With the frigid temperatures across the US right now (stay safe, friends!) we're all about healthy soup recipes. Soup is easily the number one craving this time of year, when the temperatures have dropped and the short days sap our energy for preparing and sitting down to a grand dinner.
(Okay so I made up that stat about soup cravings. But there has to be truth to it right?)
While soup is easy and comforting, it can easily be a healthy meal all on its own, adapted for vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free diets, and a smart way to get some more veggies into your family's menu.
That's why I love these 7 healthy soup recipes. From easy to adventurous, every one of them provides a warming respite from that bitter winter weather.
At top: Easy Pho Recipe from Two Spoons and Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup via The Toasted Pine Nut
How can we not start with the best recipe for chicken soup from scratch? This recipe from our own Jane Sweeney is the perfect remedy for cold winter nights -- or days. Or mornings, if that's how your roll. It really is easy to make and it's truly delicious.
This roasted cauliflower soup recipe from Jessica in the Kitchen is vegan, paleo-friendly, and wildly delicious, whatever your dietary preferences these days. She also calls it "incredibly easy" and that grabbed me right away. All you need is ten minutes to prep and 35 minutes to let the soup cook, and voilà: a healthy, wonderful soup recipe is on the table. I recommend using an immersion blender to blend at the end to make this recipe even easier.
Split pea soup is a cold weather staple for so many of us. Sheryl at Simply Recipes has created a bright and tasty take on the traditional with her recipe for Yellow Split Pea Soup with Indian Curry Spices. It's a vegetarian soup that makes a satisfying meal on its own, or pair with salad or a side of your choice. Plus I learned something from her beyond this fabulous recipe: split peas that don't soften after simmering may be old or expired, so make sure your grocery store is one that restocks regularly.
Who can ever say no to cream of tomato soup in the winter? Well -- probably people who can't eat dairy. So I found this wonderful Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup recipe from the Toasted Pine Nut with a healthy twist! It may be creamy, unsweetened coconut cream makes it vegan-friendly, dairy-free, and extra delightful. Of course if you can eat cheese, I'd serve it with cheese toast like she did, or your favorite grilled cheese recipe.
Southerners like me tend to crave Brunswick stew, but if you'd like it without the (usually heavily sweetened) barbecue sauce and pork? Brittany at Eating Bird Food whipped up this healthy Brunswick stew recipe adaptation with pulled chicken. She recommends subbing garbanzo beans for the chicken if you want to make it vegetarian. Smart!
Monique at Divas Can Cook makes a Homemade Vegetable Soup Recipe like my mama used to make it – easy, quick, and full of all the vegetables. So perfect for a healthy, hearty soup idea on a cold winter night. Hot tip from my own mama: Save bits of leftover cooked vegetables in one container in the freezer. When you're ready for soup, thaw them and add them to the broth. Delicious.
We love pho as much as the next person (and we can even help you pronounce it correctly), but when it's too cold to leave your home to grab Vietnamese takeout, this vegan Pho with Creamy Miso Broth recipe from Two Spoons is worth making from scratch. It does require ingredients you may not have on hand, like miso paste, kefir lime leaves, and sweet potatoes ready to be turned into noodles with a spiralizer -- so maybe you can take advantage of a grocery delivery service so you can stay inside. Once you have the shopping list checked off though, the prep is super easy. And the end result will totally hit the spot.
Related: 5 foods to help boost your immune system. Take that colds and flu!
7 healthy soup recipes to warm up any night of the week
How can we not start with the best recipe for chicken soup from scratch? This recipe from our own Jane Sweeney is the perfect remedy for cold winter nights -- or days. Or mornings, if that's how your roll. It really is easy to make and it's truly delicious.
This roasted cauliflower soup recipe from Jessica in the Kitchen is vegan, paleo-friendly, and wildly delicious, whatever your dietary preferences these days. She also calls it "incredibly easy" and that grabbed me right away. All you need is ten minutes to prep and 35 minutes to let the soup cook, and voilà: a healthy, wonderful soup recipe is on the table. I recommend using an immersion blender to blend at the end to make this recipe even easier.
Split pea soup is a cold weather staple for so many of us. Sheryl at Simply Recipes has created a bright and tasty take on the traditional with her recipe for Yellow Split Pea Soup with Indian Curry Spices. It's a vegetarian soup that makes a satisfying meal on its own, or pair with salad or a side of your choice. Plus I learned something from her beyond this fabulous recipe: split peas that don't soften after simmering may be old or expired, so make sure your grocery store is one that restocks regularly.
Who can ever say no to cream of tomato soup in the winter? Well -- probably people who can't eat dairy. So I found this wonderful Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup recipe from the Toasted Pine Nut with a healthy twist! It may be creamy, unsweetened coconut cream makes it vegan-friendly, dairy-free, and extra delightful. Of course if you can eat cheese, I'd serve it with cheese toast like she did, or your favorite grilled cheese recipe.
Related: Comfort food upgrade: 7 ways to turn plain grilled cheese into a legit family dinner.
Southerners like me tend to crave Brunswick stew, but if you'd like it without the (usually heavily sweetened) barbecue sauce and pork? Brittany at Eating Bird Food whipped up this healthy Brunswick stew recipe adaptation with pulled chicken. She recommends subbing garbanzo beans for the chicken if you want to make it vegetarian. Smart!
Monique at Divas Can Cook makes a Homemade Vegetable Soup Recipe like my mama used to make it – easy, quick, and full of all the vegetables. So perfect for a healthy, hearty soup idea on a cold winter night. Hot tip from my own mama: Save bits of leftover cooked vegetables in one container in the freezer. When you're ready for soup, thaw them and add them to the broth. Delicious.
Recipe: 7 freezer essentials you should always have to make family meals soooo much easier
We love pho as much as the next person (and we can even help you pronounce it correctly), but when it's too cold to leave your home to grab Vietnamese takeout, this vegan Pho with Creamy Miso Broth recipe from Two Spoons is worth making from scratch. It does require ingredients you may not have on hand, like miso paste, kefir lime leaves, and sweet potatoes ready to be turned into noodles with a spiralizer -- so maybe you can take advantage of a grocery delivery service so you can stay inside. Once you have the shopping list checked off though, the prep is super easy. And the end result will totally hit the spot.
