Russian Food Recipeub November 7, 2026 0 Comments

19 Soups and Stews That Taste Better on Day Two, So Make the Big Pot

Some soups need a night in the fridge to get good. My gochujang tahini cabbage soup started with a cabbage rolling across my kitchen floor, because Leo pulled it out of the grocery bag before I finished unpacking, and by the next day it tasted even richer as the gochujang and tahini melded.

That’s the best part of a big pot: tomorrow’s bowl is often better than today’s. My Serbian bean soup holds up overnight, too, and I first made it at a youth cooking club I volunteered with.

If you’ve been making a small pot, try these 19 soups and stews with the big pot in mind. A few come with a quick reheating tip, so tomorrow’s lunch still tastes great.

A pot of pasta soup with vegetables, beans, and ground meat, garnished with fresh basil leaves. — Pasta e Fagioli Soup. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

A bowl of minestrone soup with vegetables, beans, and pasta. — Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Thin, watery minestrone is the usual slow cooker problem, and a Parmesan rind is an easy fix. Drop it in the pot, and it slowly seasons the broth all day. Add the pasta late, and keep leftovers from going mushy.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

Crockpot Poor Man’s Stew

A bowl of hearty meat and vegetable stew with a spoon, sitting on a woven placemat. — Crockpot Poor Man’s Stew. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Three basics, ground beef, potatoes, and carrots, turn into a thick, savory stew in the crockpot. It’s simple on purpose, so there’s nothing to fuss over. Leftovers thicken overnight, which is exactly what a good stew should do.
Get the Recipe: Crockpot Poor Man’s Stew

Tomato and White Bean Soup with Harissa

A black pot filled with a tomato-based stew containing white beans, bell peppers, and other vegetables. The pot rests on a dark cloth with a silver spoon nearby. A bowl of couscous sits beside the pot on a white surface. — Tomato and White Bean Soup with Harissa. Photo credit: At the Immigrant’s Table.

Smoky harissa and cumin give this soup a gentle heat, and the beans simmer slowly in a fragrant broth until they turn creamy. It’s hearty but still light, and it comes together from pantry staples. Ladle leftovers over couscous or quinoa tomorrow for a whole new lunch.
Get the Recipe: Tomato and White Bean Soup with Harissa

Creamy Broccoli Stems Soup

A bowl of soup on a wooden cutting board. — Creamy Broccoli Stems Soup. Photo credit: At the Immigrant’s Table.

Don’t toss those broccoli stems! They make a creamy, paleo-friendly soup in about 30 minutes, with coconut milk for the smooth texture. Add a crunchy salad topper to each bowl, and a veggie scrap becomes dinner.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Broccoli Stems Soup

Slow Cooker Olive Garden Copycat Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Creamy soup with vegetables and herbs in a white bowl, next to a spoon and a striped towel. — Slow Cooker Olive Garden Copycat Chicken Gnocchi Soup. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Love the Olive Garden soup? Make it at home in the slow cooker with rotisserie chicken and a creamy Parmesan sauce. Gnocchi soaks up broth overnight, so add a splash of broth when you reheat the leftovers.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Olive Garden Copycat Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Beef Barley Soup with Prime Rib

Bowl of beef and barley soup with chunks of meat, carrots, and herbs, with a spoon inside. — Beef Barley Soup with Prime Rib. Photo credit: Or Whatever You Do.

Got leftover prime rib? Turn it into a rich beef barley soup that feels like a treat. Barley keeps soaking up broth as it sits, so the leftovers come out thicker and more filling.
Get the Recipe: Beef Barley Soup with Prime Rib

Thai-Style Red Curry Soup

A bowl of noodle soup with tofu strips, baby bok choy, carrot slices, and fresh herbs, set on a white surface with a spoon nearby and a small bowl of chopped greens in the background. — Thai-Style Red Curry Soup. Photo credit: At the Immigrant’s Table.

Spicy, creamy, and deeply comforting, this red curry soup warms you up from the inside out. It’s full of noodles, carrots, bok choy, and tofu. Noodles soak up broth overnight, so keep a little extra broth on hand, or cook the noodles on the side for leftovers.
Get the Recipe: Thai-Style Red Curry Soup

Pasta e Ceci – Italian Pasta and Chickpea Stew

Bowl of pasta soup with kale, chickpeas, tomato broth, herbs, and parmesan cheese on top. — Pasta e Ceci – Italian Pasta and Chickpea Stew. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Have you tried pasta e ceci yet? This Italian pasta and chickpea stew is classic comfort food, and it’s easy to make. It gets thicker overnight, so thin it with a little water or broth when you reheat.
Get the Recipe: Pasta e Ceci – Italian Pasta and Chickpea Stew

Ajiaco Colombiano (Colombian Chicken and Potato Soup Recipe)

A bowl of ajiaco colombiano soup with chicken, corn on the cob, and avocado. — Ajiaco Colombiano (Colombian Chicken and Potato Soup Recipe). Photo credit: At the Immigrant’s Table.

My favorite way to make ajiaco is also the easiest: everything cooks together in one pot. Chicken, three kinds of potatoes, corn, and a special herb called guascas simmer into a thick Colombian soup. Top each bowl with rice, avocado, capers, and a little cream, and you won’t feel like cooking again for a while.
Get the Recipe: Ajiaco Colombiano (Colombian Chicken and Potato Soup Recipe)

Slow Cooker Cheesy Broccoli Potato Soup

A bowl of creamy broccoli and cheese soup is placed on a wooden board with a napkin in the background. — Slow Cooker Cheesy Broccoli Potato Soup. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Winter in my house runs on this cheesy broccoli potato soup. Cook it on low so the vegetables soften evenly and the broccoli doesn’t turn to mush, then stir in the sharp cheddar. It’s a cozy family dinner made from simple ingredients.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Cheesy Broccoli Potato Soup

Creamy, Vegan Jerusalem Artichoke Soup With Apples

A bowl of soup with apples and sprigs of thyme. — Creamy, Vegan Jerusalem Artichoke Soup With Apples. Photo credit: At the Immigrant’s Table.

Leeks cook slowly until soft, then Jerusalem artichokes and tart Granny Smith apples join the pot with a bay leaf and thyme. Blend it until silky, and you get a creamy vegan soup. A squeeze of lemon at the end wakes it up.
Get the Recipe: Creamy, Vegan Jerusalem Artichoke Soup With Apples

Instant Pot Cheeseburger Soup

A bowl of cheesy soup with ground meat, potatoes, and vegetables, served with a pretzel bun. — Instant Pot Cheeseburger Soup. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Cheeseburger night turns into soup: ground beef, potatoes, Colby-Jack cheese, and bacon cook in the Instant Pot in under 30 minutes. It thickens in the fridge, so loosen the leftovers with a splash of milk or broth.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Cheeseburger Soup

Gochujang Tahini Cabbage Soup

Bowl of creamy soup topped with herbs, seeds, and spices, with fresh dill and green onions on the side. — Gochujang Tahini Cabbage Soup. Photo credit: At the Immigrant’s Table.

This soup began with cabbage rolling across my kitchen floor, because Leo pulled it out of the grocery bag before I finished unpacking. The original soup used tomatoes, but my kitchen had cabbage, so cabbage got the job. It tastes even richer the next day as the gochujang and tahini meld, so make the big pot.
Get the Recipe: Gochujang Tahini Cabbage Soup

Pasulj Serbian White Bean Soup

A white bowl of soup with a spoon and basil. — Pasulj Serbian White Bean Soup. Photo credit: At the Immigrant’s Table.

I first made this Serbian bean soup at the youth cooking club I volunteer at, and it made me think of a friend. White beans, paprika, and tomatoes simmer into a thick, peppery pot that’s filling but not heavy. It holds up overnight, so make plenty.
Get the Recipe: Pasulj Serbian White Bean Soup

Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon

A ladle of beef stew with carrots, potatoes, and parsley in a rich brown sauce. — Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Fancy French stew, without the fuss: toss beef, bacon, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, and pearl onions into the slow cooker with red wine, then walk away. Spoon the leftovers over mashed potatoes tomorrow. Let the pot cool completely before it goes into the fridge.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon

Hungarian Goulash

A bowl of white rice topped with beef stew in a rich brown sauce, garnished with fresh herbs. — Hungarian Goulash. Photo credit: The Kitchen Magpie.

Ever notice how goulash tastes even better the next day? Tender beef and onions simmer in a paprika-spiced tomato sauce, then get ladled over dumplings or egg noodles. Make the pot tonight and let the sauce deepen overnight.
Get the Recipe: Hungarian Goulash

Instant Pot Creamy Marry Me Chicken Soup

A bowl of creamy pasta with chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and shredded cheese on top. — Instant Pot Creamy Marry Me Chicken Soup. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Marry Me chicken, but as a soup: pasta, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan in a creamy, comforting pot. The pasta drinks up the broth overnight, so keep a little extra on hand for leftovers.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Creamy Marry Me Chicken Soup

Butternut Squash Soup with Apple and Coconut Milk

A bowl of creamy orange soup garnished with herbs, chopped nuts, and drizzled cream sits on a marble surface. A small bowl of nuts and sprigs of fresh herbs are nearby, alongside a gray napkin. — Butternut Squash Soup with Apple and Coconut Milk. Photo credit: At the Immigrant’s Table.

With two lactose-intolerant people in my house, I swapped the cream for coconut milk in this butternut squash soup. It’s still creamy, and a tart Granny Smith apple cuts the sweetness of the squash. Blend a big batch, and tomorrow’s lunch is done.
Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash Soup with Apple and Coconut Milk

Pasta e Fagioli Soup

Craving the pasta and bean soup at Olive Garden? This copycat pasta e fagioli lets you make it at home. Pasta soaks up broth as it sits, so cook it on the side if you want leftovers that still taste great tomorrow.
Get the Recipe: Pasta e Fagioli Soup

Are you someone who saves the last bowl of soup for tomorrow because you know it’ll taste even better?