Image by thinkstock

Image by thinkstock

When you turn on the weather and hear phrases like “dangerous deep freeze” and “the coldest day on record” there’s really only one thing to do — drag your biggest, heaviest soup pot out of the cupboard, fill it with your favorite meats and veggies and start simmering something, warm, fragrant and delicious.

While we all enjoy a big bowl of matzo ball soup, the Jewish love affair with the ladle isn’t limited to sinkers and floaters. Below are our favorite non-traditional Jewish soups. Tell us about yours in the comments!

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Einat Admony’s Tangy Chamusta Soup: Kurdish Jews weather the season with bowls of tangy chicken broth with semolina and beef dumplings, ribbons of Swiss chard and enough lemon juice to fight off any oncoming cold.

Mile End Deli’s Vegetarian Borscht: Noah and Rae Bernamoff’s take on this classic peasant soup swaps a traditional beef base for a rich ruby-red beet stock. Mix in kale, cabbage and tomatoes for a hearty soup that won’t break your New Year’s resolutions.

“Jerusalem’s” Cannellini Bean and Lamb Soup: In Israel, Yemini Jews are famous for their soups like this one which is loaded up with beans, stewing meat and 20 cloves of garlic. Chefs Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi warm up their dreary London nights with it.

Kutcher’s Tribeca Matzo Ball Soup: We wouldn’t leave you without a classic and this version is as good as it gets.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount