French Winter Soup Recipes – The Ultimate Cold Weather Comfort Food

Get Cozy & Warm With Our Easy, Traditional French Winter Soups

No matter your favorite vegetable, you’ll find what you’re looking for in these three French winter soups. Soup is the perfect winter dish. It is warm, comforting, and easy to make.

Voici trois recettes pour affronter l’hiver ! (Here are three recipes to face winter!)

Pour environ 4/6 personnes

Traditional Vegetable Soup

La Traditionnelle Soupe aux Légumes

This six-vegetable, soul-soothing soup reminds me of my mother’s kitchen and the cozy soup she would make when I was little. Poireau, carottes, pommes de terre, it is the perfect winter soup!

Ingrédients :

• 1 oignon (onion)
• 2 pommes de terre de taille moyenne (average-size potatoes)
• 1 poireau (leek)
• 4 carottes (carrots)
• 2 branches de céleri (celery sticks)
• 1 courgette (zucchini)
• 2 tomates (tomatoes)
• 1 bouillon de légume ou de volaille (vegetable/chicken stock)
• Beurre (butter)
• Sel, poivre, et herbes de Provence (salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence)
• 1 cuillère à soupe de beurre (a tablespoon of butter)

First, pelez (peel), lavez (wash) and coupez (cut) the vegetables into small pieces. Melt the butter over medium heat in a marmite (pot) and then toss in the onions and the leeks. Cook them until they get soft (about 10 minutes). Ajoutez (add) the other ingredients and cover with water. Don’t cover more than the height of the vegetables.  Bring to a simmer. Add the remaining vegetables, chicken stock, salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence. Cover with a lid and simmer on low for 35 minutes.

Puis, (then) with a knife, check to see if the vegetables are soft. Blend the vegetables together with the help of a mixeur plongeant (immersion blender) until all vegetables are puréed.  Votre soupe est maintenant prête ! (Your soup is now ready!).  Serve immediately, and feel free to add more salt and pepper.

Encore meilleur (even better): Add a tablespoon of sour cream to your bowl (or mug) just before serving.

Gourmet Creamy Leek Soup

Le Gourmand Velouté aux Poireaux

The velouté de poireaux is probably one of the most comforting winter soups. Thick and yummy, this soup is an excellent appetizer! The creamy taste makes a difference.

Ingrédients :

• 4 poireaux (leeks)
• 1 grosse pomme de terre (big potato)
• 1 oignon de taille moyenne (average size onion)
• Un peu d’ail (garlic)
• 2 cuillères de beurre (tablespoons of butter)
• 1/2 litre de bouillon de légumes/poulet (2 cups of vegetable/chicken stock)
• Un peu de lait (1 cup)
• Sel et poivre (salt and pepper)

In a casserole (saucepan), bring 2 cups of stock to a simmer.

In the meantime, coupez (cut) the leeks and lavez-les (wash them). Heat a large pot or saucepan over low heat and melt the butter. Slice and add the leeks and the onions to the pot. Stir with a cuillère en bois (wooden spatula) until they soften. Add more butter if the leeks and onions stick to the saucepan. Then, add the potato and the garlic, and finally, pour in the stock. Laissez mijoter (simmer) over low heat for about 35 minutes.

Use a mixeur plongeant (immersion blender) to mix all vegetables. Transfer to a blender and purée to get a perfectly smooth soup. Then, add milk, and blend again to get a creamy soup. You may reheat your soup over low heat and then serve immediately.

Voilà !

An Original Carrot, Lemon and Fresh Ginger Soup

L’originale Soupe aux Carottes, Citron et Gingembre Frais

This little-known but healthy soup will please every ginger and lemon-lover. The spiciness of the ginger will enhance the carrot taste, and the acidity of the lemon will give a kick to this detox soup. Alors, on essaye ? (So, shall we try?)

Ingrédients :

• 1 oignon (onion)
• 60 g de beurre (Half a stick of butter)
• 60 g de gingembre frais (2 oz of fresh ginger)
• Un peu d’ail (garlic)
• 1 demi-kilo de carottes (about 1 pound of carrots)
• Jus d’un demi-citron (juice from half a lemon)
• 1,5 L de bouillon de légumes/poulet (6,5 cups of vegetable/chicken stock)
• ¼ L de vin blanc (1 cup of white wine, optional). If you chose not to put wine, add more water.
• Sel et poivre (salt and pepper)

Melt the butter over medium heat in a big saucepan or pot. Add the onion, garlic, and fresh ginger. Mélangez (stir) gently for about 10 minutes. You may use a grater or a peeler to have your fresh ginger cut into pieces.

Then, add the carrots and wait for about 5 minutes. Versez (pour) the white wine and the stock. Bring to a boil and then down to a simmer. Wait for about 40 minutes until the carrots are soft.

Finally, blend the soup with a hand mixer or a blender, add salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Encore meilleur (even better) : Add curry at your convenience in the saucepan (you may add one tablespoon). Then, add coriandre (cilantro) in each bowl (or mug) before serving.

Astuce : You want to make more? These soups can be easily frozen. Pour some extra soup into an ice cube tray (bac à glaçons) for a night. Then, transfer to a zip lock bag.

Pressé(e)? (In a hurry?) These little cubes will be perfect for an on-the-fly soup! Just put 4 or 5 cubes (depending on the size of your ice cube tray) in a mug before microwaving. C’est prêt ! (It’s ready!)

You now know how to make three delicious soups for the winter to come. Bon appétit !

Are you a real soup fan? Or a Fan of the French Language?

Then check out these amusing French soup and food expressions!

9 Fun French Food Idioms:

1. Soupe au lait  – Quick-tempered (literally, “Milk soup”)

2. Tomber comme un cheveu sur la soupe – To come at an awkward moment (literally, “To fall like a strand of hair on the soup.”)

3. Cracher dans la soupe – To bite the hand that feeds you (literally, “To spit in the soup.”)

4. Aller à la soupe. – To take advantage of a situation while giving up on your ideas/values (literally, “To go to the soup.”)

5. Avoir un cœur d’artichaut – To fall in love easily (literally, “To have an artichoke’s heart.”)

6. Être chou – To be a dear. (literally, “To be a cabbage.”)

7. Occupe-toi de tes oignons ! – Mind your own business! (literally, “Take care of your onions!”),

8. Se prendre le chou avec… – To lose your temper with… (literally, “To take one’s cabbage.”)

9. C’est la fin des haricots – We’ve had it! (literally, “It’s the end of the beans.”)

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