Warming Winter Soups

It’s a tried and true relationship—the longer the nights, the colder and snowier the days, the more our bodies and souls cry out for the warmth and pleasure of soup. And while one of the beauties of soup is that absolutely any ingredients can go in the pot, at any time of year, there is something about our winter storage vegetables that makes them especially suited for simmering away in a stockpot of soup.

Root vegetables offer a solid base in many winter soups. Carrots and parsnips, closely related, add sweetness and lots of good nutrition. Celery root, also known as celeriac, adds its distinct flavor, reminiscent of summer; the root keeps all winter, and the greens keep remarkably long as well, with proper cold storage. Cabbage is delicious and tender, and all its sturdy relatives—root veggies like turnips, rutabagas and radishes—hold up so well in soups. Potatoes, of course, in any shape or size, are welcome. And last but not least the alliums—onions, shallots, garlic and leeks. It’s difficult to imagine a soup worth its water that doesn’t include the essential but often subtle support of at least one member of this culinary family.

Soups are almost always easy to make—and to clean up after, too. Their recipes are forgiving and flexible. They are readily adapted to accommodate different dietary needs—sometimes it’s as easy, for example, as reserving the meat from the pot, to be added to individual bowls if and as desired. Enjoy the variety and flavors of the following trio of soups from The Intentional Minimalist. Featuring many vegetables still available from your own storage or from the farmers’ markets, they will warm your table and nourish you no matter the weather outside.