Temperatures are dropping, socks are getting thicker and you’re suddenly finding you need an extra blanket on your bed at night. Winter is here, and it brings with it more time snuggled up indoors, endless cups of tea and, of course, bowls of steaming soup. There’s no better side for soup than fresh bread, so here’s a round-up of six super winter soup recipes and sides to go with them.
Note: Stick to low-GI wholewheat bread whenever possible, or leave it out completely. These soups are filling enough to go without the side!
READ MORE: 3 Comforting Soups That’ll Boost Your Immune System
Want More Winter Soup Recipes? We’ve Just Launched The Ultimate Soup Cookbook!
In this book, you’ll find light broths, bold bisques and scrumptious stews so satisfying, you’ll be craving them all year long. It’s time to simmer, stir and slurp your way to better meals with:
- 45 Easy, Healthy Homemade Soup Recipes
- Energy Boosting Foods
- The Best Blenders That Do It All
- Ingredients That’ll Help Curb Cravings
6 Winter Soup Recipes That’ll Warm You Up, Stat!
1. Cheeky Broccoli And Cheese Soup
Broccoli and cheese are a heavenly match, and this is a good way to disguise healthy green vegetables if your family members aren’t mad about them.
Broccoli And Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- ½ Onion
- Olive Oil
- 2 Cups Broccoli
- 1 Litre Chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 Tin Evaporated milk
- 1 Cup Cheddar cheese, grated
For The Side
- Butter, softened
- Lemon zest, grated
- Low-GI brown bread, toasted
Instructions
- Fry the onion in a little oil until soft.
- Add broccoli, stock and evaporated milk. Boil until the broccoli is soft.
- Add cheddar cheese. Blend until smooth.
- For the side: Mix softened butter with grated lemon zest, then spread onto toasted low-GI brown bread. Serve with the broccoli soup and enjoy.
READ MORE: Make This Cold-Fighting Lettuce, Fennel & Pea Soup If You’re Feeling Under The Weather
2. Smoky Bacon And Bean Soup
The best thing about this soup is that you can make it with items from your kitchen cupboard or freezer.
Smoky Bacon And Bean Soup
Ingredients
- Few Rashers Bacon, chopped
- 1 Tin Italian tomato and onion mix
- 1 Tin Butter beans
For The Side
- Soft butter
- 1 Clove Garlic, chopped
- Dried herbs
- Low-GI white bread
Instructions
- Fry a few rashers of chopped bacon until crispy. Add tomato and onion mix and butter beans.
- For the side: Make herbed garlic butter by mixing together butter, garlic and dried herbs. Spread this mixture onto slices of low-GI white bread then grill until crispy and golden.
- Dunk the garlic bread into the soup for a hearty meal that’ll warm anyone up from the inside.
3. Tummy-Filling Sweetcorn & Chicken Soup
This soup is a great way to use up leftover roast chicken pieces.
Cosy Chicken & Corn Chowder Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Potatoes, chopped
- 1 Onion
- Butter
- 1 Tin Creamed sweetcorn
- 1 Tin Whole kernel corn, drained
- 1 Can Cream of chicken soup
- Dash Milk
- Leftover chicken, chopped into small pieces
For The Side
- Low-GI brown bread, toasted
- Parmesan, grated
Instructions
- Fry the potatoes and onion in butter, then add sweetcorn and corn.
- Add chicken soup, a dash of milk and leftover chicken.
- For the side: While the soup bubbles away, toast a few slices of low-GI brown bread, top with Parmesan and grill until the cheese has melted into the bread.
- Serve the soup when the potatoes are completely soft, with a healthy portion of Parmesan toast.
READ MORE: Give Your Salad A Winter Makeover With This Butternut And Beetroot Recipe
4. Hearty Veggie Noodle Soup
If you have odds and ends of vegetables in your fridge, you can whip up this soup for almost nothing.
Hearty Vegetable Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Onion
- Oil
- 3 Carrots, chopped
- 2 Stalks Celery, chopped
- 2 Zucchinis, chopped
- 2 Tbsp Tomato paste
- 2 Cups Vegetable stock
- 2 Cups Short pasta (macaroni, penne, fusilli or shells)
For The Side
- Bread
- Olive oil
- Salt
Instructions
- Fry one onion in a little oil, then add carrots, celery and zucchini.
- Add tomato paste and stock to the mixture. Bring to the boil, then add short pasta (macaroni, penne, fusilli or shells) and cook until the pasta is al dente.
- For The Side: To serve with the soup, make homemade croutons by cutting bread into cubes. Sprinkle with olive oil and salt, then roast in the oven until crispy.
- Sprinkle the homemade croutons into noodle soup just before serving – scrumptious.
5. Creamy Mushroom Soup
This soup couldn’t be simpler and it works for a laid-back dinner party starter.
Creamy Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Punnets Mushrooms, sliced
- 1 Onion, chopped
- 3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
- Butter
- 2 Cups Fresh cream
- 1 Cup Vegetable or chicken stock
- Dollop Sour cream (optional), for serving
For The Side
- Bread
- Olive oil
- Brown onion soup powder
Instructions
- Fry mushrooms, onion and garlic in melted butter until all the mushrooms are brown and tender.
- Add fresh cream and stock, simmer for five minutes, then turn off the heat.
- For The Side: Cut slices of bread into “soldiers”, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with brown onion soup powder, then bake until completely crispy. The brown onion soup gives them a salty, savoury flavour.
- Serve bread with the hot mushroom soup and top with sour cream, if you have some.
READ MORE: 15-Minute One-Pan Chicken With Green Beans In Tomato Sauce
6. Meaty Lasagne Soup
If your family loves lasagne, they’ll adore this twist on the classic pasta dish.
Meaty Lasagne Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Onion, chopped
- 2 Carrots, chopped
- 500 Grams Mince
- 2 Tins Chopped tomatoes
- 2 Cups Beef stock
- 1 Cup Elbow macaroni or lasagne sheets, broken up
For The Side
- 3 Slices Bread
- Olive oil
- Dried herbs
Instructions
- Fry onion and carrot until golden brown, then add the mince until browned.
- Add tomatoes and simmer.
- Add beef stock and elbow macaroni (or broken lasagne sheets). Cook until the pasta is soft.
- For The Side: Toast bread, then whizz in a blender until a chunky crumb is formed. Fry the crumbs in olive oil with dried herbs, until crispy. Use these crunchy breadcrumbs to top the lasagne soup.
