Soups for winter: 30 hearty recipes to cook, freeze and reheat

The short answer: the best soups for winter are one-pot recipes built on beans, root vegetables or chicken that simmer on their own and freeze well. Start with chicken noodle, minestrone, split pea, potato or chili. Below are 30 soups in 5 groups, plus freezer rules and a simple plan for cooking one big pot a week.

Winter soup is the cheapest way to feed a family on a cold night: one pot, pantry staples and leftovers for lunch. Use the groups below to pick by mood, and cook one pot on Sunday.

6 brothy winter soups

1. Chicken noodle soup
2. Minestrone
3. Vegetable barley soup
4. Italian wedding soup
5. Egg drop soup
6. Tortellini soup

6 creamy winter soups

1. Potato soup
2. Broccoli cheddar soup
3. Butternut squash soup
4. Tomato soup
5. Cream of mushroom soup
6. Corn chowder

6 bean and lentil winter soups

1. Split pea soup
2. Lentil soup
3. Ham and bean soup
4. Black bean soup
5. White bean and kale soup
6. Chickpea and spinach soup

6 chili and stew winter meals

1. Classic beef chili
2. White chicken chili
3. Turkey chili
4. Beef stew
5. Chicken stew
6. Irish stew

6 soups from around the world

1. Taco soup
2. Chicken tortilla soup
3. French onion soup
4. Matzo ball soup
5. Italian penicillin soup
6. Miso soup with tofu and greens

For even more options, browse our full soup recipes collection, and for step-by-step stock and noodles see how to make chicken soup from scratch.

The 4-step base for almost any winter soup

1. Soften a chopped onion, carrot and celery stalk in oil for 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Add garlic, herbs and your main ingredient (beans, potatoes, squash or chicken).
3. Pour in stock to cover, bring to a boil, then simmer until everything is tender.
4. Season at the end with salt, pepper and a splash of lemon juice or vinegar to brighten it.

Freezing and reheating rules

• Cool soup quickly, then freeze it in single-serving containers so you can take one to work.
• Freeze cream-based and pasta soups without the cream or pasta, and add those fresh when reheating.
• Label every container with the soup name and date.
• Reheat until steaming hot throughout, and eat refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days per the FoodSafety.gov chart.

One pot a week plan

Cook one big pot on Sunday, eat it for dinner, pack it for two lunches and freeze the rest. After a month you have a freezer shelf of different soups and no need to cook on a busy night. Our freezer meals guide shows how to stock it.

Plan the shopping with the Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99), and save the pot you love most in a Family Recipe Binder ($6.99).

How to make winter soup taste better

Most soups improve when you build flavor in layers. Brown the onion well, add a spoonful of tomato paste or a parmesan rind for depth, and use real stock instead of plain water when you can. Finish with acid, such as lemon juice or a splash of vinegar, and fresh herbs, which wake up a pot that tastes flat. Always taste at the end and season again, because salt added early cooks off.

Soup shopping list for the month

Keep these on hand and you can make most soups above without a special trip:

• Onions, carrots, celery and garlic
• Canned tomatoes and a few cans of beans
• Dried lentils and split peas
• Boxed chicken and vegetable stock
• Potatoes and a bag of frozen vegetables
• Pasta or rice for noodle and rice soups
• Dried herbs, bay leaves and chili powder

Serving ideas

Serve soup with crusty bread, a grilled cheese, a simple green salad or a spoonful of yogurt on top. For a heartier meal, add leftover cooked chicken, sausage slices or a handful of greens in the last few minutes. Pack soup in a thermos for lunch so it stays hot until noon.