5 Cozy, Simple Homemade Soup Recipes You Can Make Now

Spice up winter with these simple soup recipes that are healthy and easy to make, from Catherine Katz, PhD, founder of the culinary website Cuisinicity.

Warm satisfying soup for chilly evenings

These recipes from nutrition expert Catherine Katz qualify as healthy comfort food. For starters, most soup broth fills you up fast on fewer calories while delivering plenty of nutrients. Let these tasty recipes warm you up this winter. If you’re looking for vegan options, you’ll find plenty here.

Hearty Turkey Chili


Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tsp chili powder
3 tsp cumin powder
1½ tsp ground thyme
½ tsp ground chipotle powder
⅛ tsp smoked paprika
2 bay leaves
1 lb extra lean ground turkey breast
1 tsp salt
1 (28oz) can ground tomatoes (no added oil or sugar)
1 tbsp tomato paste
4 cups fat free chicken broth
1 bottle (12oz) of dark beer of your choice
2 tbsp chopped green chilies (optional)
4 large (l lb -13 oz) cans small red beans, rinsed well and drained
3 tbsp stone-ground cornmeal
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large cast-iron dutch oven (I like Le Creuset but any heavy bottom deep pan will do) over high heat, add the garlic and onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes.

2. Add the chili powder, ground cumin, thyme, chipotle, smoked paprika, and bay leaves and continue to sauté over medium heat for another 5 minutes.

3. Add the ground turkey & salt and brown for a few more minutes while stirring constantly, so the turkey doesn’t clump.

4. Add canned ground tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth, beer, and green chilies (if using). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and continue to simmer for a few minutes.

5. Add the drained beans to the pot and stir gently.

6. Continue to simmer covered for another 25-30 minutes.

7. Add the stone-ground cornmeal and balsamic vinegar and stir.

8. Turn off the heat and keep covered until ready to serve.

9. I like to let my chili “sit” before I serve it so that all the flavors blend even more together and the texture is nice and thick.

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Creamy Red Lentil Squash Soup

Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 (20 oz) packages of fresh peeled cut-up butternut squash
9 cups water
1 ½ cup dry red lentils
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp tomato concentrate
1½ tsp salt
Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy pan and stir in the chopped onion and garlic for a few minutes until soft.

2. Add the coriander, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, and tomato concentrate and stir.

3. Add the butternut squash and water and bring to a boil uncovered.

4. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for 20 minutes covered.

5. Add the lentils, stir, and continue to simmer for an additional 15 minutes or until the butternut squash and lentils are very soft.

6. Add salt and pepper.

7. Place in food processor or blender and purée until smooth.

8. Ladle in a soup bowl and sprinkle with a pinch of coriander and cinnamon.

9. Stir the surface gently so as to get a swirl on the surface…et voilà!

Lentils are a good source of fiber—here are 10 more high-fiber recipes to help you boost your intake.

Apple Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
1 big yellow onion
1 tbsp curry powder, mild
20 ounces fresh butternut squash
2 medium apples
3 cups fat-free vegetable broth
¾ cup apple cider
1½ cups fat-free buttermilk
¾ tsp salt

Instructions

1. Peel and chop the onions finely. Place olive oil in a pot large enough to hold the soup, and heat to medium; add chopped onions and curry powder and sautee over low heat until tender (8-10 minutes).

2. Peel the apples, core, and slice in big chunks. When onions are tender, pour in broth, chopped squash, apples, and salt and bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat, add in the apple cider, and simmer until the squash and apples are very tender (about 20 minutes).

4. When the soup is ready, let it cool down for a few minutes.

5. Pour it in a blender or food processor (you may have to do it in several batches) and puree until smooth.

6. Add buttermilk and simmer for a few minutes.

Sweet Pea and Spinach Soup

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups finely chopped yellow onion
2 (8 oz) bags fresh pre-washed spinach
2 (10 oz) bags frozen peas, defrosted
4 cups water
2 cups fresh mint leaves or fresh cilantro leaves
1¾ cup fat free buttermilk
¾ tsp salt
fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a deep pan and sautee the onions until soft (about 5 minutes).

2. Add the fresh spinach (one bag at a time, as it is very bulky, but not to worry—it cooks down quickly!)

3. Once the spinach is completely wilted (5-6 minutes), add the peas and water and bring to a quick boil.

4. Turn down the heat, cover, and simmer for 10-12 minutes.

5. Turn off the heat and add the fresh mint or cilantro, salt, and pepper.

6. Let cool for a few minutes and place the soup in a food processor (you will have to do it in several batches) and process until smooth.

7. Add the buttermilk and briefly heat through while stirring.

8. Ladle the soup in individual bowls with a drizzle of buttermilk for a beautiful presentation.

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Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup

Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup celery, chopped
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
1 large yellow potato, rinsed and diced (unpeeled)
1 ½ tsp ground mild curry
1 tsp ground tumeric
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 can (28 oz) diced plum tomatoes (with the juice)
8-9 cups water
1 cup dried and rinsed lentils (preferably red)
2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, well rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Instructions

1. Place olive oil in large pot, and sauté onions, celery, and potatoes along with the spices (turmeric, curry, and cinnamon) over medium heat for 5 minutes.

2. Add canned tomatoes (with their juice) and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

3. Add water, chickpeas, and salt. Bring to boil, then simmer partially covered for 30 minutes.

4. Add the lentils and continue to simmer for another 20 minutes (Check that there is enough liquid if using another variety of lentils and add an extra cup of water if necessary).

5. Just before serving, add lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and cilantro, if using.

Obsessed with these recipes? They don’t stop here. Try more delicious dishes from Catherine Katz (read: Walnut-Crusted Wild Salmon and Welcome Home Banana Bread!) at Cuisinicity.

Reprinted with permission from CUISINICITY™ 2014 Catherine Katz.

Sources

Catherine Katz, PhD
Catherine has generated hundreds of “loving food that loves you back” recipes, meeting the highest nutrition standards and the demands of discerning palates in adults and children alike. Her recipes have been widely featured in national media, including ABC News, O Magazine, Eating Well, Prevention Magazine, Woman’s World, Fitness, Shape, and many others. Her recipes also appear in many blogs geared toward busy health-conscious mothers, including: Catherine’s corner at Naturally Savvy , Taste of Health at HealthyDiningFinder.com. In addition to founding cuisinicity.com, Catherine—along with her husband, Dr. David Katz—created the Nutrition Detectives™ food label literacy program (Nutrition Detectives), now in use by thousands of schools all over the world.