Looking for some deliciously easy and yummy soups this winter? WELL HELLO THERE!
Surprise, it’s winter!
Came at ya real fast, huh?
Yeah, same. I’m still not over missing out on summer last year.
But it’s coming back soon, so that gives all of us warm-weather fiends the opportunity to hope for some time basking out in the summer heat. Although, to the rest of you who live year-round in warmer areas, I am jealous of you.
For us stuck here in the cold this winter, you peeps might be looking for something to warm your frozen hearts and bellies, so I have compiled a list of soups that are easy to make. ‘Easy’ here means that anyone can make these soups so long as they can read instructions, so even if you aren’t the most confident chef, if you just take it one step at a time and have a bit of patience, you can… y’know, take the list in stride.
I love food (this is why I am fluffy at the moment), so as long as I can make most everything in an hour or less, I’m good.
My hope is that you all try these easy and yummy soups this winter and let me know your thoughts!
Roasted Butternut Squash Bacon Soup
From Damn Delicious
I know you know that you know who Damn Delicious is on the internet. If you don’t, then where have you been?
Well, guess what? Now you have no excuse but to know about Chungah. I’m a huge fan of her recipes and I have gone to her website countless times when I’m in need of something fast and delicious. She has never disappointed me so far, and I’m betting that she won’t disappoint you either!
This is easily a recipe that you can make doubles (or even triples) of and put away for meal planning. It’s that easy. Pro tip – if you’re lazy like me, you can buy pre-chopped butternut squash so that you can just pop it into the oven and then throw it into a blender or use the blender stick in your pot (like Chungah asks). Just watch the time to make sure you don’t burn the pre-cut squash!
L+A Difficulty Rating (of 5): 🍋🍋
Chicken and Rice Soup
From Back to the Book Nutrition
An exceptionally easy recipe, this chicken and rice soup is so effortless it can be done in less than 15 mins. The stipulation is based on having cooked rotisserie chicken in your arsenal and you’re making enough just for you since rice cooks very quickly (or maybe you had some precooked from the night before!).
Making for a family? Closer to 20-30 minutes, but that’s all good!
I remember making this soup for when I was rushing to work and needed something for lunch that day. A very sparse list of items from chicken stock (I replace it with bouillon), rice, celery, olive oil (I sometimes switch it for butter), garlic, carrots, and shredded up rotisserie chicken; this meal is really straightforward. You can dress this up from there or keep it simple. When I was rushing out I actually omitted the bay leaf and thyme, mainly because I would constantly forget to take them out when I poured it into my lunch container. Easily reheatable (just like everything else on this list), this is an easy low-calorie meal that will keep you fed.
L+A Difficulty Rating (of 5): 🍋
Related: The Starter Guide to Beginner Fitness Right Now: FAQ
Bacon, Shrimp and Corn Chowder
From The Blond Cook
Ah! So, so good, and so effortless to make.
If you’re a lover of shrimp, or of bacon, corn, and/or warm bowls of goodness, this is your new jam, y’all.
As per the last recipe, I swap out chicken stock for chicken bouillon. I do this for various reasons, but mainly because I want to control how strong the chicken flavoring is and I just don’t get that concentrated chicken-y goodness from the stock version. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
This is one of those recipes that you could also use the addition of a simple starch, if you’re looking to make it more filling and not just savory. For me, I add in potatoes so that the soup is that much heartier. Thankfully, this recipe is easy to make, especially if you’re good at multitasking.
I do want to make a note about the shrimp cook time – if you’re looking for a more tender version of The Blond Cook’s shrimp, please reduce your cook time. I cook them just until they turn pink and then I take them off immediately. Unless you are a fan of rubbery shrimp (and I am not!), you do not need to cook your shrimp for 2 minutes on each side. When they start to curl into a tight C, they’re starting to overcook.
L+A Difficulty Rating (of 5): 🍋🍋(🍋, if you struggle cooking shrimp)
Autumn Wild Rice Soup
From Gimme Some Oven
I really love wild rice and this soup lets me eat it.
Personally, I’m not a big fan of mushrooms. Thankfully the mushrooms in this soup are soft enough for you to forget that they’re there, so if you’re an anti-mushroom person like me, you barely notice the texture. You can always omit them, of course, but I noticed that it does take away something from the soup flavor. Again, thankfully, the recipe is easy enough that you can try it both ways!
The recipe asks for either vegetable stock or chicken stock, so you know what I’m using. Dem cubes. The only problem is that bouillon cubes are saltier, so I also add in some other spices like cayenne pepper, dried thyme, and paprika to add a little something-something and to prevent the salt from overpowering the dish.
The really neat thing about this recipe is that Gimme Some Oven lays out three different ways to cook the recipe – Instant Pot, slow cooker, or old-fashioned stovetop – so she makes it simple to prepare based upon what you have access to. It’s incredibly convenient and keeps you from having to do cooking time math in your head. If you’re looking for an easy winter meal that won’t take you more than 30 mins, this is a great recipe to try!
L+A Difficulty Rating (of 5): 🍋
Jamaican Pumpkin Chicken Soup
From Jamaicans (literally)
My family is from the Caribbean, I bet you can’t guess. 😉🇯🇲 Just kidding; there’s nowhere on earth that you won’t hear a Jamaican proclaiming their very existence as one.
And in that manner, I’m not leaving out my family favorite out of this list. Of all the soups my mom makes year round, this is our family favorite. It could be 88o and she’ll make it. You either eat up or you starve (and I gobbled it up every single time).
The items you need are not uncommon in many supermarkets, however, the pumpkin is actually not a regular pumpkin, it’s the calabaza squash. You can substitute it, but I’ve found it always tastes better with the authentic calabaza, which you can find at your local international food market, alongside most everything else on the recipe list.
If you’re looking for a hearty soup that can feed an entire family of four and then some, this is your new choice! Yes, I am biased, don’t @ me. I clearly saved the best for last.
The recipe I’ve linked you to doesn’t add in a personal favorite of mine: boiled dumplings (make half of this recipe for this soup). It’s basically flour, cornmeal, salt, and water mixed together and then made into what we call ‘spinners’ or another version that is flattened biscuit-looking things (they don’t really have a name, ha), and then placed into the soup. They soak up a little bit of the flavor and they are literally the best part of the soup! If you’re a little nervous about trying a second recipe on top of the first, you don’t need them, but they aren’t hard to make, so you should absolutely go for the gold!
P.S. Look for ‘cock soup mix’ in the supermarket – it tastes soooo much better than the chicken soup mix. And if your boyfriend is a child and stifles a laugh, just don’t feed him today.
L+A Difficulty (of 5): 🍋🍋
Delicious Soups All Around!
If you’re ever in doubt about the flavor profile of a soup when it’s done, remember, it’s usually an easy fix, so long as you didn’t literally burn it or dump in an entire container of salt. The best trick is to taste as you go, but, if you’re not that kind of a cook, then tasting at the end and then adding in whatever makes your tongue sing works wonders. Always give it a few extra minutes to simmer once you add to the soup, that way the flavors can cook in, and you’ll be golden.
If you do make any of these, please let me know. Did you think that this list embodied easy and yummy soups this winter? I’ll be so happy to hear how amazing your soups came out!
You had me at SOUP!!!! Lol, it’s a running joke with my family and friends that I would eat soup over everything else offered, hands down, no matter what 🙂 So, I am not only sharing, I am BOOKMARKING this post so I can try every single one of these beautiful looking soups! Thank you so much for sharing and making winter so much more worthwhile!!
That’s so kind of you, thank you, Stacey! I’m of the same opinion. I absolutely love soup and I’m big on ramen (which I didn’t add here), even it’s technically not noted as a soup, but, eh, it’s got broth! I really do hope that you try the Jamaican Pumpkin Soup – if you need any advice on anything with that one just let me know I’d be happy to give you some extra pointers if needed.