8 Comforting Soup and Stew Recipes

From record snowfalls (I’m talking to you, Buffalo) to record rainfall (raise your hand, California) to -9°F temps coupled with power outages (that would be us in Connecticut), few of us have been spared.

If we’ve ever needed comforting soups and stews, it’s this winter.

But the last thing any of us wants is complicated, over-the-top recipes. Simple and hearty is the way to go.

Yet I’ve not exactly been a big soup fan, but this month I’ve sat at our table many a time, soupspoon at the ready. It just felt…right. Ya know?

These recipes will keep you in good stead for weeks (and storms) to come. Of course, if you’d like to zhuzh things up a bit, you can bake off a loaf of herby sourdough bread or no-knead cheddar chiles bread.

A simple apple, parmesan, and mixed green salad is a great sidekick to any of these soups.

And, well, if gilding the lily is your thing, these buttery sablé cookies or these indulgent double chocolate pots de crème are just the ticket.

Whatever you do, please stay warm, dry, and full.

xo,

Tara Fisher

1 of 8

Old-Fashioned Minestrone Soup

This old-fashioned minestrone soup is chock-full of carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, kale, zucchini, beans, and pasta…but gets an unexpected drizzle of pesto that transforms a frugal veggie-bin soup into something special.

Connie Miller

2 of 8

Beef Stew with Red Wine

This beef stew with red wine, made with beef chuck roast and a rich red wine sauce, can be made in your Instant Pot or braised in the oven.

This beef stew recipe is simply extraordinary. Quite literally. I must confess I’ve made it twice during this cold, rainy week in coastal Maryland.

I’ve greatly enjoyed adding my own vegetables when serving – my favorite by far was curried roasted carrots and black-pepper mashed potatoes, both on this site as well.

kristen k.

Erin Kunkel

3 of 8

Turkey Meatball Soup

This turkey meatball soup with spinach is a healthier riff on Italian wedding soup and is made using mini meatballs made with turkey. Also includes farro, a nutty whole grain. A weeknight fix that’s satisfying, simple, and kid-friendly.

Nassima Rothacker

4 of 8

White Bean Stew with Tomatoes and Rosemary

Spicy and bursting with hints of garlic to complement the tender sausage, this richly textured bean stew is the perfect comforting winter supper.

This white bean stew recipe brought back great memories and flavors of a shared meal prepared by an Italian mama after a tour of a small olive-oil processor in southern Italy. I didn’t add the sausage to keep it a meatless meal.

It was delicious with cornbread and a glass of Chianti. (It’d be wonderful with ciabatta and a nice olive oil, too.)

deb l.

Quentin Bacon

5 of 8

Ina Garten’s Easy Tomato Soup

This tomato soup is spiced with saffron, which has enough flavor to stand up to the Gruyère in the croutons. And the whole thing is awfully easy to put together, beating out anything from a can, anyday.

I had thought that I would never get a good homemade tomato soup again because I can’t get a decent tomato up here in snow country and can’t grow one either!

But I was wrong. This soup with the San Marzano canned tomatoes was excellent! We loved it!

anne s.

Mardi Michels

6 of 8

Creamy French Chicken Stew

This version of blanquette is slightly simplified in that it doesn’t involve making a roux but it’s no less flavourful. Serve this with plain boiled rice and garnish with fresh thyme leaves and parsley for a simple, comforting meal that comes together quickly, even on a weeknight.

Sue Stubbs

7 of 8

Cauliflower and Blue Cheese Soup

This elegant cauliflower soup is rich and cheesy, thanks to the addition of blue cheese.

Delicious soup. I didn’t use blue cheese, I used old Cheddar cheese, as my friends don’t like blue cheese. I had extra frozen carrot water that I added. We love soups this time of year.

patricia c.

Stephen Kent-Johnson

8 of 8

Easy Tortellini Soup

Easy tortellini soup is a quick and simple weeknight recipe made with store-bought tortellini, spinach, peas, and chicken broth. Super simple and perfect for the entire family.

Soup FAQs

Soups and stews are universally beloved comfort food, perfect for cold weather or when you feel under the weather. Although chicken soups are the most popular soup recipes we’ve tested, we’ve got plenty more to choose from. Check out our entire collection of soup recipes, and let us know your favorite in the comments below.