20 Simple Soup and Stew Recipes
What’s more comforting than soups and stews? Here are 20 simple soup and stew recipes, from classic chicken soups, to quick chilis, hearty stews and more!
Soups and stews are perhaps my favorite thing to cook — they’re easy, they’re forgiving, they’re amenable to whatever ingredients you may have on hand, and they can be made in advance! If you have a slow cooker, you can prep the dish in advance and let the flavors really come together for a comforting meal any time of the year. Today I am sharing 20 simple soup and stew recipes, from classic chicken and rice soup, to quick chilis, hearty stews and more!
These are the soups and stews I turn to time and again — between you and me, whenever someone asks me what my favorite thing is to cook, I sheepishly answer, “soup!” I feel that every cook should start by learning how to make a simple soup or stew — once you understand the basics, you’ll never go hungry. With each bubbling pot, your confidence with cooking gets better and better, and it’s easy to riff on a recipe once you get the hang of things. That means these soup recipes are all easily adaptable to whatever ingredients you may have on hand.
Happy cooking!
Simple Soup Recipes
The best thing about a soup is that you don’t have to be totally precise to make a good soup. It’s gentle on mistakes, cooks fairly quickly, and you can freeze any extras for a rainy day.
Spiced Butternut Squash Lentil Soup (Vegan)
Spiced Butternut Squash Lentil Soup is a soothing, nourishing, vegan soup, made especially warming with turmeric, curry, and ginger.
Prime Rib Beef and Lentil Soup
Leftover indulgence transforms into nourishing soup made with homemade stock and hearty vegetables. Even if you don’t have leftover prime rib, use any kind of leftover roast beef and beef stock to make this soup.
Roasted Tomato, Garlic and Herb Soup
Tomato soup is always a classic – give yours an upgrade by roasting your tomatoes with garlic and herbs for an easy roasted tomato soup recipe for stove or Instant Pot!
Roasted Tomatillo Chicken Soup
Let the magic of roasted tomatillos and jalapeños warm you from the inside with this simple recipe! You’ll love this reader favorite.
Pressure Cooker Creamy Rotisserie Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
A comforting bowl of creamy chicken and wild rice soup is made even easier when you use a pressure cooker (such as an Instant Pot) and leftover rotisserie chicken!
Arroz Caldo | Filipino Chicken and Rice Soup
When you need a little TLC, there’s nothing better than chicken and rice soup, and in the Philippines, Arroz Caldo is the answer to a comforting bowl. This is my quick and easy, fast and speedy way of making Arroz Caldo. Ready in just about half an hour, my kids call this “sick soup” – the ginger and garlic make it especially soothing.
Instant Pot Beef Nilaga (Filipino Beef and Vegetable Soup)
Another comforting Filipino classic is Beef Nilaga, a nourishing Beef and Vegetable Soup. A pressure cooker (like Instant Pot) makes the beef extra tender in less time!
Simple Noodle Soup Recipes
Instant Pot Short Rib Ramen
Short Rib Ramen is utterly slurp-worthy! This satisfying beef ramen is made simple with a homemade ramen broth recipe that cooks short ribs in the instant pot!
Mushroom and Short Rib Noodle Soup
Mushroom and Short Rib Noodle Soup is a cozy beef noodle soup that cooks in just half and hour! Flavorful beef broth, tender shabu-shabu beef, earthy mushrooms, and ramen noodles taste like it’s been simmering for hours but is so easy to make.
Chicken and Asparagus Sotanghon (Glass Noodle) Soup
On cold winter nights, I turn to this comforting Filipino Chicken and Asparagus Sotanghon (Glass Noodle) Soup. It warms you up and nourishes from within. This is an old favorite that friends as for time and again.
Spicy Pumpkin Ramen
Spice up regular ramen with spicy pumpkin ramen in just 15 minutes! Recipe below.
Simple Chili Recipes
Between you and me, whenever I crave chili, it usually means I craved cornbread first! Whatever spurs your craving, here are my favorite chili recipes.
Vegan Chili: Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
You won’t miss meat at all in this simple and satisfying vegan chili recipe! Make this vegetarian chili on the stove or in the slow cooker!
Classic chili bubbling on the stove calls to mind homespun comfort, the rustling of autumn leaves, and cozy moments with family. Pair it with sweet corn muffins for the classic simple supper.
This chicken chili comes together in about half an hour, is full of flavor, and like all good chilis, tastes great the next day.
Lentils lighten up a classic chili in this Beef and Lentil Chili!
Simple Stew Recipes
When stews bubble on the stove, there’s always the promise of cozy comfort food! If you have time, it’s wonderful to indulge in letting a stew simmer for hours, but if you have a pressure cooker, stews can be made in a must shorter time!
Swiss Veal and Wild Mushroom Stew
Swiss Veal and Wild Mushroom Stew is a must try from Deer Valley Resort Fireside Dining. This rich, hearty stew recipe simple to make at home! If you prefer, use regular beef! Gluten-free.
Instant Pot Fish Stew with Tomatoes, Olives and Capers
Instant Pot Fish Stew with Tomatoes, Olives and Capers is an elevated, but ever so simple meal!
Mechado Filipino Beef Stew
Mechado, Filipino beef stew, is the Philippine’s version of the classic comfort food. This was the first dish I ever made for my husband, and it continues to be a favorite.
Filipino-style Picadillo Bowls
Filipino-style Picadillo Bowls is a classic comfort food in the Philippines–my version is chock-full of bright, colorful vegetables and made in under 30 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights the whole family will love!
Colombian Chicken, Corn & Potato Stew {Ajiaco}
Thick from the starch of potatoes, and flavorful from a stock enhanced by chicken and corn, Colombian Chicken, Corn & Potato Stew (Ajiaco) is wonderfully cozy.
How to Make Soup Stock
Have extra vegetables and meat bones or seafood shells? My favorite way to make soup stock is in a pressure cooker! Learn how to make Pressure Cooker Soup Stock!
Should I Use a Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker or Dutch Oven?
I share my tips on the advantages (and differences) of Slow Cooker vs Pressure Cooker vs Dutch Oven and What Should You Buy.
Happy Cooking!
Simple Soup Recipe: Spicy Pumpkin Ramen
Ingredients
- 1 cup onion finely diced
- 3 slices ginger about 1-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 cups shiitake mushrooms sliced
- Kosher salt to taste
- 2 teaspoons curry paste
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons sriracha
- 12 oz ramen noodles
- 2 cups tofu
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1/4 cup cilantro
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions, garlic, ginger and mushrooms. Season with salt and cook until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are tender.
- Stir in the curry paste and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir in the coconut milk, vegetable broth, pumpkin and sriracha. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer.
- Add the ramen noodles and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Add the tofu and baby spinach.
- Divide into bowls and serve with cilantro. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Comments
COOKBOOK
thank you for all of these, never thought I’d crave soups as much as this year, so thank you, short rib ramen especially
You’re so welcome, Sabrina — and yes, that short rib ramen is SO good!