Hey moms, I know it’s been cold outside! Yes, even here in Hawaii…we’ve been freezing. I’ve been wanting soup more than ever, but I’m a soup any time of year kind of girl. Here are 2 Winter Soup Recipes for Large Families. Not only are they delicious and hearty but they will be sure to warm you up from the inside out. Each recipe makes a big pot of soup, perfect for feeding a big group or for having tons of leftovers.

Slow-cooked, large pot, and last-minute soups are an easy and delicious way to feed a big brood on a budget. So, let’s put away the can opener (yes, I’m talking to me too) and discover just how good homemade soup can be.

In my book, every day of the year can be officially soup season and that means getting cozy and enjoying a big pot of deliciousness in the crockpot or on the stove. While these 2 winter soup recipes are quick and easy they are also amazing. I have a tendency to like the creamy soup variation, especially this Chicken Sausage Soup with Potato and Kale. It’s a sneaky way to get the kiddos to eat kale and LOVE it.

Winter Soup Recipes for Large Families

Soup is the perfect meal for any time of year. Whether you’re looking to warm up on a cold day or just want something light, there are many varieties out there that will suit everyone’s taste buds! The best part about them? You can make most soup recipes without any special gadgets and you don’t even have to be the best cook.

Another great thing about soup is most of them freeze easily. It’s great to enjoy one of your favorite soups, freeze what you have left then heat it up again a couple of weeks later.

I have two recipes for you today that are perfect for large families like mine. They’re both hearty and filling, and best of all, they’re easy to make and budget-friendly.

So gather your ingredients and let’s get cooking!

Potato Crockpot Soup Recipe

When you’ve got a full house of kids and hubby you have to get creative to give them delicious meals that won’t cost an arm and a leg. This crockpot potato soup recipe is hearty and healthy and will feed a large family. This is one of my family’s favorite recipes, and it’s so simple to make in the crockpot.

This will feed 5 to 6 people as a main course and fill a 6-quart crockpot. This easily becomes clam chowder by adding 3 6.5 oz cans of chopped clams with juice about 10 minutes before serving. The jalapeno pepper adds great flavor removing the seeds can take a little of the heat off but for little ones or those that are sensitive to spicy foods I either don’t put jalapenos or I saute it separately and add for those that like it.

As always, feel free to modify this recipe to fit your own dietary needs. I like to use organic ingredients when possible, but you can use whatever you have on hand. If you’re like me and love the ease and set it and forget of cooking with a slow cooker here’s 20+ more recipes that are budget-friendly your family will enjoy.

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• 4 large onions, chopped
• 6-8 stalks celery, chopped
• 6-8 carrots, chopped
• 8 jumbo baking potatoes, or 10-12 large
• 2 qt size boxes organic chicken broth
• 1 cup flour
• salt and pepper
• milk you will add as much for the soup consistency you desire
• 1-2 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, very finely chopped (optional) I usually fry this up on the side and only add it to a smaller batch for my husband and older kids. Definitely too spicey for my littles.

Instructions:

1. Generously sprinkle olive oil in a pot. Saute the onion, carrots, celery, and jalapeno until softened.
2. While the vegetables soften, peel and cube the potatoes.
3. Stir the flour into the softened vegetables, stirring until fully incorporated into the oil.
4. Add the chicken broth, stirring until smooth.
5. Transfer into at least a 6.5 qt. slow cooker and add the potatoes. Set the crockpot to low and cook 2-3 hours until the potatoes are cooked through. As it cooks, add milk a little at a time to prevent cooling the soup, until the desired ratio of liquid to solids is reached. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

I love to top this soup off with bacon crumbles, bacon bits, cheese, green onions, and even croutons. I usually put these to the side as each of my kid’s likes and dislikes different things.

Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

I know all you moms are probably sick of hearing this, but I have to say it: homemade soup is the best. And, when you have a large family like mine, that means making a lot of soup at once. That’s why I like to make this easy vegetable beef soup recipe that will feed a crowd. Even better, it only takes about 20-30 min of prep time. So, if you’re looking for a simple meal idea, then give this soup a try. Your family will love it!

The beef adds a nice flavor to a mostly vegetable soup but is optional. If you want just a veggie soup, omit the beef. This soup is even better as a leftover.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. stew beef, cut into small cubes or hamburger (hamburger is budget-friendly and much easier, plus it rations out better)
• 4 TBS olive oil
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 6 carrots, chopped
• 4 large cans of diced tomatoes
• 2 pkg. frozen lima or other beans I like to put green beans too
• 1 small head cabbage, chopped
• 2 cans of corn, drained, or 2 pkgs frozen corn

Instructions:

1. In a heavy-bottomed stock pot, heat the olive oil and brown the beef until very nicely browned.
2. Add more oil, if needed, and add the onion, celery, and carrots. Stir and cook until the onion starts to become clear.
3. Add the tomatoes and frozen limas.
4. Cover and cook at low temperature for at least an hour. The longer you cook it at a low temp the more tender your meat will be.
5. Add the cabbage and corn and cook for approx 30 min more.

Serve homemade soup with biscuits, muffins, or good crusty bread. There are so many different soup recipes out there. There are even entire cookbooks devoted to just soup. “Just” soup sounds ho-hum. It’s anything but. From economical to extravagant, the soup will warm and satisfy even the coldest winter.

So, whether you’re a mom with seven kids or one kid–or if your family is anything above and in between–you can rest assured that there’s a soup for everyone. I hope these recipes give you some ideas for what to make this winter when it’s cold outside and everybody wants something warm. And since we all know how busy life gets why not make easy meals you can serve over and over again.  t, why not do dinner now? You’ll have plenty of time to take care of everything else later on!

Another way to shake things up so the soups don’t seem redundant is to serve with different things. Here in Hawaii, we serve a lot of things with white rice or poi. Cornbread is something that changes the consistency a little and you can even pour the soup on top.

Bon appétit!

Continue to Content

Potato Crockpot Soup Recipe

Yield: 8-10 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

This recipe for Potato Crockpot Soup is delicious and budget-friendly. Perfect for feeding a large family and the best part, it's easy to make!

Print

Ingredients

• olive oil to saute the onions, celery and jalapenos if you choose to add them
• 4 large onions, chopped
• 6-8 stalks celery, chopped
• 6-8 carrots, chopped
• 8 jumbo baking potatoes, or 10-12 large
• 2 qts of box organic chicken broth
• 1 cup flour
• salt and pepper
• milk you will add as much for the soup consistency you desire
• 1-2 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, very finely chopped (optional) I usually fry this up on the side and only add it to a smaller batch for my husband and older kids. Definitely too spicey for my littles. 

Instructions

1. Generously sprinkle olive oil in a pot. Saute the onion, carrots, celery, and jalapeno until softened.
2. While the vegetables soften, peel and cube the potatoes.
3. Stir the flour into the softened vegetables, stirring until fully incorporated into the oil.
4. Add the chicken broth, stirring until smooth.
5. Transfer into at least a 6.5 qt. slow cooker and add the potatoes. Set the crockpot to low and cook 2-3 hours until the potatoes are cooked through. As it cooks, add milk a little at a time to prevent cooling the soup, until the desired ratio of liquid to solids is reached. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

I love to top this soup off with bacon crumbles, bacon bits, cheese, green onions, and even croutons. I usually put these to the side as each of my kid's likes and dislikes different things.

Nutrition Information

Yield 8 Serving Size 1 bowl
Amount Per Serving Calories 0Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 0mgCarbohydrates 0gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 0g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram