Warm-You-Up Freezer Soups

Affordable beef chuck roast, apple, parsnip and sweet potato slow-simmer in broth flavored with dark beer, herbs and spices. Warm corn bread muffins and cold winter night optional.

Spicy Beef, Bean and Vegetable Stew 

We love this contemporary global twist on classic Midwest beef-barley soup. Coconut milk adds creaminess, while a tiny bit of curry powder and hot chili oil add zip. The recipe comes from Beth Seuferer of West Des Moines, Iowa.

Asian Beef Barley Soup

Shhh! Don't tell anyone, but this hearty supper soup takes just an hour to make. The secret? Deli-roasted chicken and precooked sausage. Pair with breadsticks or a crusty baguette for a perfect winter meal that will fill your house with good smells.

Chicken and Kielbasa Winter Stew

This hearty and uber-healthy vegetarian chili recipe comes from Brianne Jamerson of Indiana. If you'd prefer a looser texture, just add extra water or broth.

Quinoa Harvest Chili

Hominy is the signature ingredient in this traditional, chililike Mexican soup.

Shredded Pork Posole

Fresh apple, dried fruit and cashews add color, sweetness and crunch to a ready-in-45 vegetarian chili. For a twist on the traditional toppers (and to hint what’s inside), garnish with apple slivers.

Apple Harvest Chili

Cathy Schneider of DeKalb, Illinois, shared her family-favorite recipe for a chicken soup that has just enough twists to keep it interesting: sweet potato, green beans, brown rice and fresh-tasting dill. (If you prefer less dill flavor, just reduce the amount. The soup will still be delicious.)

Chicken Dill Soup

Our version of the classic Kansas City steak soup uses lean ground sirloin mixed with veggies and seasoned with a blast of steak sauce and Worcestershire. It cooks in just 25 minutes.

For more soup and stew recipes created by Midwest Living® in honor of the Midwest states, click on "Midwest Soups State by State" in the Related Links box below.

Kansas City Steak Soup

This hearty soup boasts a bounty of veggies and seasonings, including pumpkin or squash, fresh ginger, lime juice, cumin and fresh cilantro.

Pumpkin, Chickpea & Red Lentil Stew

This flavorful soup from Mary Ann Van Wassenhove of Mitchell, South Dakota, is a breeze to make and is heartier than other, similar soups thanks to kidney beans and broccoli.

Italian Soup

Inspired by traditional Mexican mole, this hearty vegetarian chili includes a touch of chocolate to add depth. Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce give a rich smokiness to this fall recipe. If you like, you can save half the chili to make Stacked Black Bean Enchilada Pie.

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

Betsy Koss of Boyne City, Michigan, shared her recipe for velvety mushroom soup. It tastes rich and creamy but is actually dairy-free. The trick is to puree a little bit of white rice into the soup.

Mushroom Soup

Potatoes, onion, sauerkraut and brats pack in the German flavor in this homey slow-cooker soup. Try with Whole Wheat Pretzel Rolls; the soft pretzels' chewy, brown exterior comes from being boiled in an alkaline solution—the 1/4 cup baking soda in the water isn't a typo!

Slow-Cooker Brat and Sauerkraut Soup

Whole Wheat Pretzel Rolls 

Here's a main-dish soup loaded with veggies. Need to reduce the sodium? Use only one can of French onion soup and replace the other with 1-1/2 cups water.

Butternut Squash, Lentil and Wild Rice Stew

Diane Buller of Champaign, Illinois, shared this flavorful version of the classic tortilla soup. Garbanzo beans add extra texture and protein.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Long, slow simmering melds flavors in this recipe from the Spice House in Evanston, Illinois.

Colossal Chili

Short on time? Move the slow-cooker setting for this mild white chili recipe to high. If you like, serve in store-bought bread bowls.

Chicken Chili

The meat lovers in your family will love this chili, which combines beef and bacon. Mix a classic cheddar topper with fresh oregano for a new twist.

Winter Woods Chili

Resolve the dinnertime decision with this quick and easy fix. When this irresistible soup is simmering in her crockery cooker, Vicki Johnson of Hallsville, Missouri, thinks fondly of her late aunt.

View Aunt Bonnie's Taco Soup recipe

Tomatillos (the key ingredient in green salsa) look like green tomatoes with papery husks. Although they can be eaten raw, we like to cook tomatillos with other ingredients to mellow and balance their tart flavor.

Tomatillo Chicken Soup