When the weather gets cold, there’s nothing better than a hot bowl of delicious soup to warm your soul (and your stomach).
Luckily, there are so many tasty European soup recipes for winter from across the continent that you can make!
I grew up in Germany so I’m used to German Lentil Soup (Linsensuppe) and Eric’s Hungarian grandmother always made the creamy green bean soup – so these two soups are near and dear to our hearts.
That said, here are some more popular European winter soups you should try:
German Lentil Soup (Linsensuppe)
This German Lentil Soup – also known as Linsensuppe – is a warm and filling dish. Made with brown lentils, potatoes, carrots, pancetta bacon, and European-style wiener, it's a hearty soup packed with flavors! It's a classic winter comfort food that we love and make often.
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Ukrainian Sauerkraut Soup (Kapustnyak)
Delicious and easy to make, this Ukrainian sauerkraut soup is an instant classic. Made with lots of fresh sauerkraut, vegetables, and a few tasty meats, it's a filling soup that always hits the spot! Serve it with fresh crusty bread for the perfect combination.
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Flädlesuppe (German Pancake Soup)
This classic and simple soup known as Flädlesuppe (Pancake Soup) includes freshly-made German pancakes and a delicious beef broth with chopped vegetables like leek and carrot! We like it because of how easy it is to make – the light beef broth goes really nicely with the pancake.
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Italian Vegetable Soup (Minestrone di Verdure)
Flavorful and delicious, this Italian Vegetable Soup known as Minestrone di Verdure is made with lots of vegetables, beans, and Parmigiano cheese. It's a hearty vegetable version of Italian Minestrone Soup and can easily be customized to your liking (or for what is available in the season/region you are in!).
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Spanish Lentil Stew with Chorizo and Pork Ribs
This hearty Spanish Lentil Stew is loaded with vegetables and meats like chorizo and pork ribs. It's a filling, easy-to-make stew that will stick to your ribs in the cold weather!
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Ukrainian Borscht
This Borscht recipe made with beetroot is hearty and delicious. Packed with pork and vegetables like cabbage, potatoes, and carrots, it's served hot with a dollop of sour cream – making it perfect for the colder months.
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Hungarian Goulash
Goulash or gulyás – the national dish of Hungary – is made with hearty but simple ingredients like potatoes, carrots, and beef. The bright color comes from the staple spice used in Hungarian cooking – paprika! It can be served on its own, with bread or on noodles. Eric also grew up eating goulash so we love this recipe!
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Spanish Cod and Chickpea Stew (Potaje de vigilia)
Spanish Cod and Chickpea Stew is the perfect winter dish. Made with cod, chickpeas, spinach, and other vegetables, it's a warm and hearty creation that is also commonly eaten during Lent.
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Celery Root Soup
Creamy and delicious, this celery soup is a cold-weather classic. Made with celery root (celeriac), potatoes, and a few other common ingredients, it's a filling soup that is easy to make and goes great with croutons on top! Celery root isn't that popular in North America and we think that's a shame because it's versatile and flavorful.
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German Split Pea Soup (Erbsensuppe)
German Split Pea Soup – known as Erbsensuppe – is so easy to make. Packed with vegetables, potatoes, meat, and a whole lot of split peas, this hearty soup will keep you warm and full in the cold months. It's easy to make a big batch and enjoy it over a few days.
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Rassolnik (Pickle Soup)
Sour and delicious, Rassolnik is a classic soup made with beef, pickles, vegetables, and barley. This warming dish combines savory and sour flavors, making it a comforting appetizer or main dish for when you're craving a wholesome, flavorful meal.
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Avgolemono Soup (Greek Lemon Chicken Soup)
Creamy and filling, this Greek Lemon Chicken Soup is made with vegetables, chicken, orzo and a delicious avgolemono sauce. It's perfect for warming you up and making you feel cozy on those cold days!
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Shchi (Russian Cabbage Soup)
Shchi is a classic cabbage soup that is easy to customize. Made with chicken, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, and more, it's a soup that is filling and delicious! Cabbage is a great cold-weather ingredient so this recipe is good for the winter!
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Hungarian Green Bean Soup
As a warm yet light dish, this creamy Hungarian green bean soup – or tejfölös zöldbableves – is easy comfort food at its best. With its signature orange color, the soup is made with crisp green beans, sour cream, and Hungarian paprika.
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Fasolada (Greek White Bean Soup)
Fasolada is a hot and delicious soup with Mediterranean flavors. This Greek White Bean Soup is loaded with beans and vegetables and serves well with crusty bread! We love the addition of olive oil in this recipe, it's delicious!
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Solyanka (Smoked Meat Soup)
This Solyanka soup is made with lots of fresh and smoked meats, making it a filling and hearty soup. It is topped with parsley, olives, lemons and sour cream for even more flavor.
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Ukha (Russian Fish Soup)
Ukha is a flavorful, hearty fish soup. Made with salmon, vegetables and a few common spices, this delicious soup is perfect if you're looking for a fish soup during the colder months!
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Sopa de Ajo (Spanish Garlic Soup)
Sopa de ajo is a classic Spanish garlic soup made with fragrant garlic, bread, eggs, and spices. It's easy to make and perfect for warming you up on a cold day! Just make sure you don't have any speaking engagements scheduled for shortly after eating it!
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Creamy Potato Soup (German-Style)
This creamy potato soup is the perfect cold-weather dish. With tasty potato, leek, carrots, and celery blended with a bit of cream, it's a hearty soup that is easy to make and keeps you full!
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Cauliflower Soup
This cauliflower soup is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. You can serve it as an appetizer or as a warm and filling lunch with a side of crusty bread. This is an easy soup to whip together when you've got some cauliflower to use up.
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Easy Sauerkraut Soup
This easy Sauerkraut soup is simply delicious. Made with lots of sauerkraut, potatoes, onions, bits of pancetta bacon, and a few simple spices, it's a warm, hearty soup for any cabbage lover. We both grew up eating sauerkraut soup so we love this recipe a little extra, too!
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Cabbage Potato Soup
This cabbage potato soup is easy to make without any fancy ingredients. Made with cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, and a few spices, this soup doesn't take much prep and can be enjoyed fresh or reheated the day after.
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German Potato Soup
This delicious German potato soup is loaded with goodness – from potatoes, carrots, and leeks to celery root, sausage, and lots of freshly chopped parsley. Served hot, this soup is great for the winter season where it can be served as a tasty appetizer or enjoyed as a main course!
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Greek Chickpea Soup
This quick and simple version of Greek Chickpea Soup made with canned chickpeas, carrots, and celery is flavorful and delicious. It's a satisfying winter soup that warms the soul!
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