Soup Season Is Here

For most of us, it’s officially cold now. And with the cold, comes the siren song of the stew. These hearty staples are more than just ways to warm yourself up—they’re supremely easy dishes you can make ahead and have ready all week long. With the key additions of protein-packed seafood and veggies, a great soup meets all your nutritional needs in one steaming bowl and tastes irresistibly delicious, of course.

New England Clam Chowder

New Englanders were onto something when they first combined tender clams, cream, onions and potatoes. This classic chowder is as iconic as they come—we like to finish with a crumble of crispy bacon and a little fresh thyme. 

Spicy Seafood Chowder

This one’s a surefire hit for the spice lovers among us: salmon, crab, and clams come together in a savory stew enlivened with a generous kick of cayenne. Serve with a hunk of warm, crusty baguette so you can dip with abandon.

Sweet Potato Oyster Soup

Sweet potatoes are one of our favorite nutritional powerhouses, and they pair beautifully with plump, briny oysters and baby spinach (no slouch in the nutrition department, either). With cumin for a Southwestern spin and a little cream to make it extra-silky, this soup is made for second helpings.

Corn and Crab Chowder

Corn perfectly complements and enhances the natural sweetness of lump crab in this velvety chowder. You can up the veg content by adding in flash-frozen carrots and peas—and don’t forget a dash of lemon pepper, which gives it an extra zing. 

Salmon Tortilla Soup

We’re willing to bet you have most of the ingredients for this in your kitchen already: All you need is pink salmon, canned diced tomatoes, black beans, canned or frozen corn, and tortilla chips. Add in some spices and you’ve got a crowd-pleasing pantry dinner in under 30 minutes.

Smart Soup Strategies: Batch Cook and Freeze

🍲 The real beauty of soup: It’s practically made for meal prep in advance. Double or triple any of these recipes, and you’ve got ready-made dinners waiting in your freezer for those nights when cooking from scratch feels impossible.

❄️ Most soups actually taste better the next day, as the flavors have time to meld and deepen. When you’re making a batch, cook it fully, let it cool completely, then portion it out into quart-sized containers or freezer bags. For chowders and cream-based soups, hold back on adding the cream or milk until you reheat—the base freezes beautifully, and you can stir in the dairy when you’re ready to serve.

🏷️ Label everything with the name and date (trust us, two weeks from now you won’t remember when you cooked it), and leave some extra space in containers since liquids expand when they’re frozen. Most soups freeze well for up to three months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and warm gently on the stovetop. For chowders, add your cream or milk during reheating, adjust seasonings, and dinner is served.