Best Soups & Stews for Winter

There’s a chill in the air and winter is brewing. In a few months, we will be covered with blankets, in front of fireplaces and heaters, sipping on hot chocolate covered in whipped cream and marshmallows. When it comes to meals, we’ll all be craving warm dishes like thick vegetable soups and meaty stews. The following article covers the best recipes to keep you and your family’s bellies warm this winter!

To start off, go to your menu planner on the fridge and write down the following meals:

  • Monday – Easy Vegetable Soup with Ciabatta Bread and Salmon
  • Tuesday – Hearty Beef Stew with Rice and Gravy
  • Wednesday – Sweet Corn Soup with Ciabatta Bread and Tuna Fillet
  • Thursday – Easy Vegetable Soup with Ciabatta Bread and Roasted Chicken
  • Friday – Hearty Beef Stew with Rice and Gravy
  • Saturday – Sweet Corn Soup with Ciabatta Bread and Roast Beef
  • Sunday – Easy Vegetable Soup with Ciabatta Bread and Greek Salad

Easy Vegetable Soup

This recipe for Easy Vegetable Soup comes from Natasha’s Kitchen and is hearty, filling, delicious and nutritious. It’s wonderful to eat with big pieces of toasted ciabatta bread, and as a starter to a big three course family meal.  It serves 8.

Write down the following ingredients on your handy magnetic whiteboard so that you have it in front of you:

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 chopped medium yellow onion
  • 3 diced medium potatoes
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 2 chopped large carrots
  • 1 cup chopped green beans
  • 28 oz (3.5 cups) diced canned tomatoes
  • 1 cup frozen sweet corn
  • ½ cup chopped green onions
  • 1 cup frozen sweet peas
  • 60 oz (7.5 cups) low-sodium vegetable broth
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1-2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper

Method

  1. Grab your chef knife from your magnetic knife bar and begin chopping up your yellow onion and the rest of your ingredients and place them all in separate bowls.
  2. Add olive oil to your soup pot and add onions and carrots and sauté for a good six to eight minutes until glossy and golden.
  3. Add the celery, green beans, canned tomatoes with all its juice, potatoes, broth, bay leaves (break them in half first), salt and pepper. Make sure everything is boiling, and then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
  4. As soon as all the vegetables are tender, add the green onions, corn, sweet peas and parsley. Season with salt if needed and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes. Remove and serve warm with toasted ciabatta bread and extra virgin olive oil or salted butter.  

Avril’s Hearty Beef Stew

This is the perfect stew to bring comfort in the winter. It’s a personal family recipe that has satisfied many family members over the years. Just one dish of it will have you craving more! It serves 4-6 people.

Write down the following ingredients on your magnetic blackboard under your shopping list:

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 chopped red onion
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped/2 Tsp crushed garlic
  • 2 fresh tomatoes
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste (add more for taste if necessary)
  • 2 peeled and chopped carrots
  • 8 baby potatoes cut into quarters
  • 1 tin butter beans
  • Half cup frozen peas
  • Quarter cup frozen beans
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 Tsp turmeric
  • 1 Tsp paprika
  • 1 Tsp oregano
  • 1 Tsp mild curry powder
  • 1 Tsp Worcestershire sauce/soya sauce
  • 1 Kg diced beef
  • Cilantro

Method

Take your chef knife from your magnetic knife bar and chop up all ingredients and place in separate bowls.

  1. Add olive oil to a big pot. Then add the onions and garlic, and stir until all are soft and glossy.
  2. Add the meat until just cooked and salt to taste. Add more oil if necessary.
  3. Then add the carrots and celery until soft. Add the fresh tomatoes and carry on stirring until soft.
  4. Add salt to taste, pepper, turmeric, oregano, paprika and curry powder and 3 bay leaves (break the bay leaves in half).
  5. Add the tin of chopped tomatoes and 2 cups water (more if needed)
  6. Add the potatoes, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes (check every few minutes and stir). Add the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce and stir. Then simmer for another 35 minutes, allowing the meat to absorb all the spices and sauce. Add water where necessary.
  7. Add the cilantro and after 35 minutes add frozen peas and beans.
  8. Add the butter beans and cook for 5 minutes and add salt (and more tomato paste) if necessary for taste.
  9. Serve with rice and use the stew sauce as gravy and add cilantro on top.

Sweet Corn Soup

This delicious sweet corn soup from Meaningful Eats is gluten-free, creamy and filling, and is the perfect start to any meal. It serves 6-8 people. Write down the following ingredients on your magnetic whiteboard:

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small chopped onion
  • 1 small red-skinned potato (peel and chop it)
  • 1 small chopped carrot
  • 1 clove chopped or minced garlic
  • 6 cups frozen corn
  • Chicken Stock
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 3 Tbsp fresh parsley
  • 2 limes
  • 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (Optional)

Method

  1. Add olive oil and butter to a heated pot, then add onion and garlic. Cook for around 7 minutes.
  2. Add the potatoes and carrots and stir for another 5 minutes.
  3. Pour in chicken stock and stir. Add salt and pepper, bring to a boil, cover, and then simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. Add 3 cups of corn and cook until its boiling, lower the heat and cover for 15 minutes until all ingredients are tender. Take all ingredients and blend either with an immersion blender or conventional blender.
  5. Pour the soup back into the pot. Then add the last 3 cups of corn, parsley, as well as salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Serve with a squeeze of lime and hot, toasted ciabatta bread with salted butter.

Conclusion

When there’s a chill in the air and you need some comfort food, look to the above recipes to warm you and your family up for nights upon nights to come.

Latest posts by Leah Goldberg | HMmagnets Team (see all)

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