It’s no secret that we at Women Chefs are huge Ina Garten fans—and we’re certainly not alone.
As the host of Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network, she not only makes every recipe look and sound incredibly appetizing and delicious but also makes cooking look incredibly easy.
So, if you want to replicate that magic at home in your kitchen, frankly, who could blame you?!
And if you ask us, one dish that always goes down well for just about every occasion is soups and stews. Even if you’re feeling under the weather or have a dry throat, you can’t go far wrong with soup.
So with those things in mind, we’ve put together a round-up of our favorite Ina Garten soup recipes. And without further ado, let’s get straight to it!
Ina Garten’s Chicken Soups And Stews
Let’s kick things off with truly comforting soups – we’re, of course, talking about chicken soups.
Below, we’ve chosen some of the Barefoot Contessa’s best-ever chicken soup and stew recipes for you to enjoy at home.
What better way to kick things off than with some traditional American flavors—chicken pot pie reimagined as a scrumptious soup!
This is kind of two recipes in one—it’s a chicken and vegetable soup complete with 12 puff pastry croutons that really add something to the dish in terms of texture and that comfort food feeling you get from chicken pot pie.
And you can have fun with the puff pastry croutons, using your favorite cookie cutters to make pretty shapes!
It’s got healthy veggies such as chopped carrots, leeks, and peas, alongside flavorful additions like minced garlic cloves and cream sherry. Yum!
OMG, this dish is simply amazing! All the different ingredients and flavors blend together perfectly, and nothing overpowers anything else; it’s very balanced.
In addition to the shredded chicken, ramen noodles, and chicken stock, it’s also got veggies, including sliced carrots, scallions, and baby bok choy, a type of Chinese white cabbage.
Other ingredients include minced garlic cloves, soy sauce, and peeled fresh ginger.
The recipe makes enough to serve four people and is filling enough to be served as a main course rather than just an appetizer.
Again, we’re treating you to two recipes here, not just one!
Chicken soup is a pretty traditional comfort food, made with chicken breasts, chicken stock, flour, heavy cream, diced carrots, yellow onions, small whole onions, and frozen peas.
The biscuits are relatively simple, made with flour, baking powder, butter, and half-and-half.
This is an intermediate-level recipe, but once you’ve mastered a few of the beginner recipes, you’ll be sure to smash this one, too. The recipe makes enough to serve 8 people as a main course.
How about some heat for your soup? If that tickles your fancy, you should definitely check this recipe out!
It’s made with chicken breast (Also check out Best Ina Garten Lemon Chicken Recipes), and healthy veggies such as chopped yellow onions, celery, and carrots, in chicken stock, and a can of whole tomatoes in purée for a really rich tomato flavor.
There are tortilla strips, and as for the heat, this recipe brings minced jalapeño peppers and ground cumin, which goes perfectly with the ground coriander seed and fresh cilantro.
We love to serve it Mexican style with the likes of sliced avocado, sour cream, tortilla chips and shredded Cheddar cheese!
Comforting Winter Warmers
Nothing blows away those winter blues like a bowl of homemade soup and some crusty bread. Take a look at the warming soups below to find your new favorite.
Minestrone is a delicious, tomato based soup from Italian origin that also features pasta and veggies. And you simply cannot go wrong with Ina Garten’s version.
In addition to the pasta, chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, and diced veggies, there’s also plenty of flavor from the minced garlic cloves, dry white wine, bay leaf, fresh thyme, ready-made store-bought pesto, and healthy spinach leaves, and filling cannellini beans.
The recipe makes up to 8 servings as a main course. It’s a beginner level recipe, and Ina also tells you how to make the most divine garlic bruschetta to enjoy with it.
Warm up your winter with this luscious Ina Garten winter squash soup, a perfect blend of rich flavors and creamy texture that promises to comfort you on the coldest days.
This recipe combines the sweetness of butternut squash and the savory depth of pumpkin puree, creating a delightful harmony in a bowl.
Begin by melting unsalted butter with a dash of fine olive oil in a sturdy stockpot. Add chopped yellow onions, allowing them to soften and turn translucent, infusing the base with a subtle, sweet aroma. To this, introduce a can of pumpkin puree—not the kind you’d use for pies, but a pure, savory version—and chunks of peeled butternut squash.
The addition of homemade chicken stock enriches the soup, giving it a heartwarming depth, while kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper season the ingredients with just the right amount of spice.
Allow the mixture to simmer gently, letting the squash soften into tender perfection. Once cooked, a pass through the food mill ensures a smooth, velvety texture that’s simply irresistible. Stir in a cup of half-and-half to bring a luxurious creaminess to the pot.
For an extra touch of elegance, serve this winter delight hot, accompanied by optional garnishes such as a dollop of crème fraîche, a sprinkle of grated Gruyère, or homemade croutons sautéed in butter until golden.
We think this is one recipe that would go down a treat as a Thanksgiving starter.
This may be a relatively simple-sounding soup but believe us; it is so rich and flavorful!
It’s a relatively thin soup rather than a chunky stew, making it an excellent starter course for dinner or a tasty, light lunch.
It’s made with fresh tomatoes that get slowly simmered to maintain the flavor, along with such amazing additions as onions and minced garlic cloves. Plus, there’s also a surprise ingredient – spicy saffron!
And the good news doesn’t stop there – you can enjoy it with grilled cheese croutons as a side. And not just any cheese croutons, but ones made with yummy nutty Gruyère cheese in.
Now, this is what we call comfort food, so creamy and rich!
It’s made with butter, yellow onions, corn kernels, chicken stock, flour and potatoes, half-and-half, and sharp Cheddar cheese.
For a little finishing touch, you can simply add some salt, ground black pepper, and turmeric for some spice and interest.
And the recipe can serve up to 12 people, so it’s perfect for when you have many guests around the table. It’s certain to get everyone’s appetite ready before the main course!
Ina Garten Soups With A Cultural Twist
If you’re looking for something exotic for your soup, just take a look at the selection below.
This is comfort food at its best! The recipe is based on Polish cuisine, with kielbasa sausage as the star ingredient and French green lentils.
It has lots of healthy vegetables as well, including diced carrots, crunchy diced celery, chopped leeks, and chopped yellow onions.
At the same time, the chicken stock, ground cumin, tomato paste, and chopped fresh thyme provide plenty of flavor.
We love to serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the full effect. The recipe can serve up to 10 people, so it’s perfect for when you have lots of guests around the table.
This is a convenient meal because you only need 5 ingredients in total (plus salt and black pepper for seasoning).
They’re all easy ingredients to obtain, as well, especially if you swap out the Spanish serrano ham for some Italian prosciutto.
But trust us – sometimes the simplest dishes are the most delicious! It’s just chicken stock, peas, chopped shallots, olive oil (to sauté the shallots in), minced garlic cloves, and, of course, the roasted ham.
This dish is great for beginners since it takes so little preparation beforehand.
For those of you who don’t already know, Gazpacho is a soup from southern Spain. Unlike most other soups, it’s meant to be served cold, which makes it really refreshing on hot summer days.
It’s pretty easy to make and features lots of flavorful ingredients.
There are veggies such as canned tomatoes, scallions, and red onion, and their flavor is further enhanced with the likes of minced garlic cloves, tomato paste, tomato juice, and crushed red pepper flakes.
It goes great when served with toasted baguette slices topped with garlic and herb goat cheese. It’s a beginner recipe that makes 6 servings.
The soup itself has healthy veggies such as diced yellow onion, carrots, and celery, in a homemade chicken stock with some dry white wine, small pasta shapes, baby spinach, fresh and dill.
And you don’t need to worry about the meatballs because this is classed as a beginner recipe.
It’s got yummy ingredients such as ground chicken, chicken sausage, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, fresh parsley, two freshly grated cheeses, eggs, and milk. And they go great in the soup.
To finish up, we’ve included Ina Garten’s white bean soup – a hearty and healthy dish.
Immerse yourself in the rustic flavors of Tuscany with this Tuscan White Bean Soup, a hearty and wholesome dish that brings the essence of Italian countryside cooking right to your kitchen.
This brings together the creaminess of cannellini beans with a medley of fresh vegetables and aromatic herbs, topped off with the savory richness of pancetta.
Begin by preparing the white cannellini beans, which must be soaked overnight to ensure they cook perfectly. Heat a quarter cup of good olive oil in a large Dutch oven and brown the pancetta until crisp.
Next, add leeks, onions, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cooking these vegetables until tender softens them and allows their natural sweetness to enhance the soup’s flavor. Adding minced garlic and fresh rosemary introduces an aromatic quality that complements the other ingredients beautifully.
Incorporate the beans and pour in homemade chicken stock, bringing the mixture to a boil before reducing to a simmer. This slow cooking process allows the flavors to blend harmoniously and the beans to become tender, creating a rich, velvety soup. If the consistency is too thick, adjust it by adding more stock.
To serve, reheat the soup gently, then ladle it into bowls. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a final drizzle of olive oil for an added touch of richness.
Final Thoughts
We’ve included a wide range of Ina Garten’s best soups in this article, so there should be something for everyone.
We hope you’ve enjoyed browsing, but we predict that you’ll enjoy eating the recipes even more – bon appétit!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are The Secrets To Flavorful Soup?
Actually, there are several secrets to a delicious, flavorful soup…
You should begin by sautéing the aromatics, such as the onion and garlic, if applicable. Then, make a good broth before staggering the addition of perfectly sized vegetables (and meat if using). Leave the soup to simmer, and season once again before serving.
What Makes Homemade Soup Taste Better?
Homemade soup often tastes better due to fresh ingredients and the ability to adjust seasonings and flavors to personal preference.
Discover our round-up of the most amazing Ina Garten soups and stews, for starters or mains, that are packed with flavor, complete with a handy FAQ section.
I'm Barbara Hunt, the founder of WomenChefs.org. Being a mom of two, I understand the challenges of meal planning and the monotony it can bring.
That's why I created WomenChefs.org, a platform dedicated to showcasing the skills and delicious dishes crafted by amazing women. My goal is to provide a space where women can find delectable recipes that tantalize their taste buds and ignite their senses.
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