Warming Winter Soup Recipes

One of the best ways to keep yourself warm during the winter months is by trying one of these hearty soups.

There is nothing better than getting out a pot to cook some home-made soul food. Well, actually there is – eating it!

DESIblitz lists a few of our favourite winter soup recipes for you to try at home.

Leek and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 450g potatoes, cut into 1cm pieces
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 450g white parts of leeks, sliced
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• [Optional] 200ml semi-skimmed milk
• pinch of black pepper

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic for 3 minutes.
2. Add the potatoes and leeks and stir.
3. Season well with salt and black pepper.
4. Cover the pan and cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft but not coloured.
5. Uncover the pan. Pour in 1 litre of the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are just cooked. [Do not overcook or the soup will lose its fresh flavour.]
6. Purée with a blender.
7. [Optional] Stir in the milk, and cook on a gentle heat for 3 minutes.

Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

• 500g sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and diced
• 1 tbsp clear honey
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp grated nutmeg

Method:

1. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Put the sweet potato and butternut squash on a baking tray and add the honey and a drizzle of olive oil.
2. Put tray in the oven and roast for 40-45 minutes until soft and starting to caramelise at the edges, stirring occasionally.
3. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes.
4. Then add the vegetable stock, cinnamon and nutmeg. Bring to the boil, and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Remove the sweet potatoes and butternut squash from the oven and add to the pan with the stock.
6. Puree with a blender.

Mexican Bean Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp dried cumin
• 1 tsp dried coriander
• One medium-sized chilli, chopped
• 1 can 400g cans red kidney beans
• 1 can 400g chick peas
• 400g can chopped tomato
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 150ml water
• Handful coriander

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic in a large pan for 5 minutes.
2. Then add the chilli, cumin, and dried coriander, and stir.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes, kidney beans, chick peas, stock, tomato puree and half the coriander to the 150ml water.
4. Simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Puree with a blender.
6. Stir through the remaining coriander.

Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

• 2tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 leek, rinsed and finely chopped
• 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
• 5 slices root ginger
• 6 chicken thighs, skinless and on the bone
• 2 litres good-quality chicken stock
• 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped into small chunks
• 150g pearl barley
• 2 handfuls frozen peas
• thyme and parsley, to garnish

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic for 3 minutes.
2. Add the carrot, leek and celery, and cook over a gentle heat until softened but not coloured.
3. Add the ginger and chilli, and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Season the chicken and add with the stock.
5. Bring to a gentle simmer, and turn down the heat.
6. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes, skimming any scum off the surface with a spoon.
7. Add the potato and pearl barley and continue to cook, with the pan covered, for 30 minutes.
8. Add the peas and cook for another 5 minutes.
9. Garnish with thyme and parsley.

Haleem – The Indian Broth

Haleem is often eaten during the winter months in the northern, mountainous territories of India and Pakistan.

Ingredients:

• 3 onions, sliced
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp finely cut/grated ginger
• 4 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 500g boneless lamb, cut into 3cm cubes
• 125g bulgur wheat
• 125g mixed pulses, such as red and yellow lentils
• Salt
• 1l water
• 2 tsp garam masala

Method:

1. Heat 2 tbsp of oil and cook 1 onion, until brown at the edges. Allow to cool, then mince in a blender.
2. Sauté 2 onions, garlic, and ginger over a medium heat for five minutes.
3. Add the minced onion, the turmeric, coriander and chilli powder, and stir-fry for a couple of minutes, until the masala has darkened in colour.
4. Add the lamb and brown all over for 10 minutes.
5. Tip in the bulgur and mixed pulses, season with salt and flood with the water.
6. Bring the water to the boil and then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 1½ hours. Stir regularly, making sure nothing sticks to the bottom.
7. Once the meat is tender, mash it with the back of a wooden spoon and cook for another 20 minutes.
8. Layer in the garam masala, allowing it to cook for another 10 minutes.
9. After 2 hours of cooking, the pot should be a heaving spiced lamb broth.

Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you have to pile on the pounds. As well as tasting great, these recipes leave you feeling and looking healthy.

So enjoy hearty delicious food without worrying about staying trim over the winter months.