As Atlanta shivers through days of freezing temperatures and two weekends in a row of winter storm warnings, there’s no tastier way to warm up than with a steaming bowl of soup, chili or stew. Here, 40 recipes for staying cozy when the wind blows and snowflakes threaten to fall.
Recipes from metro Atlanta restaurants
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
1. Lentil Soup from Zakia
Executive chef Michael Schorn created the recipe for this soup full of Lebanese flavors.
Get the recipe for Lentil Soup.
2. Curried Butternut Squash Soup from Canoe
Canoe’s executive chef Matthew Basford shared this recipe for a spiced butternut squash soup that benefits from ginger and coconut milk.
Get the recipe for Butternut Squash Soup.
3. French Onion Soup from Petite Violette
Cheesy, savory and comforting, there’s no better flavor than French onion soup on a cold, gray day.
Get the recipe for French Onion Soup.
Credit: Chris Hunt
Credit: Chris Hunt
4. Tom Yum Soup from Little Bangkok
Little Bangkok starts its Tom Yum Soup with a base of chicken stock and their housemade Tom Yum paste.
Get the recipe for Tom Yum Soup.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
5. Vegan Lentil Soup from Manuel’s Tavern
This Vegan Lentil Soup is a nice, straightforward recipe.
Get the recipe for Vegan Lentil Soup.
6. Butternut Squash Soup with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds from Century House Tavern
The ingredients are the star in this simple but tasty version of butternut squash soup.
Get the recipe for Butternut Squash Soup with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds.
7. Mushroom Soup from Chicago’s Steak and Seafood
The puff pastry crown on top of this soup makes it look even more like a mushroom.
Get the recipe for Mushroom Soup.
8. Hot and Sour Soup from Masterpiece
There are many variations of Hot and Sour Soup and our testers agreed with our reader that this version, created by James Beard Foundation nominated Best Chef: Southeast Rui Lui, is a hit.
Get the recipe for Hot and Sour Soup.
Credit: Chris Hunt
Credit: Chris Hunt
9. Tomato and Basil Soup from Vincenza’s Pizzeria
Roasting the tomatoes before adding them to the soup is a great way to use winter tomatoes that might not be as flavorful as those in the peak of summer.
Get the recipe for Tomato and Basil Soup.
10. Cream of Artichoke Soup from Tea Leaves and Thyme
While Tea Leaves and Thyme in Woodstock has closed, hold on to this family recipe the restaurant used to serve.
Get the recipe for Cream of Artichoke Soup.
11. Tomato Basil Soup from the Fickle Pickle
Andy Badgett, owner of The Fickle Pickle in Roswell, shared this recipe for Tomato Basil Soup.
Get the recipe for Tomato Basil Soup.
Credit: Chris Hunt
Credit: Chris Hunt
12. Sopa de Pollo from Taxco
What appears to be a simple soup of chicken and rice is actually a bit complicated to make, but the recipe has been in the restaurant family for more than 30 years, so it’s worth the time.
Get the recipe for Sopa de Pollo.
More soup recipes
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
13. White Bean Chili with Sweet Potatoes
Atlanta chef Tatiana Gonzalez created this soup recipe. At first glance, this might not look like a standard chili recipe. But the adobo seasoning, with its mix of salt, cumin, garlic, black pepper and oregano, provides the expected chili punch.
Get the recipe for White Bean Chili with Sweet Potatoes.
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
14. Potato Leek Soup
Another recipe from Gonzalez, this one is adapted from the concept of the French classic cold soup, vichyssoise, and created a lighter version to be served hot.
Get the recipe for Potato Leek Soup.
Credit: Virginia Willis
Credit: Virginia Willis
15. Tomato Soup
AJC food writer Virginia Willis shares that an immersion blender makes quick work of the whole tomatoes, but you can also use cans of diced tomatoes or even tomato puree if that is what you have on hand. And of course, the classic partner for tomato soup is a grilled cheese sandwich.
Get the recipe for Tomato Soup.
Credit: Virginia Willis
Credit: Virginia Willis
16. Cauliflower Parmesan Soup
Another recipe from Willis, she writes that this is a creamy yet creamless soup made with real, recognizable ingredients. Parmigiano-Reggiano, an Italian dry-aged cheese, and Parmesan, its less expensive cousin, are actually lower in fat compared to many other cheeses. If you use cheeses that are full of complex, strong flavors, like Parmigiano-Reggiano, you’ll find that a little goes a long way.
Get the recipe for Cauliflower Parmesan Soup.
Credit: Virginia Willis
Credit: Virginia Willis
17. Spiced Sweet Potato Soup
In this recipe, use curry powder or garam masala to balance the sugary sweet potato with warming, aromatic spice.
Get the recipe for Spiced Sweet Potato Soup.
Credit: C. W. Cameron
Credit: C. W. Cameron
18. Jerusalem Artichoke Soup
This simple soup was inspired by “Soup: A Way of Life” by Barbara Kafka (Artisan, 1998). AJC food writer C.W. Cameron tops her soup with small cubes of toasted sourdough bread, crisped bits of fresh sage and slices of browned Jerusalem artichokes.
Get the recipe for Jerusalem Artichoke Soup.
19. Roasted Hubbard Squash Soup
Local chef Matt Adolfi shared this recipe for a squash soup. He noted, “This squash has a dense orange flesh that has a rich flavor of pumpkin. This soup is made by roasting the squash to concentrate the flavors that we look forward to in the fall months.”
Get the recipe for Roasted Hubbard Squash Soup.
20. Pork Sausage, Potato, Cabbage and Carrot Soup
If you love cabbage, try this recipe from food writer Jennifer Zyman. Cabbage, an often overlooked vegetable, adds sweetness to soup, crunch to dishes and makes an incredible side dish with few ingredients.
Get the recipe for Pork Sausage, Potato, Cabbage and Carrot Soup
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
21. Sweet Potato Wonderbroth
This broth from Stella Dillard of Dandelion Food and Goods is delicious on its own, but to turn it into a heartier soup, add cooked black rice and braised greens such as bok choy, and garnish with chopped herbs.
Get the recipe for Sweet Potato Wonderbroth
22. Vegetable Broth
Here’s another broth from Dillard, plus a tip: Roasting the vegetables until golden brown and leaving the peel on the onion and garlic provide great depth of flavor for the broth.
Get the recipe for Vegetable Broth
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
23. Vegan Ramen Broth
This flavorful broth is great for more than just ramen. Consider it as an option for a recipe that calls for vegetable broth. You can make a meal of just the broth alone, although Dillard warns that without protein, it won’t fill you up. To make a ramen bowl, add sauteed or roasted mushrooms, cubes of soft tofu, cooked chuka soba noodles, blanched greens and soft-boiled eggs.
Get the recipe for Vegan Ramen Broth
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
24. Beef Curry Broth
Dillard suggests that makrut lime leaves, fresh spices in small quantities and a wide array of yellow curry pastes can be found at Buford Highway Farmers Market. For the curry paste, she recommends reading the ingredient lists and trying a few to find your favorite.
Get the recipe for Beef Curry Broth
Credit: Chris Hunt
Credit: Chris Hunt
25. Clam Chowder
Make a hearty, comforting dinner quickly with this recipe from AJC food writer Kate Williams.
Get the recipe for Clam Chowder.
Credit: Brooke Slezak
Credit: Brooke Slezak
26. Butternut Squash and Black Bean Chili
AJC food writer Chadwick Boyd shares this festive recipe.
Get the recipe for Butternut Squash and Black Bean Chili
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
27. 20-minute Chicken Noodle Soup
Give this semi-homemade soup a try on the busy, cold nights of winter.
Get the recipe for 20-minute Chicken Noodle Soup.
28. Tomato Kidney Bean Soup
A local family shares their recipe for Tomato Kidney Bean Soup.
Get the recipe for Tomato Kidney Bean Soup
29. Easy Italian Ribollita
This quick and satisfying soup is a variation on a Tuscan favorite, traditionally made with a combination of leftover bread, vegetables and cannellini beans.
Get the recipe for Italian Ribollita
30. Mexican Red (or Green) Posole
This hearty soup made with pork and hominy is eaten throughout Mexico for holidays and special occasions, such as Christmas. But Eddie Hernandez, the executive chef of Atlanta-based Taqueria del Sol, says his family had it anytime, and it was always very festive.
Get the recipe for Mexican Red (or Green) Posole
31. Vietnamese Weeknight Beef Pho
Vietnamese pho is a long-simmered marvel fragrant with charred ginger and onion and layers of sweet, woody spice. This isn’t quite that, according to chef and cookbook author Michele Humes. But it turns out that the time it takes to infuse a store-bought beef broth with pho’s central aromatics is also the time it takes to firm up a steak in the freezer for easy slicing.
Get the recipe for Vietnamese Weeknight Beef Pho
32. Curried Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkin is the star in this recipe for Curried Pumpkin Soup from AJC food writer Meridith Ford.
Get the recipe for Curried Pumpkin Soup.
Credit: Chris Hunt
Credit: Chris Hunt
33. Minestrone Soup
Jennifer Zyman shares recipes for super-charged soups. She writes that the beauty of this soup is its versatility and the Parmesan broth.
Get the recipe for Minestrone Soup.
Credit: Chris Hunt
Credit: Chris Hunt
34. Shiitake Mushroom, Wild Rice, Ginger and Miso Soup
One of the great things about Zyman’s soup is that it can be modified to fit your hunger level. If this vegetarian soup is not hearty enough for dinner, add shredded chicken breast, cubes of firm tofu or a poached egg at the very end of the cooking to give it some heft.
Get the recipe for Shiitake Mushroom, Wild Rice, Ginger and Miso Soup.
Credit: Chris Hunt
Credit: Chris Hunt
35. Mexican Chicken Soup
This is a version of the soup Zyman’s mom used to make her as a child. It is missing a few components that she used to add, such as chayote in the soup and Mexican rice served on the side. This soup is heavy on the toppings, which are more like ingredients than accoutrements and needed to achieve a balance of flavors.
Get the recipe for Mexican Chicken Soup.
Credit: James Roper
Credit: James Roper
36. Fava Bean and Nopales Soup
James Oseland, the author and editor of “World Food: Mexico City,” shares a recipe for this comforting soup. Mint, a traditional Mexican companion to fava beans, adds herbal nuance.
Get the recipe for Fava Bean and Nopales Soup.
Credit: James Roper
Credit: James Roper
37. Cantina-Style Garlic Soup
Oseland writes that this zesty and comforting soup, perfect for a chilly afternoon, is a Mexico City cantina classic for good reason: It pairs well with beer, tequila, mezcal or a tannic white wine.
Get the recipe for Cantina-Style Garlic Soup.
38. Mexican-Style Chicken and Vegetable Soup
Oseland’s homey weeknight classic gets its verve from whole allspice and cilantro and mint sprigs. The garnishes that appear after the main recipe aren’t essential but will result in a dish that tastes truly Mexican.
Get the recipe for Mexican-Style Chicken and Vegetable Soup.
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
39. Greek Avgolemono Soup
This is a magically cream-less creamy chicken soup, thickened with eggs and made tangy with a generous amount of lemon juice.
Get the recipe for Greek Avgolemono Soup
Credit: Chadwick Boyd
Credit: Chadwick Boyd
40. Chicken Corn Soup with Rivels
Chadwick Boyd shares his recipe for Chicken Corn Soup with Rivels (little dumplings dropped by hand or a spoon into boiling soup or liquid). He suggests serving with a fresh green salad or sauteed greens to balance the heartiness of the soup.
Get the recipe for Chicken Corn Soup with Rivels
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