Healthy Soup Recipes To Get You Through Winter

This post is a part of Sprig & Vine’s month of wellness 2019: expect Good Food Good Vibes all January long! We will be posting content throughout January that will help you kickstart the year feeling well and good, with healthy eating hacks, feel-good recipes, and tons of wellness inspiration.

Come January when resolutions are in full swing and we’re craving warm, nourishing meals, soup is the ultimate comfort food. Whether you’re in need of comforting or not! Soup is a staple in my kitchen all year round, but especially so when the temperature drops and curling up at night with a steaming bowl of goodness becomes my favourite hobby.

Soup is also easy to make when you get the hang of it, and it’s full of veggies and nutrients. Once you start making your own soups you will never reach for that packaged stuff again.

BROTH

Packaged broths contain a ton of sodium, and are best avoided. Make your own broth. The simplest homemade broth requires celery, carrot, onion, garlic, salt, and some black peppercorns; and forms a base for other soups. You can also create a complex broth with tons of flavourings which is then your main soup.

PURÉED SOUPS

The easiest soup formula is to roast veggies with seasonings, herbs, and spices and the blend them up. Thin it out with broth, or when in a pinch, use hot water or coconut milk instead. Roasting veggies give the soup a more intense flavour, without any of the elbow-grease or knife-skills that other recipes require.

SUBSTANCE

We often think of soup as a starter or side to a bigger meal, but soup is so much more. Rather than thinking of soup as just a bunch of veggies and herbs hanging together, think about what you can add to lend substance to it and make it an entire meal. From noodles, pasta, rice, and grains, to protein like chicken, salmon, beans, lentils, or tofu — adding something with substance to a bowl of soup takes it from side to to the spotlight.

TOPPINGS

If you ask me, this is honestly the best part of making soup. On it’s own, soup is delicious but not that exciting — but there’s nothing a few mix-ins can’t fix. Go crunchy — tortilla chips, crispy chickpeas, spice roasted nuts, or crispy fried onions is excellent for introducing texture to an otherwise glooby bowl of food; creamy — a swirl of Greek yogurt, coconut milk, sour cream or fresh cream gives soup that contrasting tangy yumminess; zing — add a squeeze of lime or lemon to brighten up a bowl; fresh — add coriander, parsley or mint, top with crunchy green onions, or even swirl in a spoonful of pesto for vibrant freshness. There’s no limit to the number of toppings you can add!

Now that you’ve got your basic formula sorted, here are a couple of soup recipes that we love. Whether you’re craving something super flavourful and hearty, or light and delicious — these will help you power through all season long.

SOUP RECIPES FOR EVERY MOOD

CURRY LAKSA

Sometimes all you want is a spa and warm soupy noodles, and this is the recipe you want for days like those. The laksa paste is what makes this soup really special — fragrant with spices and aromatics. The toppings and mix-ins are non-negotiable. Serve them up in small bowls and dishes and go to town customising your own bowls.

ROASTED TOMATO SOUP

We love that this soup has so much flavour from basic pantry ingredients like tomatoes and garlic. Oven-roasting them makes the tomatoes caramelised and jammy, which lends the soup its intense, deep flavour. Serve it up with crusty garlic bread or melty grilled cheese — it makes for excellent dipping!

ASIAN-STYLE SPICY BROTH

This minimal and restorative broth is ultimate for when you want to wash away bad-day feelings with a reset button. Made with aromatics like lemongrass, kaffir lime, and galangal; this soup packs a spicy punch thanks to the chilli. Whether you’re coming down with a cold or need a break after far too many nights of drinking, this soup is just what you need.

HERBY PESTO SOUP

Step 1: Make pesto. Step 2: Add water. This soup is really that simple! Light, herby, and ready in an instant — this soup is the solution to all of your weeknight dinner woes. Nutty buckwheat soba noodles add some substance to an otherwise simple soup. This recipe is best made fresh, but you can freeze cubes of pesto for instant soup throughout the week. Be careful not to boil when reheating to not lose the vibrant green colour.

CREAMY CAULIFLOWER SOUP

You’d swear this soup has milk or cream — it has neither. Velvety, creamy, and wonderful, this recipe will make it to your weekly soup rotation. As with all puréed soups, a few crunchy toppings work wonders. Here we have oven-roasted charry cauliflower, olive oil, and generous amounts of black pepper. This is a great neutral soup base that can be customised with spices and toppings to suit even those who aren’t yet on the cauli train.

CREAMY ROASTED PUMPKIN SOUP

Creamy, hearty, rich, warm, comforting… this recipe is everything you want in a fall/winter soup. It’s also easy enough to make on a weeknight when you’re too lazy to really cook — as simple as roasting veggies and puréeing it in a blender. But don’t worry — amping up the flavours with spices like cayenne and smoked paprika, and topping the soup with crunchy pepitas ensures that this isn’t just boring puréed baby food.

SPICED LENTIL SOUP

This spiced lentil soup is leaning more towards stew as it’s hearty, comforting, and makes for a complete meal. The creamy soup gets some contrasting flavour from the toppings, and we recommend you don’t skimp on them. Tangy salty yogurt, crispy fried onions, fresh coriander, and a bright squeeze of lime make the soup memorable. This recipe is inspired by dal — and you can just as well serve it over fluffy rice with some pickled red onion.

VEGAN BONE BROTH

This is a riff on the collagen-rich bone broth, with all plant-based ingredients (and none of the bones). It’s nutrient dense and has a wonderfully layered deep umami flavour; it’s so delicious and nourishing that the lengthy ingredient list (that might require a trip to the grocery store) is totally worth it. Sip on the broth as it is with some herbs and chilli; or use it as a base for a brothy noodle bowl. This broth is feel-good food at it’s best.