Your Simple Guide to Cooking up Delicious Soups This Winter

When it’s cold outside, nothing warms you up quite like a delicious bowl of soup. Whether it's a hearty chowder, a bowl of stew, or a freshly-made bowl of bone broth, soups are a must-have to get you through these winter months.

But before you reach for a shelf-stable premade can of soup, check out this list of important pantry staples and a mouth-watering soup stock recipe for you to make your own delicious goodness all winter long.

Soup-Making Pantry Must-haves

A hearty soup can be as simple as a clear broth or a mash-up of leftovers. This makes it super easy to have all the necessary supplies on-hand at a moment's notice. Here are our recommended pantry must-haves so you can stir up a steaming bowl of soup at a moment’s notice.

• Full fat stock (If you get beef or chicken, make sure it's free-range.)
• A couple of bags of dried beans – kidney, pinto, or black beans will do just fine
• Dried herbs (oregano, rosemary, thyme, basil, bay leaves)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic and onions
• White wine (optional)

And for your freezer, you may want to consider having the following:

• A bag of onions
• Kale or spinach leaves
• Cubed butternut squash or sweet potatoes

This will get you going for almost any hearty winter soup!

How to Make Your Own Deceivingly Simple Soup Stock

While you can certainly buy pre-made stock from the grocery store, there's nothing like making your own. The flavor is richer, deeper, and also tends to have less sodium. Try out this easy recipe and see for yourself:

1. Combine the following into a large pot:
   1. The leftover bones and skin from one large cooked chicken, or from two rotisserie chickens
   2. Celery tops, plus one large celery rib, chopped into 2-inch pieces
   3. One large onion, peeled and quartered (This adds a richer color and flavor to the stock.)
   4. 1 carrot, chopped into 2-inch pieces
   5. One bunch of parsley – stems and all
2. Cover the ingredients with water.
3. Add about 1 tsp. Celtic Sea salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.
4. Bring to a boil. Then, immediately turn down the heat and simmer partially covered for at least 4 hours. Be sure to check on it periodically and skim off any foam that’s on the surface.
5. Now it's time to strain your stock! You can either do this by using a slotted spoon or pouring the stock through a sieve over another pot.

This recipe will keep in your fridge for up to a week – if it lasts that long!

Warm Up to Winter With a Bowl of Soup

Soups not only fill your home with delicious aromas, they’ll also fill your belly and nourish your body. Mix up your cooking routine this winter with a cozy, comforting, homemade soup. And while you're at it, WOW your taste buds by making your own homemade stock. You'll be amazed at the difference it makes!