In my day job as a librarian, I recently put my together a “soup season” themed cookbook list. You can find it here. So, if you are in the Kansas City area, head to the library and check out one of those books. If you’re not in the area, then feel free to utilize the list as a guide at your local library or bookstore.
One of the books that I think looks particularly interesting and exciting is Soup Swap. How much fun would it be to have a soup-themed potluck with friends where you each get to go home with a mason jar or tupperware full of a different soup?!
Anyway, creating that list gave me the idea of giving all of you a soup season recipe recap. Basically, I’m sharing all of the delicious soups I’ve made this winter! Some of them have been shared elsewhere on the blog, others have only been seen in my camera roll.
Beef Stew
It wouldn’t be soup season, or winter, without some hearty stews. One weekend I made two different beef stew recipes. You can find that post here. To recap that post, I talk about my love for stews. Not only because they are so comforting, but because they are also so versatile. To demonstrate their versatility, I provide an Irish stew recipe, describe my grandma’s stew recipe, and mention a lamb and red wine stew that I made last soup season.
Bouillabaisse (Traditional French Fisherman’s Stew)
Bouillabaisse is an excellent example of how stews can vary so much. From the hearty and rich beef stews, now comes the light fish and seafood stew. One thing that surprised me about making bouillabaisse was 1) how simple it was and 2) how budget-friendly it could be. To make the fish stew budget friendly you will want to keep an eye on your local fish market and pick out whatever is fresh and a good deal. Then, instead of using expensive saffron, you can use goya sazon con azafran (or goya seasoning with saffron).
Seafood Chowder
This seafood chowder was inspired by the seafood chowder I had in a Dingle, a small fishing village on the western coast of Ireland. Somehow, it was light and creamy at the same time. I really hope you enjoy this one.
Coq au Vin
There could be debate as to whether or not Coq au vin is a stew or not. I lean towards the stew camp. The main reason I believe it is a stew is because of its similarities to beef bourguignon, which is widely accepted as a stew. Both dishes are a protein braised in red wine, Coq au vin just uses chicken instead of beef, and the pieces of chicken tend to be larger with the bones in.
I made this Coq au vin for a girls night. It was a pretty traditional recipe made with chicken, red wine, carrots, onions, and mushrooms. One thing I did differently was I sautéed the mushrooms separately so that they got caramelized and crispier than they would if they stewed with the chicken. I then put the mushrooms on top of the Coq au vin for serving.
Tomato Soup
The tomato soup was part of my Halloween food blog post. The intention was for it to be “bloody” tomato soup, or soup maybe soup for the vampires at your halloween dinner party. I made my soup from scratch by simmering some homemade tomato juice until it was the desired thickness, seasoned with garlic, salt, and pepper. You can of course use canned tomato soup for a quick and easy version of this soup! Especially if you are serving it to little vampires after a night of trick or treating.
Colombian Sudado (Stew)
My family celebrated the New Year with a big pot of Colombian sudado. My sister’s fiancé, Valeria, is from Colombia and made us this sudado de pollo as the snow fell on New Year’s Day. Full of chicken and potatoes in a mild thick tomato soup, this Colombian chicken stew was a comforting way to ring in a snowy new year. My role in making this soup was pretty minimal and I didn’t write down the recipe as Valeria was making it. But, this recipe from My Colombian Recipes looks very similar to the sudado Valeria made.
Chinese Chicken and Corn Soup
This soup recipe came from a cookbook published in the 1990s that I got from my Great Aunt Roxie, The Complete Chinese Cookbook. Basically, you poach the chicken with aromatics and vegetables to simultaneously cook the chicken and create a simple broth. Then, you combine canned cream corn with the shredded chicken and broth. It was such a simple, yet delicious soup to make. It will definitely be a repeat in our house.
Dill Pickle Soup
This dill pickle soup was courtesy of Haden Hass and his TikTok and Instagram accounts. Go there if you are a gorgeous gorgeous pickle lover like me! It is a traditional polish dish called Zupa Orgokowa. My polish stepdad knew exactly what I was talking about when I told him I made dill pickle soup. He said it had been years since he had any, so I think I will have to make it again sometime for him.
I hope you all are able to gain your own soup season inspiration from this post, and tag me in any of your delicious creations! Have fun in the kitchen my friends!
