Updated on English Recipes

Soups for All Seasons

Soup is a quick one pot meal which contains multiple food groups like grains, vegetables, and proteins. Either throw the ingredients in a slow cooker or a pot on the stove to simmer while you take time for yourself. 

 

Chicken Noodle Soup

bowl of chicken noodle soup with celery , carrot and a wooden spoon

This affordable, comfort food is tasty any time of year! Make it for dinner one day and have some left for lunch the next day. 

Ingredients: 

Serves 8 

  • 1 tablespoons oil 
  • 1 large onion, diced 
  • 2 medium carrots, diced 
  • 1 ½ cups diced celery, include leaves 
  • 6 cups 33% less-sodium chicken broth 
  • 2 cups of water 
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano 
  • 8 ounces wide egg noodles 2
  • tablespoons lemon juice (optional) 
  • 1-2 teaspoon black pepper 
  • 2 cups cooked and cubed chicken breasts 

Instructions: 

  1. Wash and dice the onion, carrots, and celery. 
  2. In a large soup pot, heat the oil until shimmering. Sauté the onion until clear. Stir in the carrots and celery. Cook a few minutes more until vegetables begin to soften. 
  3. Stir in the broth, water, and oregano. 
  4. Bring to a boil and stir in the egg noodles. Simmer 8-10 minutes or until noodles are al dente. 
  5. Stir in the lemon juice (if using) and pepper. Add the cooked cubed chicken. Simmer until hot. Serve immediately. 

Notes: 

  • The noodles in the leftover soup will continue to absorb liquid, so you may need to add more chicken broth or water when serving leftovers. 
  • For best noodle texture, enjoy this soup within 2 days of preparation. 
  • This is a great recipe for using leftover cooked chicken! You can also buy frozen cooked chicken to save time. Other cuts of chicken, such as thighs or canned, can be used in place of chicken breasts. 

 

Pueblo Chili 

chili in a white mug with spoon on checkered cloth and wooden board

Load up on healthy fiber, vegetables and protein with this flavorful chili with just the right amount of spice. 

Ingredients: 

Serves 6 

  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 
  • 1 large onion, chopped 
  • 1 teaspoon garlic (minced) 
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano (optional) 
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon chili powder 
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin 
  • 1 (14 ½ ounce) can vegetable or chicken broth (fat-free, reduced sodium)  
  • 1⁄2 cup water 
  • 1⁄2 cup mild salsa 
  • 1 (14 ½  ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice (reduced sodium) 
  • 1 (4 ounce) can mild green chilies (diced) 
  • 2 cups frozen corn (thawed) 
  • 1 (15 ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed 
  • 1( 5-6 ounce) package fresh baby spinach  
  • black pepper (to taste) 

Instructions: 

  1. Heat oil in large pan. Cook onions until soft. Add minced garlic, oregano (if using), chili powder and cumin. Cook 1 more minute. 
  2. Stir in broth, water, salsa, tomatoes, green chilies, and corn. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
  3. Add beans and spinach. Simmer 5 minutes. Add pepper to taste. Enjoy! 

Notes: 

  • Make a meaty version of this chili- add 1-2 cups of any cooked chicken or ground turkey. 
  • Want it a little soupier? Add more water, milk, a second can of diced tomatoes with juice or another can of low sodium broth. 
  • Top it your way! Try salsa verde, hot sauce, lime slices, cilantro, avocado, or plain non-fat yogurt. 

 

Savory Pork and Kale Soup 

ceramic bowl on soup on a wooden board with a striped cloth and spoon

 

Delicious meat and vegetables will wow you with this one pot wonder! 

Ingredients: 

Serves 10 

  • 1 pound lean pork (like shoulder) 
  • Non-stick cooking spray 
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil 
  • 1/2 sweet onion, diced 
  • 1 (15 ounce) can corn, (low sodium or no salt added) 
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, (no salt added) 
  • 3 cups chicken broth (low sodium) 
  • 1 1/2 cups water 
  • 1 tablespoon paprika 
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 
  • 1/2 bunch (about 3 cups) kale 

Instructions: 

  1. Take kale leaves off stem. Rinse and dry kale leaves. Set aside. 
  2. Cut pork into bite-sized chunks. 
  3. Heat large pot to medium-high. Spray with non-stick cooking spray and add pork to the pot. 
  4. Cook pork until no pink is left, about 5-8 minutes. Remove pork from pot, cover to keep warm, and set aside. 
  5. Add olive oil and onions to the pot. Cook onions until soft, about 3-5 minutes. 
  6. Drain canned corn and add to the pot. Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, water, paprika, black pepper, and cooked pork. Let soup simmer on low heat for at least 20 minutes. 
  7. Add kale 5 minutes before serving. 

Notes: 

  • Pork shoulder was used for the nutrient analysis. Other cuts of meat may have a different fat content. 
  • To save time, used bagged fresh or frozen kale. If using fresh, you can de-stem ahead of time. Buy more kale when in season and freeze! 
  • No paprika? No problem! Substitute 1-2 teaspoons chili powder for the paprika. 

Slow Cooker Savory Pea Soup 

bowl of soup with spoon on napkin

 

This filling soup is satisfying and healthy. Serve it with this yummy flatbread. 

Ingredients:  

Serves 4 

  • 1 cup dried beans such as Navy, Butter, or Gungo beans 
  • 1/2 can (13.66-ounce can) Lite Coconut Milk  
  • 1 medium Yukon Gold potato  
  • 2 medium carrots   
  • 1 small yam or sweet potato 
  • 3 teaspoons (about 3 sprigs) fresh thyme (2 teaspoons dried thyme)  
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder 
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder  
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper  
  • 4 cups water 

 Instructions:  

  1. Wash beans and rinse beans thoroughly under running water to remove any residue, look through beans to ensure no hard particles like rocks are found.  
  2. Place dried beans in bowl and cover with just enough water to cover, set aside to soak overnight (for quicker and even cooking time). Before using in recipe, drain and rinse beans.  
  3. Place beans in slow cooker.  
  4. Open can of coconut milk and pour in the slow cooker over the beans.  
  5. Wash fresh thyme, gently rubbing leaves under running water. Chop fresh thyme and add thyme in slow cooker.  
  6. Wash produce thoroughly under running water.  
  7. Peel and cut potato, carrot, chayote, and yam into 1- inch cubes. Place in slow-cooker.  
  8. Add onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper into slow cooker.  
  9. Add water to slow-cooker.  
  10. Place lid on slow-cooker and cook on high for 6-8 hours until tender.  

Notes:  

  • Canned beans work great with this recipe! Just drain and rinse and reduce the amount of water to 2 cups. For best taste, the recommended beans are: Navy, Butter, or Gungo beans  
  • Try adding a couple drops of hot sauce for a flavor boost. 

 

Some additional great soups to try are: Slow Cooker West African Peanut Stew, Vegetable Gumbo Soup with Brown Rice and Slow Cooker Potato, Corn and Jalapeno Soup. 

Pair one of these tasty soups with this Mushroom Rueben Sandwich or this Curry Chickpea Sandwich. 

 

Written by Leslie Davis, MS, RDN, LD, CDCES | Edited by the Nutrition Education Team 

Posted: February 19, 2021