Whether you’re suffering from the sniffles or cooking for a laid-up friend, these soups all warm from within. Though a few are vegetarian, many of them are based on chicken broth (homemade is best, but you can sub store-bought) enhanced with aromatics like garlic, ginger, turmeric, and lemongrass to clear those sinuses and make you feel human again.
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RecipeTurmeric-Ginger Dumpling Soup
This brightly flavored soup is ready in no time, thanks to prepared dumplings. Baby bok choy can vary in size from the length of your index finger to the length of your hand; you’re looking to have pieces that are 2 inches long, so trim accordingly. -
RecipeCoconut Curry Rice Noodle Soup with Shrimp
This soup—somewhere between a curry and a pho—gets its inspiration from Malaysian laksa. Fish sauce takes the place of the traditional shrimp paste, and jalapeños impart heat. There are many shapes and sizes of rice noodles, though the flat pad Thai variety does best in this broth.
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RecipeWhole-Grain Pasta e Fagioli with Butternut Squash and Sage Pesto
Whole-grain orecchiette or shells star in this makeover of a classic Italian pasta and bean soup. With butternut squash, borlotti beans, and a bright sage pesto, it’s perfect for a chilly autumn evening.
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RecipeLemongrass-Ginger Chicken Soup with Swiss Chard
Mirin and sesame oil add sweet, toasty notes to this tangy soup, and the greens give it a wholesome, filling feel. Rainbow chard makes it look bright.
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RecipeLemony Egg Soup with Peas
Adding lemon and egg to broth—like in the Greek soup avgolemono—makes it velvety. Peas lend a sweet, springy flavor.
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RecipeHot-and-Sour Soup
This classic Chinese soup probably originated in northern China, near Beijing, even though Hunan and Sichuan Provinces both claim it as their own. The essential flavor balance comes from spicy pepper oil (hot) and red rice vinegar (sour). Be sure to freeze the bean curd the day before you plan to serve the soup; doing so will change its texture from silky to marvelously spongy.
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RecipeItalian Wedding Soup (Italian Meatball Soup)
Italian wedding soup, or minestra maritata, doesn’t really have much to do with weddings at all. It’s said to get its name from the “marriage” of the ingredients—meat, greens, and noodles or eggs.
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RecipeChicken and Rice Soup with Spinach, Lemon, and Dill
A burst of fresh lemon juice, added just before serving, makes this soup sing.
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RecipeCannellini Bean and Kale Soup
This hearty vegetarian Tuscan soup is full of flavor. The crinkly, deep-green leaves of Lacinato kale (also called dinosaur or black kale) are ideal, but any variety of kale will work. Serve with a crusty baguette.
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RecipeWinter Vegetable Soup with Coconut Milk & Pear
Tossing pears into the mix of vegetables adds another layer of flavor and a wonderful texture.
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RecipeMatzo Ball Soup
They don't call it "Jewish penicillin" for nothing. This simple soup is based on a homemade golden chicken broth, in which the light, fluffy matzo balls float.
