February is the month of celebrations, from Valentine’s/Galentine’s Day to Mardi Gras to sportsball favorites such as the Super Bowl, the Winter Olympics, and the Australian Open finals. Not to mention new streaming shows that are perfect to watch from the couch with a nice, big mug of hearty soup. Browse my list of Seasonal Soups to Cook in February and get inspired to brew up something delish.
Red Soups
Red is the language of passion, love, desire, and intense emotion. Add a little Valentine’s warmth to your February menus with these vibrantly colored soups!
The famous “marry me” label was borne from an amusing moment between two colleagues and grew into a phenomenon synonymous with a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce. And to be clear, it's worth all of the adoration. It takes what could otherwise be ho-hum lentil soup and pushes it right over the top. I can't blame you if you fall in love with Marry Me Lentil Soup, as I did. Soup is a safe space and will never break your heart.
A delicious combo of red bell peppers and tomatoes (plus other veggies), roasted on a sheet pan in the oven to concentrate their flavors and add a layer of savory caramelization, all spun into a velvety soup with a unique, smoky paprika roux. Sheet Pan Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup is a beaut!
This soup was one of those happy experiments that succeeded beyond my expectations. Shrimp Saganaki is a traditional Greek appetizer featuring shrimp and feta in a tomato sauce, perfect for spooning over bread. But reimagined as a soup … delish! Shrimp simmer briefly in an herb-dotted, zesty tomato broth, all topped with creamy, salty feta cheese. Elegant, built to impress … and perfectly red.
Air Fryer Roasted Tomato Soup is a creamy, super flavorful soup for two, made extra easy with the air fryer! Roast tomatoes, peppers, aromatics, and umami-rich parmesan and balsamic vinegar, and then blend with cream for a silky smooth soup that embraces all of the fresh flavors of summer produce, even if you're using winter cocktail tomatoes.
For more food ideas that celebrate heart-felt gatherings, browse my collection of Galentine’s Day recipes.
Fat Tuesday Soups
While you might not be inclined to lug around a thermos of soup to the parade route to cheer on the Krewes and vie for beads, if you’re enjoying Mardi Gras festivities from the comfort of your own home, it’s the perfect time to brew up a batch of something piping hot, inspired by the cuisine of our Southern friends.
Jambalaya in soup form might not be exactly traditional, but around here it’s pure February comfort food. Savory chicken, andouille sausage, and shrimp, cooked in a broth that’s steeped in aromatic vegetables, herbs and Creole seasonings. It's a family-favorite meal-level soup.
This Louisiana-style Red Beans and Rice Soup is slow-cooked to perfection with smoked sausage, a ham hock, and bold Creole spices. The holy trinity of onions, celery, and green bell peppers builds a savory base, while the beans become creamy and rich as they simmer. Served over fluffy white rice, this comforting dish is easy to make and incredibly flavorful.
A thick, zesty gumbo is a welcome meal any time of year but holds a special place of honor during February's festive Mardi Gras season. My Creole-spice-infused Chicken Seafood and Sausage Gumbo features a variety of seasoned meats simmering a rich dark roux for a burst of Southern comfort food flavors.
Creole Lentil Soup with Andouille Sausage straddles the wonderfully blurry line between soup and stew. If you cook it up and serve it immediately, it’s a rich and hearty soup. If you make it ahead and stash it for later, it will become stick-to-your-ribs thick. Different texture; same lovely flavors, inspired by the cuisine of the Big Easy.
February always brings cravings for the cuisine of New Orleans, and if you feel the same, check out my collection of Mardi Gras recipes.
Creamy Pasta Soups
There’s simply nothing that’s better built to ward off the bone-chilling effects of winter weather than a hot bowl of soup loaded with carby pasta. From the humble elbow macaroni to gloriously stuffed cheese tortellini, these pasta soups will warm you up and keep you fueled through your busy winter schedule.
Inspired by the classic dish, Beef Stroganoff Soup shrugs off the winter chill with seared beef in a rich, sour-cream-infused broth. Each spoonful is pure comfort food with irresistible egg noodles that perfectly complement the creamy base. Ideal for crisp, chilly evenings, it's tasty and substantial and will have everyone going back for seconds.
Butternut squash steps in for traditional tomato sauce for a rich and creamy result that feels extra special for fall. While you can certainly keep this soup vegetarian, I couldn't resist adding Italian sausage for an extra bump of savoriness. I also swapped out the traditional ricotta for Boursin because I was feeling extra.
Tortellini is probably my favorite soup pasta and I bet I have a dozen or so tortellini soups on the blog (this is the first of two in this list alone). Paired with Italian sausage, it's just :chef's kiss:. I can pretty much pull just about anything out of the pantry and make a delicious soup built around tortellini and sausage. Here, a creamy tomato base and lots of herby seasonings is the dinner that soup keeps me hanging on through the dreary late winter months.
Mac and cheese is great — I'm not going to minimize that incredible dish for a second — but mac and cheese in soup in a bowl that you hold in your hands and take in all the warmth and aromas is the kick. And then you dig into the cheesy beer broth, and it no longer matters what's going on in the world because this soup is all that exists for the next 15 minutes.
I simply adore pasta in soups, and have an entire collection devoted to them. So, break out those spoons and dig into carby comfort!
I hope you’ll try something from this list to make your February cozy and comforting, as only soup can do. For more soup inspiration, please browse my entire collection of Soup Recipes.
