Who doesn’t love a warm bowl of soup on a chilly winter day? If you ask me, soup is the ultimate winter-time comfort food, serving as a way to cure anything, from seasonal depression to finals burnout to colds, at least temporarily. Plus, they’re one of the easiest types of food to make! Whether you’re dumping a bunch of ingredients in a pot and boiling them or roasting vegetables in a baking dish and blending, there are countless ways to create soups. As the days get darker and colder, sometimes all you need is a warm bowl of soup to raise your spirits, so get cooking and enjoy these three delicious soup recipes!
Carrot Ginger Soup
Photo by the Author
This is one of my absolute favorite soup recipes to enjoy! It’s simple, easy to make, and absolutely delicious (and the ginger packs a bit of a kick as well). If you’re ever feeling a little under the weather, I definitely recommend making this soup!
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion
6 cloves of garlic
2-3 tbsps of grated ginger
6-8 whole carrots
4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to season
Optional: coconut milk, pesto, and/or cilantro to garnish
Cooking Instructions:
Heat your pot over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Roughly chop the onions and add to the pot, cooking until translucent (about six-eight minutes). Smash your garlic cloves and chop the carrots, adding them to the pot along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook for about eight minutes, stirring occasionally. Once eight minutes have passed, add your freshly-grated ginger and broth of choice, allowing the soup to reach a boil before simmering for around 30 minutes or until the carrots are soft. Once ready, remove the soup from the heat and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Once cooled, add your soup to a blender and blend until smooth, adding salt and pepper if necessary. Serve fresh with your toppings of choice (I highly recommend coconut milk and pesto) and enjoy!
Chicken Noodle Soup
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You can’t write an article about cozy soups without including a chicken noodle soup recipe! This chicken noodle soup is easy to make, delicious, and nourishes the soul. It’s the perfect recipe to enjoy on a chilly winter evening when all you want to do is curl up on the couch with a blanket and watch a movie.
Ingredients:
1-2 tbsps of butter
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, diced
2-4 whole carrots, thinly sliced
2-3 celery stocks, thinly sliced
1-2 tbsps grated ginger
1 tsp turmeric
6 cups chicken broth
1 lb chicken breasts (about 2-3 breasts)
1 tsp rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp thyme, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2-2.5 cups of your pasta of choice (I recommend ditalini)
⅔ cup frozen peas
Cooking Instructions:
Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add in your butter. Once hot, add your onions, carrots, and celery, cooking until the onions start to become translucent. Add in your garlic and cook for another one to two minutes. Next, add in your grated ginger and turmeric, cooking for about 30 more seconds to a minute. Add your chicken broth, chicken breasts, rosemary, thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Allow the soup to reach a boil and then cover and reduce to a simmer for about 30-40 minutes. Remove the chicken and shred with two forks. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and add in your pasta and frozen peas, cooking according to the pasta’s instructions (about six to seven minutes). Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Remove from the heat and serve fresh and warm!
**Note: do not get tempted to add the whole box of pasta in the soup! If you use ditalini, it appears to be very small but expands quite a bit, as I learned recently while making this soup… I ended up making more of a chicken noodle soup “sauce” for my pasta, which, albeit still delicious, was technically not actually soup!!
Roasted Tomato Soup
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Everyone loves tomato soup, right? But have you ever had roasted tomato soup? Roasted tomato soup elevates the typical tomato soup recipe to another level, infusing flavors that can only be achieved in an oven. Plus, if you ask me, roasting your ingredients and simply blending is one of the easiest ways to make a soup. This recipe lives rent free in both my head and apartment – I make it about once every two weeks!
Ingredients:
4-5 tbsps olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 red chili
1 head of garlic, cut in half
10-15 basil leaves
3 sprigs of thyme
7 Roma tomatoes, cut in half
Salt and pepper
½ cup coconut milk
½-1 cup vegetable broth
Cooking Instructions:
Heat your oven to 480 degrees Fahrenheit. Drizzle your olive oil into a deep baking dish and then add your onion, chili, garlic (face down), basil, thyme, and tomatoes. Drizzle a bit more olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper on top. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until the tomatoes become slightly charred. Set down and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Remove the springs of thyme and add the rest of the roasted mixture to a blender, along with the coconut milk and vegetable stock, blending until smooth. Add salt and pepper if needed. Serve fresh with your favorite toppings (I recommend adding some extra olive oil and freshly grated parmesan) and maybe even a grilled cheese sandwich on the side!
