French Soups for the cold season

The Fall and Winter months call for cozy, warming and preferably served-in-a-bowl recipes – and soups perfectly fit the bill. Whether you are yearning for a robust bowl of ham and bean soup, a chunky lentil soup, a healthy vegetable velouté or a cheesy onion soup, the French repertoire boasts a great deal of soup recipes to match your cravings and warm you right up.

So here is a roundup of some favorite French soup recipes from the blog – and my cookbook – to give you some inspiration. Let me know in the comments if you’ve made one (or several) of them, and which one is your favorite!

Smoked Ham Hock Bean Cabbage Soup (Garbure)

The Garbure is a rustic soup from the Gascony region consisting of smoked ham hock, beans, cabbage and seasonal vegetables slowly stewed. It’s rich, full of smokey flavor and intentionally thick: it’s said a Garbure is ready when the ladle can stand upright in the pot. This robust soup is a great classic of French mountain cooking and best enjoyed on a blistery Winter day.

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Roasted Carrot Soup

If you’re like me, a heartwarming soup made with seasonal vegetables never disappoints over Winter. And from my weekly rotation, this Roasted Carrot Soup has to be one of my favorites. Simple to make and affordable, this soup is creamy, satisfying and boasts delicious sweet flavors from roasted carrots. It’s also a great make-ahead and freezer friendly recipe.

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Classic French Lentil Soup

A warm, cozy yet healthy-ish meal is what we often yearn for during the colder seasons – and this French Lentil Soup is just that. Made with heaps of lentils, carrots, celery, ham and spices for good measure, this soup is a simple recipe that delivers big flavors. It’s hearty, filling and with a texture that is both creamy and chunky. This is a delicious staple for a weekday dinner to cozy up to. 

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Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup

A classic Breton recipe, this Cauliflower Soup uses a whole head of cauliflower, chopped and roasted, to create a thick texture that’s very satisfying and with an incredible depth of flavor. It requires staple ingredients and no cream, but tastes perfectly rich and creamy thanks to the blended cauliflower. Serve it as a side or a meal on its own, to keep you warm on crisp evenings. 

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French Cabbage and Sausage Soup

Known in French as Soupe Paysanne, this Cabbage and Sausage Soup is a rustic recipe that takes centre stage on French family tables throughout Winter. This one is loaded with cabbage, carrots, leek, smoked pork sausage and potatoes in a flavourful broth. It is a perfectly hearty, stick-to-your-ribs soup that satisfies and warms you up during colder days.

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Watercress Soup (Soupe de Cresson)

This Watercress Soup, known as “Soupe de Cresson” in French, is a typical recette de grand–mère, aka a “grandmother’s recipe”. Made of onions, potatoes for extra body, and bright peppery-tasting watercress, this soup offers healthy comfort for the soul. But you can still dress it up with a dollop of crème fraiche for a touch of richness.

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Classic French Carrot Soup (Potage Crecy)

A classic from the French repertoire, this Carrot Soup (also known as Potage Crécy) mixes carrots and rice to create a deliciously thick and sweet soup. It is then enriched with crème fraiche for extra richness and body, making it perfect for dinner or packed up for a quick lunch. 

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Split Pea Bacon Soup (Potage Saint Germain)

Known as “Potage Saint-Germain”, this Split Pea Bacon Soup is a staple French recipe that combines earthy green split peas with vegetables, pureed until smooth, and topped with crispy bacon for good smoky flavor. This is an easy and affordable soup to make. It’s thick, creamy and very satisfying. Another classic recipe for your French repertoire – it will surely be a family favorite.

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Provencal Garlic Soup (Aïgo Boulido)

Translating in Provencal dialect as “boiled water”, the Aïgo Boulido is an unassuming broth of garlic and sage, enriched with eggs. It is delicately aromatic and believed to have powerful curative properties. This soup is widely consumed in the South of France to aid digestion, ward off winter ills, as a detox soup after days of feasting – and as a salving cure for hangovers too.

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Tomato Velouté Soup

Velvety smooth and full of flavor, a Tomato Velouté Soup is a delicious bowl of comfort and the best way to use up fresh tomatoes from your garden in the Summer. In the Winter, when tomatoes aren’t in season, I use canned diced tomatoes instead – choose a “no salt added” brand. This is a simple recipe made in under 30 minutes. You’ll  never want to reach for canned soup again!

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Creamy Leek and Potato Soup (Soupe Vichyssoise)

Known in French as Soupe Vichyssoise (or sometimes “Potage Parmentier), this soup is made of puréed leeks and potatoes, enriched with cream. This is a simple soup that’s absolutely comforting when enjoyed warm on a chilly day.

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Creamy Chestnut Soup

This creamy chestnut soup, or “Soupe Aux Marrons” is a wholesome soup and a French favorite all throughout Winter. Fresh chestnuts are simmered in an aromatic broth and then pureed until smooth, creating a luxuriously thick, creamy texture with the full-on sweet buttery taste of fresh chestnuts.

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2 bonus recipes you can find in my cookbook… 

Winter Vegetable and Crushed Ham Soup (La Bréjaude)

This Bréjaude soup, from the Limousin region in central France, takes it name from the word bréjer which means “to crush” in the local dialect. In addition to crushed pork, it features chunky vegetables and is traditional poured over bread, which makes for a robust bowl of soup that’s perfect for cold winter days. You can find this recipe in my cookbook Rustic French Cooking Made Easy. 

One-Pot French Onion Soup (Gratinée à l’Oignon)

Bread, cheese and wine. Clearly, this quintessential French soup was bound to become one the most sought-after dishes from the French repertoire. This deliciously iconic soup is a breeze to re-create at home, and with just a few ingredients. You can find this recipe in my cookbook Rustic French Cooking Made Easy.