Five soups to defrost your soul this winter

By Maggie Hsu, January 10 2025—

Winter has arrived and with the cold seeping into our bones, the craving for something warm to soothe our soul. While the classics like chicken noodle or tomato soup often steal the spotlight, there are hidden gems in the world of soups that deserve a bit more love. Here are five soups that will defrost your soul and bring some adventure to your winter dining.

1. Lasagna Soup

Lasagna in soup form might not sound the most appetizing but trust me, it’s the ultimate embodiment of cozy in a bowl. If you’ve ever had a bowl of tomato soup and wished there was something more, lasagna soup might be your best friend. And unlike the traditional version of the dish, it’s rather easy to make and there are various one-pot recipes online that not only saves you the hassle of doing dishes at the end of the night but is a quick and easy meal for students after trekking across an icy campus.

2. Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

A beloved comfort food in Taiwan, this soy sauce based soup combines tender, soft beef with chewy noodles. Taiwanese beef noodle soup was created in Taiwan by Kuomingtang veterans who fled mainland China as a way to feed military families at the tail end of the Chinese Communist Revolution. This war-time dish is now treasured by the nation with its rich broth that warms the soul and leaves you with nostalgic feelings of home and comfort. While it’s not the easiest dish to make, it’s a massive labour of love that requires the cook to commit almost an entire day to make. However, there are Instant Pot recipes that can help cut down on prep time. 

3. Bun Bo Hue

I’m sure almost everyone has tried pho at one point or another and fell in love with its savoury yet refreshing flavour profile. Bun bo hue is like pho’s bolder and spicier cousin originating from the city of Hue in Vietnam. The broth itself is built on lemongrass, shrimp paste and chili oil that gives it multiple layers of umami and fragrance. What further separates bun bo hue from pho is that it features thicker noodles that are extra filling.

One of the greatest parts about living in Calgary is access to great Vietnamese cuisine thanks to the community in our city. You can find plenty of restaurants that serve high quality bun bo hue but my personal favourite is from Alo Viet Kitchen in Kensington.

4. Chicken Tinola

A Filipino classic, chicken tinola is a soothing ginger-based soup made with chicken, green papaya or chayote and leafy greens like spinach or malunggay. The broth is light but deeply flavorful, thanks to the ginger and fish sauce, making it the perfect soup to restore, recharge and relieve any cold or flu symptoms.

To make it yourself at home as it tends to be a home-cooked meal over something that is served at restaurants, grocery stores carry a premade tinola soup base mix that will tell you what ingredients to grab and how to make the soup.

5. Laksa

A beloved soup across Southeast Asia, laksa’s coconut milk and chili paste base is an incredible combination of flavours that is creamy but light and healing. Laksa is also incredibly versatile as you can put pretty much any protein and veggies in with the noodles to cater your soup to whatever you’re feeling.

I highly recommend Mamak Dang for their laksa but you can also pick up an instant noodle version from any Asian market that you can also customize with your own toppings.

Each of these soups brings its own unique way of warming you up, with flavours from all over the world to defrost the winter frost. Whether you’re craving something creamy, spicy or refreshingly light, these bowls will keep you warm, full and ready to take on the season.