Winter is the best time of year to make big batches of soup. You can enjoy them fresh or freeze individual portions and savor every sip as they warm your bones. Try these unique soup recipes this winter and add a few new meals to your family recipe book.
1. Dutch Split Pea Soup
Head to the store with the following winter vegetables on your grocery list to make Dutch split pea soup. It’s easy and delicious, plus it’s packed with nutrients. The peas provide antioxidant and anti-microbial health benefits, while you get vitamins and protein from the carrots, bacon and pork.
Ingredients
- 2 cups split green peas
- 2 cooked and diced bacon slices
- 2 smoked bacon bones
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 9 cups water
- 2 chopped leeks
- 1 whole white onion
- 10 cloves
- 2 peeled and chopped carrots
- 1 pork chop
- 2 teaspoons beef stock
Instructions
- Peel the white onion and slice it in half widthwise. Stuff the 10 cloves within the onion folds.
- Combine the split peas, bacon slices, bacon bones, black pepper, beef broth, pork chop and onion in a large pot.
- Place the pot on a burner warmed to medium-high. Let it simmer for 45 minutes and remove any foam that may rise.
- After 45 minutes, remove the pork chop and slice the meat away. Set the meat aside in the fridge.
- Add all the vegetables to the pot and stir. Let it simmer for another 30 minutes.
- Remove the bacon bones and onion. Throw the bones and cloves away before dicing the onion and adding it back into the pot with the pork.
- Warm the pork in the soup for a few minutes and serve with crusty bread.
2. Mulligatawny Soup
American settlers used to eat Mulligatawny soup because it combined the ingredients they found around their homes. Thanks to the sour apples, it’s a budget-friendly soup with a unique flavor.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken
- 4 cups water
- 2 sliced sour apples
- ¼ cup chopped celery
- ¼ cup diced onion
- ¼ cup diced carrot
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon mace
- ½ green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup butter
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Brown the chicken and chopped vegetables in the butter until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit and is brown around the edges.
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Whisk the flour in the tomato sauce until it blends well. Add it along with the rest of the ingredients to a large soup pot. Leave the chicken on the side.
- Warm the soup over a medium-high burner until it’s simmering. Add the chicken to warm it.
- Serve by itself or over bowls of white rice.
3. Avgolemono Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
Chicken soup is the best winter meal to clear mucus away because it reduces sinus inflammation and stimulates mucus production. Even if you’re not sick, you’ll love this Greek-inspired version of the classic recipe.
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ½ cup peeled and chopped carrots
- ½ cup chopped green onions
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup uncooked rice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cooked and shredded chicken breasts
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- Saute the green onions, carrots and celery in a large pot with a splash of extra virgin olive oil.
- When they’re soft, add the bay leaves and chicken broth.
- Warm the soup on high heat until it comes to a boil.
- Add the rice and however much salt and pepper you prefer.
- Turn the heat to a medium-low setting and simmer for at least 20 minutes or until the rice is soft.
- Add the shredded chicken and let it warm on low heat.
- Whisk the eggs and lemon juice together in a separate large bowl. Once whisked, add two ladles of the hot broth to temper the egg mixture.
- Once the egg mixture warms, add it to the soup and stir.
- Serve with bread.
4. Hungarian Mushroom Soup
Mushrooms are excellent sources of nutrients that enhance brain cognition, improve the immune system and more. Use them in this soup recipe for a healthy meal that tastes like comfort food.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 diced yellow onion
- 1 pound sliced cremini mushrooms
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons dried dill
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons minced thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup milk
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ¼ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add the mushrooms and onions. Cook until they’re soft and the onions are translucent.
- Add the wine, broth, thyme, dill, paprika, salt and Worcestershire sauce. Bring everything to a boil, then let it simmer for 10 minutes.
- Whisk the milk and flour in a separate small bowl until smooth. Add it to the soup while stirring so it thickens.
- Simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Stir in the sour cream and serve with bread or a side salad.
Enjoy New Soup Recipes This Winter
Try these unique soup recipes to get creative in the kitchen over the coming weeks. They’ll show you the many possibilities of soup-based meals, even if you’re on a budget or sticking with a healthier diet.
