’t make your own stock, you can use store bought broth)
- 1/2 pound chopped cooked chicken – I usually use chicken I have left over after roasting a chicken
- 1 1/2 cups egg noodles
- 2 or 3 carrots, sliced
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp dried parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: In a large stock pot, saute the onion, celery, garlic, and carrot in butter until the onion gets translucent and soft. (The celery and carrot won’t be soft. That’s okay.) Then add the chicken stock and the chicken to the pot. You can go ahead and add the basil, oregano, salt and pepper too. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. You are going to simmer this for a total of 20 minutes. After about 10 minutes, add the noodles. (You may want to look on your package of noodles and see how long the suggested cooking time is and add them in at that time. Some of my noodle have been 7 minutes and another brand was 12. By doing this and not adding them right when you add the stock, you keep them from getting too mushy.) Your soup is done when the noodles are the correct softness. This is wonderful served with some crusty bread. (Courtesy of KindaKrunchyKate)
2. Split Pea Soup
This soup may take some patience (if you've got any, consider adding a ham bone), but when it's ready you'll find that it was well worth the wait.
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1-2 carrots, diced
- 1-2 stalks of celery, diced
- 1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
- 1 lb ham steak, diced
- 7-8 cups of chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 1 1lb bag of dried split peas (rinsed)
- 1 bay leaf Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Heat olive oil in a dutch oven pot over medium heat. Cook the onion until slightly tender. Add garlic and ham & cook for 60 seconds. Add the stock, split peas, bay leaf to pot and salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium low heat for 1 1/2 – 2 hours. Add the carrots, celery and potatoes then cook for an additional 30-45 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf. If you want it to be a bit thicker, mix with an immersion blender for a few seconds. Enjoy! (Courtesy of Pam)
Mmm… Chili (it's always a hit)! ->
3. Chili
Some like it hot, and some like it really hot. Throw in a little cinnamon for an extra burst of flavor (trust me), and let everyone decorate their own bowl (cheese, sour cream, etc.).
Ingredients:
- Chili Spices
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder or freshly minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp cumin (optional)
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 to 1.5 lbs of extra lean ground beef
- 1 can black beans
- 1 can red kidney beans
- 1 large can diced tomatoes
- 1 small can of tomato paste
- 1 medium to large size onion diced
- 1-2 green or red bell peppers chopped
- Worcestershire sauce (start with 1 tbsp and then add more to taste)
Directions: Cooking time is 2-4 hours. Slow cooking is best. Brown the ground beef in a large stew pot over medium heat. Don’t thoroughly cook the meat but only up to a point when most of the fat has come out. If you prefer a finer texture break up the ground beef completely but if you like a chunkier chili, as I do, break it up in larger bite size bits. Extra lean beef (less than 5% fat) is recommended, which is the healthiest choice. If you do use extra lean beef there is no need to drain the fat out. Otherwise, drain the beef fat using a colander and return it to the pot. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, onions, and peppers to the browned beef and mix well. It will be pretty thick but there is no need to add water here as there will be plenty as the vegetables continue to cook. Add the Worcestershire sauce and chili spices and mix well. Let this cook and come to a slow boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the red kidney and black beans to the mix and stir well together. (Thanks Jun Belen!)
4. Vegetarian Chili
Have you gone veg? Don't worry, we've got an awesome chili for you to try, too!
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 yellow pepper, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, diced, seeds removed
- 3 (15 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
- 2 (15 oz.) cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups water
- 1 1/2 tbsp cumin
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions: In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until light brown, about 2-3 minutes. Add carrot, celery, peppers, and jalapeno. Cook for five minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Stir in diced tomatoes, beans, and water. Season chili with cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir and let chili simmer for 30 minutes. Stir chili frequently so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Serve hot. Note-serve with chips or cornbread, if desired. This chili also freezes beautifully. (Courtesy of Maria & Josh)
Check out amazing, gluten free soups ->
5. Italian Wedding Soup (Gluten Free)
Italian Wedding Soup is my all-time favorite soup (just ask my mom, she makes it best). It not only warms the heart, but it warms the tummy, too. Extra meatballs, please!
Meatball Ingredients:
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 2 pcs multi grain crackers (crushed into bits)
- 1 medium sized onion
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp ground flax meal
- 6 tbsp lukewarm water
- Fresh parsley (about 3 tbsp finely chopped)
Soup Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 small onion chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 cup carrots chopped
- 3.5 quarts chicken broth
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2/3 cup quinoa
- 2 cups kale (torn into bite size pieces)
- Pinch of chili flakes
Directions: Mix the flaxmeal and water to make a goo. Set aside for 5 minutes. Using a food processor, finely chop the parsley and onions. In a big bowl, combine the onion-parsley mixture, crushed multi grain crackers, flax goo, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add the ground beef and using your hands, mix it thoroughly. Form into balls about 1 tablespoon each. Set aside. In a big pot, saute garlic, onions, celery and carrots in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add the stock and bring to boil. Once the stock starts to boil, slowly add the meatballs and quinoa. Let it boil again and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for at least 20 minutes. Add the kale pieces and simmer for another 15 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with chili flakes. Enjoy! (Thanks TheFrugalistaMom!)
6. Potato Soup
You cannot go wrong with potato soup, just ask Aja. Choose just the right size potatoes for you and your family, and get choppin'!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb bacon
- 5 pounds russet potatoes
- 1 quart chicken broth
- 3 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 pint light cream
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 bunch fresh parsley
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Directions: Place 5 lbs of potatoes (peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes, or smaller depending on preference) and 1 lb of bacon (fried crispy and crumbled) into a large crock pot. Cover with chicken broth to about 1 inch over the potatoes and cook on high for about 3ish hours or until potatoes are soft. Add a "bunch" of chopped fresh parsley and a pint of light cream. Allow to heat for an additional 1/2 hour. Salt and pepper to taste, and top with sour cream and cheddar cheese. Stir and enjoy. (Courtesy of Aja Andreu Henderson!)
Did we leave out your favorite? Tell us in the comments!