3 Spicy Soup Recipes to Keep You Warm in the Winter

These three pepper jelly soups offer different flavors for a cold evening: chicken and noodles, roasted butternut squash, and creamy tomato. Choose the amount of chile for your own preferences; these are meal ideas, not remedies for congestion or illness.

Spicy Chicken Soup Recipe

Chicken noodle soup is the quintessential soup for when you’re feeling under the weather. If you have a palate that prefers more complex flavors, this simple spicy chicken soup recipe is perfect for you! 

 

 

Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ medium or one small yellow onion, diced 
• 1/2 carrot, peeled and diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
• 2 tablespoons Grandma Jones’ Jalapeno Pepper Jam
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded 
• 6 oz egg noodles
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Hot sauce to taste, optional 
• Fresh cilantro for garnish, optional 

Directions: 

1. Heat oil over medium heat in a large stock pot or dutch oven. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and jalapeno. Saute until the veggies are soft, about 5-6 minutes. 
2. Add garlic, spices, and pepper jelly and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. 
3. Add the broth and bring it to a boil. Add the chicken and noodles and reduce to medium-low, cooking until the noodles are tender and the previously cooked chicken reaches 165°F on a food thermometer. About 10 minutes is a guide, not proof of safe reheating. This recipe uses cooked chicken; do not substitute raw chicken into the same short noodle-cooking step. 
4. Add salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Top with cilantro upon serving, if desired. 

Spicy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe 

Looking for a spicy, vegetarian-friendly soup? This spicy butternut squash soup is a healthy dish with complex flavors. 

 

 

Ingredients: 

• 1 large butternut squash, halved and seeded
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced 
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 medium jalapeno, seeded and finely diced 
• 2 cups vegetable broth 
• 1/4 cup Grandma Jones’ Jalapeno Pepper Jam
• 1 14-oz can full-fat coconut milk 
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Sour cream for serving, optional 

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Prepare a baking sheet by drizzling it with oil or spraying it with nonstick cooking spray. Place squash on a pan and bake for 40 minutes or until squash is tender. Cool slightly, then remove the peel and set aside. 
2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and jalapeno and saute for a few minutes until tender. 
3. Add the broth, coconut milk, pepper jelly, and apple cider vinegar to the pot. Chop the butternut squash and add it to the pot, stirring to combine everything. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the squash is soft enough to mash. 
4. Remove the pot from the heat. Use an immersion blender only as its manufacturer directs for the temperature and container. For a countertop blender, first cool the soup to a temperature permitted by its manual and follow its batch-size and lid instructions. Never put hot soup into a sealed personal-blender cup. Puree carefully, return to the pot and reheat before serving. 
5. Season with cayenne, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls with a dollop of sour cream. 

Spicy Tomato Soup Recipe

There is no better meal on a cold winter evening than tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. Turn up the heat even further with this quick and easy spicy tomato soup recipe! It’s one of the easiest and tastiest spicy soup recipes we have. 

 

 

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 28 oz can tomato puree
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons Grandma Jones’ Traditional Pepper Jam 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper 
• Red pepper flakes to taste, optional
• Hot sauce to taste, optional
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
• ¼ cup heavy whipping cream 

Directions:  

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft and transparent, about 2-3 minutes. 
2. Add tomato puree, vegetable broth, and pepper jam. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and hot sauce. Stir and bring to a boil.
3. Remove from the heat before blending. Follow the same manufacturer-specific hot-liquid precautions described for the squash soup; use a suitable immersion blender or cool to the temperature allowed by the countertop-blender manual. Blend carefully, stir in the cream and basil, then return the soup to the pot to warm gently for serving. 

How to Make Spicy Soup at Home with Pepper Jelly 

While we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite spicy soup recipes in this post, it’s not difficult to turn up the heat on your favorite soup dishes. For instance, if you’re looking to add a little spice to your favorite soup recipe, you can try adding hot sauces like sriracha, dried spices like cayenne, or fresh peppers like jalapenos. 

For a less spicy batch, reduce or omit optional hot sauce, cayenne and fresh chiles before cooking. Extra sweetness changes the flavor but does not remove the chile ingredients from the soup. Adding pepper jelly to your soup adds a subtle heat with a natural sweetness from the jelly. 

We may be a little biased, but Grandma Jones’ Pepper Jelly makes a great addition to your family soup recipes that need a little heat. And with eight delicious flavors, you can find the best match to add some sweet heat to any meal! 

Be sure to visit our recipes and blog to discover even more creative ways to use this versatile condiment! 

Cool soup in smaller portions

Divide leftovers into shallow containers and refrigerate promptly, rather than leaving a large stockpot on the counter until it is cold. Refrigerate within two hours, or one hour above 90°F, and keep at 40°F or below. Use within three to four days or sooner if an ingredient has less storage time remaining; reheat leftovers to 165°F. Consult safe chilling guidance, the temperature chart and your blender manufacturer's hot-liquid instructions.