From plantbasednews.org
These four dreamy soups will give you the winter fuzzies
As winter settles in, the pull toward warm, comforting food gets stronger. Soups tick every box. They’re delicious, filling, and easy to batch-cook for busy weeks. That’s why cosy vegan winter soups are such a staple right now. In a recent video, Sarah Sullivan shares four of her go-to bowls, all designed to be rich, simple, and weeknight-friendly.
Sullivan, known for her YouTube channel Sarah’s Vegan Kitchen, focuses on recipes that feel familiar but are fully plant-based. These cosy vegan winter soups lean on pantry staples, smart techniques, and small finishing touches that make them feel special without being complicated.
Loaded baked potato soup
Sullivan opens with what she calls “a super cosy classic.” She says, “If you’re a baked potato lover, just imagine all of that goodness, but in extra cosy soup form.” The base starts with onions, celery, garlic, and carrots sautéed in vegan butter before building a roux for thickness. Potatoes do most of the heavy lifting here. Sullivan explains, “I’m using russet potatoes… Russets tend to break down more easily, and they have a higher starch content, which helps to thicken the soup naturally.”
She finishes the soup with creamy plant milk, lemon juice for balance, and lightly mashes the potatoes to keep some texture. When it comes to serving, she doesn’t hold back. “Most important is a generous helping of my smoky tofu bacon,” she says, calling the finished bowl “the cosiest of all the soups” in the video.
Roasted tomato lentil soup
Next up is Sullivan’s current favourite. “It combines what I think are two of the best soups in the world, lentil soup and roasted tomato soup,” she says. Roasting nearly three pounds of tomatoes with garlic brings depth, while tomato paste cooked until dark adds richness. Red lentils simmer directly in the broth, making the soup more filling than a standard tomato version.
After blending, Sullivan keeps some texture. “You really do get that roasted tomato soup flavour first and foremost, and then the lentils are just there to kind of make it more heartier,” she explains. Toppings like tofu ricotta and croutons add extra substance, making this one of the more robust cosy vegan winter soups in the line-up.
Lemon chickpea orzo soup
This soup is a regular in Sullivan’s kitchen. “This is one of my most cooked soups of all time for a reason,” she says. “It’s budget-friendly, super easy to make, perfect for busy weeknights, and of course, it’s delicious.” It’s made like a familiar noodle soup, starting by sautéing onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil. For added heat, Sullivan likes to add a bit of Calabrian chili paste in this step, but notes that this is optional. Then she adds the veggie broth and throws in chickpeas, herbs, and orzo. Instead of chickpeas, she mentions that white beans are a great choice for a creamier soup. Lemon juice and fresh herbs shift the flavour into brighter territory.
Sullivan describes it as “kind of like classic chicken noodle soup’s cousin,” adding that it delivers comfort “without feeling heavy.” An optional tahini finish gives the broth extra body, especially if you want something richer.
Carrot ginger soup
The final soup is the most minimal but still packed with flavour. Sullivan roasts the unpeeled carrots first, explaining, “That browning brings out all the natural sweetness of the carrot and adds so much extra dimension to the flavour.” Ginger, turmeric, and coconut milk round things out, while black pepper boosts turmeric’s impact.
Once blended smooth, she finishes with lemon juice and encourages texture on top. “I always recommend a crunchy or chewy topping,” she says, suggesting croutons or roasted chickpeas. The carrot soup is a bright option that closes out this set of cosy vegan winter soups, blending comfort and freshness.
Together, these four bowls show why Sullivan’s approach works so well in winter. The soups are familiar, flexible, and built to keep you warm long after the pot comes off the stove.
Find more vegan recipes on Sarah Sullivan’s YouTube channel.
https://plantbasednews.org/lifestyle/food/four-cozy-vegan-winter-soups/
