Simmering Soups and Stews

By The editors of MidwestLiving.com
Updated September 02, 2020
Blaine Moats

Dish out a steaming bowl of comfort food with 50 of our favorite recipes for soups, stews, chowders, chilis and bisques.

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Calico Chowder

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If you have partial bags of dried beans loitering in the pantry, throw them all in the pot to make this anything-goes fall soup. Perfumed with thyme and sage, it's creamy, homey and gratifyingly resourceful.

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Chicken Pot Pie Soup

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Broth gives this comforting soup plenty of meaty flavor, but you can stir in chopped cooked chicken for a heartier version. The recipe comes from La Soupe, a nonprofit cafe that helps feed hungry families in Cincinnati.

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Sausage-Sweet Potato Soup

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Sweet potatoes contribute their sweet taste to this hearty weeknight soup which is balanced by tart apple cider.

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Avgolemono Soup

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This traditional Greek chicken soup made with egg, lemon and orzo is rich and velvety, but also bright and refreshing thanks to a healthy dose of lemon juice.

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Italian Dinner Soup

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Gail Gladding-Pullara of Oregon, Wisconsin, created this simple, crowd-pleasing soup. "My family loves this recipe," she says. "It's easy and tastes like you've been cooking for hours."

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Spicy Beef, Bean and Vegetable Stew

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Affordable beef chuck roast, apple, parsnip and sweet potato slow-simmer in broth flavored with dark beer, herbs and spices. Warm corn bread muffins and cold winter night optional.

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Moroccan Chicken Stew

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Golden raisins and almonds are classic Moroccan ingredients that are essential to this comforting weeknight stew. The raisins add sweetness and the almonds add texture.

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White Surprise Chili

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This high-protein main dish looks like navy bean soup but is actually a mild chicken chili. 

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Maple-Chile Butternut Soup

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This is a great dairy-free (and cholesterol-free, too) soup in its own right, but a drizzle of Asian-spiced maple syrup adds a wonderfully unexpected kick and dramatic red flourish. The recipe comes from The Birchwood Cafe Cookbook (University of Minnesota Press, $29.95). 

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Hearty Vegetarian Chili

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Many vegetarian chilies eat more like soups, but ours is built to satisfy a meat-lover. Bulgur wheat and mushrooms combine to mimic the texture and flavor of ground beef; chili powder, smoked paprika and chocolate stout lend deep, authentic flavor without a long simmer.

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Chili-Ginger Mung Bean Soup

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Mung beans are petite beans with a toothsome texture and earthy flavor. They're sold dry and simmer right in the broth of this deliciously sinus-clearing soup.

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Chili Verde with Corn Bread Croutons

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Bulgur wheat lends meaty texture, fiber and protein to soups and stews, where it can cook in the broth. In our sweet and savory chili, we match the grain with salsa verde, peppers and edamame-a weeknight meal that makes it oh-so-easy to be green.

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Bacon-Rutabaga Bisque

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This twist on your classic potato soup uses rutabaga, a humble root veggie that has a deliciously sweet-nutty flavor.

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Smoky Roasted Tomato Bisque

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Even so-so winter tomatoes work beautifully in this easy recipe from La Soupe cafe in Cincinnati: Roasting brings out their sweetness.  

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Shredded Pork Posole

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Hominy is the signature ingredient in this traditional, chililike Mexican soup.

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Tuscan Bean Soup

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Flecked with a grab bag of hearty vegetables, this healthy soup hums with garlic and crushed red pepper. The recipe comes from La Soupe, a nonprofit cafe in Cincinnati.

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Chicken and Kielbasa Winter Stew

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Shhh! Don't tell anyone, but this hearty supper soup takes just an hour to make. The secret? Deli-roasted chicken and precooked sausage. Pair with breadsticks or a crusty baguette for a perfect winter meal that will fill your house with good smells.

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Thai Egg Drop Soup

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Curry paste and fish sauce (both available at large supermarkets) give a Thai twist to the Chinese take-out staple. Ready in about 20 minutes, this recipe from La Soupe cafe in Cincinnati is a great pantry recipe for frigid winter weeknights.

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Gingered Chicken Meatball Soup with Brown Rice and Basil

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This healthy, Asian-style soup is ready in only 45 minutes. Ingredients such as rice vinegar, fresh ginger, sesame oil, and soy sauce add tangy and savory accents. 

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Tuscan Lamb and White Bean Stew

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Woodsy rosemary makes this a perfect dish for fall and a lovely change from traditional beef stew. Serve with crusty bread or ladled as a sauce over pappardelle noodles. 

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Hearty Minestrone Soup

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Susan Corley of New Albany, Ohio, shared her version of the classic Italian soup in New Albany Cooking with Friends, a cooking club project that took regional honors in the Tabasco Community Cookbook Awards. Susan often slow-cooks a pot of the soup for family meals during the holidays.

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Thai Butternut Squash Soup

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Butternut squash, chicken broth, coconut milk, brown sugar and seasonings combine for a creamy, rich soup. For added flavor, top with Thai Gremolata, a mix of fresh basil or cilantro, chopped peanuts and finely shredded lemon peel.

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Soy-Ginger Soup with Chicken

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Somen are thin Japanese wheat noodles. Find them at Asian groceries or large supermarkets, or substitute vermicilli in this light chicken soup.

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Bacon and Baked Potato Soup

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Bacon is versatile and dependable, amping up most dishes. Our cheesy potato soup just seems to call for salty-smoky crumbled bacon. So we stirred some in and sprinkled the rest on top. If you like seasoned bacon, try pepper-rubbed bacon in the soup. 

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Power Green Soup

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One of the most popular menu items at La Soupe in Cincinnati, this cleansing blend is flavored with garlic, ginger and horseradish, and is loaded with nearly 2 pounds of spinach, collards, kale and mustard greens. Try it with a squeeze of lemon.

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Pumpkin, Chickpea & Red Lentil Stew

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This hearty soup boasts a bounty of veggies and seasonings, including pumpkin or squash, fresh ginger, lime juice, cumin and fresh cilantro.

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Apple Harvest Chili

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Fresh apple, dried fruit and cashews add color, sweetness and crunch to a ready-in-45 vegetarian chili. For a twist on the traditional toppers (and to hint what's inside), garnish with apple slivers.

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Chipotle Black-Bean Chili

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Tuck this chili into your slow cooker in the morning so you can come home to a warm winter dinner. Omit the meat if you'd prefer a hearty meatless main dish. If you like, add chopped avocado or shredded cheese as toppers before serving.

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Red Bean, Chicken, and Sweet Potato Stew

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Vitamin-rich sweet potatoes and creamy peanut butter complement spicy Cajun seasoning in this easy chicken slow-cooker stew. 

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Cream of Any-Vegetable Soup

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Simmering for hours is so Sunday afternoon! On weeknights, whip up this easy and nutritious soup using whatever veggies you have on hand.

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Matzo Ball Soup

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Minnesota TV personality and author Andrew Zimmern's version of a Jewish deli staple is the perfect antidote to a cold winter night.

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Sweet Potato and Caramelized Onion Soup

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Nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and naturally sugary Vidalia onion and sweet potato mingle to evoke pumpkin pie. The soup (which is served at La Soupe in Cincinnati) is dairy-free, but if you like, swirl in some sour cream or crème fraîche.

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Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

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Canned soup and chicken broth speed prep time for this main-dish soup. The recipe comes from a Minnesota cafe.

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Chicken Dill Soup

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Cathy Schneider of DeKalb, Illinois, shared her family-favorite recipe for a chicken soup that has just enough twists to keep it interesting: sweet potato, green beans, brown rice and fresh-tasting dill. (If you prefer less dill flavor, just reduce the amount. The soup will still be delicious.)

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Tortilla Soup

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Turn leftover turkey (or chicken) into soup in just 20 minutes by adding pantry-ready ingredients such as salsa, chicken broth, and tortilla chips.

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Kansas City Steak Soup

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Our version of the classic Kansas City steak soup uses lean ground sirloin mixed with veggies and seasoned with a blast of steak sauce and Worcestershire. It cooks in just 25 minutes. 

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Curried Cauliflower Soup

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Let your imagination roam to India when it comes to toppers for this mildly spicy soup: toasted unsweetened coconut, coarsely chopped cashews, a dollop of yogurt and warm naan bread for dipping. The recipe comes from La Soupe, a nonprofit cafe in Cincinnati.