From silky smooth to thick and hearty, these classic soups will become your go-to guide for many winters to come, promises editor Chad January. 

Nothing says winter more than indulging into a steaming hot bowl of hearty soup that warms you from within. Think iconic’s like chicken noodle, spicy tomato and hearty & chunky vegetable soup. PLUS all the trimmings to pair each soup with, from toasties, croutons, quesidillas and more. 

Tomato soup with anchovy butter toast 

Serves 4-6 • Total Time 20-30 Min  

Ingredients

FOR THE SOUP  

2 Tbsp olive oil  
2 onions, chopped  
4 cloves garlic, sliced  
8 sprigs fresh thyme  
4 sprigs fresh oregano  
50g tomato paste  
1 Tbsp brown sugar 
2 tsp soy sauce  
6 salad or plum tomatoes, grated 
800g (2 cans) chopped tomatoes  
1 cup vegetable stock  
Salt and freshly milled black pepper 

FOR THE ANCHOVY BUTTER TOAST  

1/3 cup butter, softened  
1 Tbsp chopped chives 
1 Tbsp chopped parsley  
2 cloves garlic, grated  
2 anchovy fillets, minced 
1 tsp capers, finely chopped  
1 tsp wholegrain mustard  
8 slices sourdough or rye bread, cut into thick strips and toasted  

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a large pot and sauté onion until soft and golden. 
2. Add garlic and herbs and fry for another minute until fragrant. 
3. Stir in tomato paste, sugar and soy sauce and cook until sticky, about 1-2 minutes. 
4. Add grated tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes while stirring. 
5. Add canned tomatoes and stock. Simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes. 
6. Blitz soup until smooth. Season well. 
7. Combine butter, herbs, garlic, anchovies, capers and mustard. 
8. Spread over toast and serve alongside hot soup. 

 

Moroccan lamb soup 

Serves 4-6 • Total Time 2 Hr 20 Min 

 

Ingredients

2 onions, sliced  
2 carrots, peeled and sliced  
2 stalks celery, sliced  
1 red pepper, sliced  
Salt and milled black pepper  
500g lamb goulash  
2 Tbsp canola oil  
3 cloves garlic, chopped  
100g tomato paste  
150g harissa paste  
2 Tbsp ground cumin  
2 Tbsp ground coriander  
1 tsp ground cinnamon  
2 bay leaves  
6 tomatoes, quartered  
4 cups beef stock  
1 orange, zested and juiced  
1 Tbsp brown sugar  
410g (1 can) chickpeas, drained  
Fresh mint, for serving 
Fresh parsley, for serving 
20g flaked almonds, toasted  

 

Method

1. Blitz onion, carrot, celery and red pepper in a food processor. 
2. Season lamb well and heat oil in a large pot. Brown meat in batches, remove and set aside. 
3. Add blitzed vegetables to pot and sauté. Add a glug of olive oil if needed. 
4. Add garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes. 
5. Stir in tomato paste, harissa paste, spices and bay leaves. Fry until fragrant. 
6. Add tomatoes and stock and return lamb to pot. 
7. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 ½  to 2 hours or until meat is tender. 
8. Stir through orange zest and juice, sugar and chickpeas. Simmer for another 8-10 minutes. 9. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with mint, parsley and almonds.

 

Creamy mixed mushroom soup 

Serves 6 • Total Time 30-40 Min 

Ingredients

Canola oil  
250g button mushrooms, sliced  
250g exotic mushrooms, sliced  
2 onions, chopped  
4 stalks celery, sliced  
3 cloves garlic, chopped  
8 sprigs thyme  
4 cups vegetable stock  
Salt and freshly milled pepper 
1 cup cream  
2 Tbsp butter 
2 Tbsp flour  

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a large pot over a high heat and brown mushrooms in batches. Remove from pot and set aside. 
2. Sauté onion and celery until soft and stir through garlic and thyme. 
3. Return ¾ mushrooms back to pot and cover with stock. Season well. 
4. Simmer soup for about 15-20 minutes and then blitz with a stick blender until smooth. 
5. Pour in cream and simmer over low heat for 3 minutes. 
6. Combine butter and flour by rubbing it between your fingertips and whisk into soup, taking care to break up lumps. 
7. Simmer for 5 minutes and season to taste. 
8. Divide soup between bowls and top with remaining mushrooms. Sprinkle with thyme and milled black pepper. 

  

Potato and leek soup with roasted nuts and cauliflower 

Serves 4-6 • Total Time 45-50 Min  

 

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil  
1 Tbsp butter  
300g leeks, sliced 
4 sprigs fresh thyme 
3 cloves garlic, chopped  
1kg potatoes, cubed  
2 ½ cups vegetable stock  
2 cups water  
2-3 tsp salt  
Milled black pepper  
1 cup cream  
300g cauliflower florets  
50g raw pumpkin seeds  
50g raw almonds  
50g raw hazelnuts  

 

Method

1. Preheat oven 200°C. 
2. Heat oil and butter in a large 6-8L pot. 
3. Fry leeks, thyme and garlic for 5 minutes or until softened. 
4. Add potatoes, stock, water, salt and pepper. Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are soft. 
5. Add cream and simmer gently for 10 minutes. 
6. Toss cauliflower with olive oil and roast for 25-30 minutes or until golden. 
7. Remove thyme and blitz soup with a stick blender until smooth. 
8. Toast pumpkin seeds, almonds and hazelnuts in a dry pan until fragrant. Remove and chop finely. 
9. Serve soup in bowls topped with roasted cauliflower and toasted nut and seed sprinkle. 

 

Creamy seafood soup 

Serves 4 • Total Time 45 Min 

 

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil  
2 onions, chopped 
2 red peppers, finely chopped  
4 cloves garlic, chopped 
2-3 bay leaves  
6-8 sprigs fresh thyme 
50g tomato paste 
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce  
2-3 tsp brown sugar 
1 Tbsp smoked paprika  
¼ cup white wine (optional)  
3 cups fish or vegetable stock  
400g can chopped and peeled tomatoes  
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed  
Salt and milled black pepper  
12-16 prawn tails  
300g mussels, cleaned  
200g hake fillets, skinned and cut into chunks  
½ cup cream  
10g fresh parsley, chopped  

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a large pot and sauté onions and peppers for 5-8 minutes. 
2. Add garlic, bay leaves and thyme and fry for 1-2 minutes. 
3. Increase heat and stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and paprika and cook until sticky. 
4. Add white wine, if using, and cook for 2-3 minutes. 
5. Add stock, tomatoes and potatoes and season well. 
6. Reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are soft. 
7. Add seafood and simmer gently, covered, for 3-5 minutes. 
8. Stir through cream and parsley and adjust seasoning to taste. 
9. Serve soup with crusty bread to mop up the sauce. 

 

Tom yum soup 

Serves 4 • Total Time 20 Min 

Ingredients

1 Tbsp sesame oil  
3 Tbsp tom yum paste 
2 Tbsp fish sauce  
2 Tbsp soy sauce 
1 lime, juiced  
4 cups vegetable soup  
1 cup coconut milk  
240g shiitake mushrooms  
200g baby pak choi, halved  

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a large pot and fry tom yum paste for about 1-2 minutes. 
2. Add fish sauce, soy sauce and lime juice. 
3. Add stock and coconut milk and simmer for about 15 minutes. 
4. Stir through mushrooms and pak choi and cook for another 3-5 minutes. 
5. Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot.