January 28, 2026
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Borscht is a healthy, low-calorie soup that can help stave off the winter cold.
Polar vortexes, bomb cyclones, blizzards. Philly has them all.
To help combat cabin fever and the cold, I surveyed my colleagues about their favorite winter soup recipes. Here are three easy, nutritious recipes that call for inexpensive ingredients. Enjoy!
A colleague, who is a proper cook – she's always taunting us in the office by heating up yummy leftovers from the night before – offered this lentil soup recipe, one of her favorites.
Ingredients
Green, French or brown lentils
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 medium carrots, chopped (2 cups)
2 celery stalks, chopped
6 small or 3 large kale leaves, stems finely diced, leaves chopped (8 cups)
Heaping 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, grated
14-ounce can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes
3/4 cup dry green lentils, rinsed
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
12 fresh thyme sprigs, bundled
6 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Red pepper flakes
Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving, optional
Instructions
First, sauté the aromatics. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the onion, carrots, celery, kale stems and cumin. Cook until they soften, about 8 minutes.
Next, simmer the soup. Add the garlic, tomatoes, lentils, vinegar, thyme and broth.
Cover and cook until the lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer.
Finally, add the greens. Cook until they wilt, about 5 minutes, and then season to taste.
Serve the lentil soup topped with garnishes like fresh parsley, grated Parmesan and red pepper flakes. Enjoy with crusty bread.
Another colleague suggested borscht soup. She didn't have a specific recipe, so I chose this one for classic Ukrainian borscht. I actually hate beets, because my mom used to serve them out of a can for dinner. But beets seem to be having a comeback in recent years – and this recipe is very low-calorie, at only 181 calories per serving.
Ingredients
3 medium beets, peeled and grated
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
8 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
3 medium Yukon potatoes, peeled and sliced into bite-sized pieces
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
For Zazharka (Mirepoix)
2 celery ribs, trimmed and finely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped, optional
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons ketchup or 3 tablespoons tomato sauce
Additional Flavorings
1 can white cannelini beans with their juice
2 bay leaves
2-3 tablespoons white vinegar, or to taste
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1 large garlic clove, pressed
3 tablespoons chopped dill
Instructions
Peel, grate and/or slice all vegetables. Keep sliced potatoes in cold water to prevent browning until ready to use, then drain.
Heat a large soup pot (5 1/2 quart or larger) over medium/high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add grated beets and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until beets are softened.
Add 8 cups of broth and 2 cups of water. Add sliced potatoes and sliced carrots, then cook for 10-15 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork.
While potatoes are cooking, place a large skillet over medium/high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add chopped onions, celery and bell peppers. Sauté, stirring occasionally until softened and lightly golden, about 7-8 minutes. Add 4 tablespoons of ketchup and stir fry for 30 seconds. Then transfer to the soup pot to continue cooking with the potatoes.
When potatoes and carrots reach desired softness, add one can of beans with their juice, two bay leaves, 2-3 tablespoons of white vinegar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, one pressed garlic clove and 3 tablespoons of chopped dill. Simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes and add more salt and vinegar to taste.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream or mayo.
Dinner for me means heating up steam-fresh peas in the microwave, alongside the Trader Joe's pre-cooked chicken chili lime chicken breasts. But when I am feeling inspired, my go-to winter crockpot special is The Joy of Cooking's pasta e fagioli soup. You actually have to own the book to get that recipe, and I didn't lug my copy to work. But this recipe is very similar – and made from ingredients you might already have at home.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion (finely chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 celery stalks (diced)
4 ounces bacon (diced, optional)
14 1/2 ounces diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth (low or no sodium)
15 ounces cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
15 ounces red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 cube chicken bouillon
1 cup ditalini pasta (or other small pasta)
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
Fresh parsley (chopped)
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic, and then cook until everything softens and smells good, about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in the bacon and cook until it renders some fat and gets lightly crispy.
Add the diced tomatoes and chicken broth, and then bring everything to a boil. Stir in the beans, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes and the bouillon cube. Lower the heat and let it simmer for about 15 minutes so the flavors come together.
Stir in the ditalini and cook until it's just tender, about 8-10 minutes. If the soup starts getting too thick, add a little more broth or water.
Taste and adjust with salt and pepper, and then ladle into bowls.
Top with grated Parmesan and parsley.
