It’s cozy season which means all my meals in liquid soup form please, but with lots of good things inside. None of those broths that masquerade as soups, please. No, I want recipes that are hearty and filling. I want soups and stews! Here are 26 soups and stews that will make you cozy and warm, inside and out.
Noodle Soups
Noodle soups are the best: super filling and warming, full of slurpable goodness. Noodle soups are tops in my soup hierarchy, for sure.
Red Curry Ramen Noodle Soup
This is one of those recipes that hits all the key points: fast, tasty, and easy. Just a hint of spice with some round richness from sesame paste and lots of veggies and noodles. Here’s a link to a keto version too!
Pho
Pho might be the ultimate noodle soup. Those warming spices and all those slippery noodles. UGH. So good. We have a hardcore go all out version, an Instant Pot pho, Chicken pho, and vegan pho so all your Vietnamese noodle soup dreams can be achieved!
Here are some other ones too: Authentic Pho, Authentic Instant Pot Chicken Pho Recipe, The Best Instant Pot Vegan Pho Recipe
Miso Coconut Ramen Noodle Soup
It’s not quite traditional, but boy is it tasty. Miso and coconut are an amazing flavor combination and they really shine here with loads of noodles for slurping and mushrooms, chicken, and veggies to fill you up.
Bun Bo Hue
Noodles, but make them spicy! Bun bo hue is a symphony of flavors: herbaceous lemongrass, big beefy flavors, and spice.
Lasagna Soup
Who says you can’t have lasagna on a weeknight? This lasagna noodle soup has all the flavors of a good lasagna (cheese, oregano, noodles, sauce) and is a one and done kind of deal. I love lasagna out of a bowl!
Chicken Udon Noodle Soup
This simple chicken udon noodle soup is infinitely customizable. Switch out the chicken for beef, pork, tofu, or mushrooms. So good that sometimes I just have the chewy udon noodles in the dashi-soy soup.
Birria Ramen Noodle Soup
All the things you know and love about birria tacos, but make it soup! If you’re on the socials then I’m sure you’ve seen birria ramen. Make it at home so you don’t have to get dressed and leave the house. It’s amazingly complex and you can have tacos and soup together at last.
Spicy Korean Tofu Ramen Noodle Soup
This is kind of like ramyun, but where you ditch the soup packet and make it better. Veggies for health and tofu for protein. This soup will fill you up and keep you full.
Duck Ramen Noodle Soup
Soup, but make it elegant! Mike makes this duck soba when we want to feel a bit fancy but still eat noodles. The duck is so incredibly tender and the soup…huge flavors!
Khao Soi Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Soup
I feel like I could just drink the creamy coconutty broth of khao soi and be happy. But then I’d miss out on slurping the noodles and crunching on the deep fried bits. Khao soi is one of my top noodle soups. If you love curry, this one is for you.
Broth-y Soups
I know, I know, I said broth-y soups aren’t soups up top, but these broth based soups have things in them! Eggs! Dumplings! Squash! Broth-y is best…maybe?
Wonton Soup
Tender lil wontons floating in a rich and light broth. Wonton soup is pure comfort food.
Miso Soup
You’ve been making miso soup all wrong! Not trying to be click bait-y but there is definitely a right way and a wrong way to make miso soup. Don’t just stir miso into water, unlock the secrets, right here, right now ;)
Chicken Tortilla Soup
I went through this period where I would only eat tortilla soup from a local taco place for lunch. It was getting kind of expensive so this guy came into play. Tomato-y, with just a hint of spice, and all the toppings: chicken, shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream, and tortilla chips of course!
Gingery Chicken and Rice Soup
Chicken and rice belong together forever in all forms and soupy chicken and rice is so, so comforting. This recipe has a ginger-y backbone and is lightly seasoned with soy.
Miso Chicken Noodle Soup
When you want a classic egg noodle chicken noodle soup but you also want a bit more flavor, you should make this miso chicken noodle soup. All the classic chicken noodle soup ingredients: carrots, celery, onion, chicken, and egg noodles, dialed up thanks to umami forward white miso.
Ginger Coconut Butternut Squash Soup
Squash soups are so creamy without cream. This butternut beauty gets its flavors from ginger and coconut and comes together in a flash thanks to the Instant Pot. With some crusty bread this is a vegan soup that eats like a meal
Hearty Soups aka Stews
Stews are definitely soups. Maybe they’re even the king of soups? These stews are the heavy-hitters, the ones that you make and will feed you for days.
Kimchi Stew
Spicy and full of protein and flavor, this is a stick to your ribs kind of stew. Make a big pot and fire up some K-drama, you won’t regret it.
Coconut Curry Chickpea Stew
Soup-er warm and comforting with curry and coconut notes and two kinds of chickpeas: a little crunchy and a little soft.
Spicy White Bean and Barley Soup
Barley soups are the best. Here the barley adds heft, the white beans add protein, and the spice makes everything nice. Add a huge amount of extra greens and an egg on top because it’s pretty.
Beef Bourguingnon
This beef bourguingnon is made in the oven for ease then served with giant shells because I love giant shells in soup. Once upon a time, when travel was a thing, I had a beef bourgingnon in Paris with shells and it was the best thing I ate on that trip.
Chile Verde Stew
If you looking for a bit of summer in the cold, chili verde is for you! Melty, fall apart tender chunks of pork with smoky green chilies. Even better when you top this off with cilantro, cheese, and crema and have a side of fluffy hot tortillas.
Spicy Kimchi Soft Tofu Stew Sundubu Jjigae
Bubbling stews always give me the coziest feels. This is classic Korean comfort food, soft tofu in a spicy kimchi broth with juicy strips of pork belly. White rice and an egg yolk too please!
Japanese Nikujaga Beef Stew
The Japanese know how to coax out all the flavors from just a few ingredients. This stew comes together quick and easy thanks to thinly sliced beef. The potatoes are soft and creamy, the konnyaku is the best kind of chewy, and the classic dashi, mirin, sake, soy broth is to die for.
Budae Jiigae Korean Army Stew
If you have a portable burner, make this budae jiigae! Heck, if you don’t have a portable burner, make it anyway! It’s full of all the good stuff that you probably never let yourself eat: hot dogs, sausages, ham, instant noodles! You can lighten it up too with tofu and vegetables. Just don’t forget to put some cheese on top of the noodles. Cheesy spice noodles are where it’s at!
BONUS
Chinese Hot Pot
This is the BEST for a cozy night in: a warming broth that simmers at the table and ALL the delicious things you can cook in it. Chill around the table, cook your favorite bites, and dip them in sauce.
Happy soup weather friends!
xoxo steph