Easy and Hearty Soup Recipes for Cold Winter Nights

Beefy vegetable soup

This one is definitely a favorite in my house. You can make it on the stovetop in about 30-40 minutes, or you can put it in the crock pot and let those flavors marry together for a few hours, which is my personal favorite.

1. In a soup pot, over medium heat, brown 1 ½ lbs of ground beef and a chopped onion until the beef is no longer pink. Do not forget to break up the chunks as the meat is cooking.

2. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to your liking.

3. Drain and add to the crock pot.

4. Add some water and 3 cups of beef broth, or alternatively beef bouillon and water. Add a packet of dry Italian mix, a bag of frozen vegetable blend, two cubed potatoes and 4 cups of tomato juice.

5. Stir to combine, put a lid on and let it cook for 6-8 hours on low, or 4 hours if you do not have the time. This time in the crockpot is just marrying the flavors together, cooking down those vegetables, and it is going to be delicious.

This is the best on a cold winter night. We always serve it with some grilled cheese on the side, and supper is done.

Crack chicken noodle soup

1. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, combine 6 cups of chicken broth, a can of carrots, a can of cheese soup, some celery (it is best to use fresh, but my dehydrated celery worked, too), ½ cup of bacon bits, a packet of dry ranch dressing, and a cup of milk.

2. Give everything a good stir, and then add in 3 cups of cooked shredded chicken.

3. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.

4. While your soup is on the stove, let’s make some broccoli cheddar cornbread, which will go with it perfectly! Just get a Jiffy mix and follow the directions, doubling or tripling the amount to fit the size of your family. Add in some cheddar cheese and chopped broccoli, put it all in a baking pan or muffin tins and bake at 350 F until a toothpick comes out clean.

5. Stir in 8 oz of dried noodles and a cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Cook for 5 minutes, letting the noodles cook through and soften up.

We actually liked this better once it cooled and thickened up, becoming more of a creamy chicken and noodles consistency. This is a wonderful hearty soup, and we will definitely make it again.

Beef stew

If you are a hearty meat and potato family, this will be a new go-to.

1. Heat up some oil in a Dutch oven, and sear your roast. Season it with whatever seasoning you like, and cook it just for a little bit. We just want to lock in the flavor and give it some nice color, not cook it all the way through.

2. Once the roast has some color on all the sides, take it out of the pan and set it aside.

3. Add your onions into the pan. After a few minutes of letting the onions cook, add in a couple tablespoons of garlic. Give that a stir and let it get fragrant.

4. Deglaze your pan with a can of beef broth. Add in a few dashes of W sauce and tomato paste, or the dehydrated version if that is what you have on hand.

5. Add that roast back in. Push it down in there, that way it gets in all the juices.

6. Add your vegetables on top. I chose potatoes and carrots. Add in a few tablespoons of onion soup mix.

7. Bake in the oven at 250-300 F for about 3-4 hours. You just want to make sure that your roast falls apart. About halfway through, take it out and give everything a good stir to make sure that it is cooking evenly.

This was so good! The meat was so tender and the veggies were cooked perfectly.

Cod stew

This is one of my favorite winter soup recipes.

1. Chop up peppers and onions, add them into your pot and let that sauté up until it is translucent.

2. Season with some salt and pepper, and keep cooking until they get a nice golden brown color.

3. Add in a couple tablespoons of garlic, and give it a mix for a minute or two, just till it gets fragrant.

4. Add in a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, as well as your cubed potatoes and carrots.

5. Add in your broth, or alternatively water and bouillon. I usually add four cups of chicken bouillon and two cups of tomato bouillon. I also like to add a bit over two extra cups of liquid for the broth, as it is great to serve with crusty bread.

6. Bring that to a boil, put the lid on it, and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes. You want to make sure that your veggies are cooked all the way through.

7. Lay out your pieces of cod between some paper towels to get them nice and dry. Just add on some salt, and it is ready to go into the stew.

8. Once the veggies are ready, add that cod right on top. Fish does not take almost any time to cook, which is why you add this right at the end. Give it about 10 minutes, and do not worry about it being undercooked.

This stew comes out so flavorful, and we serve it with crusty baguettes. If you are into fish, definitely give this recipe a try.

All four of these recipes are super easy to put together and delicious. I hope you give them a try, too, and let me know which one is your favorite! Also, what are your go-to winter meals? Feel free to share in the comments!

Next up, here are 6 Quick and Easy Side Dishes to Elevate Any Meal.