Soup recipes tend to be written for a church supper, with enough to fill a stockpot and the freezer besides. If you cook for yourself or for two, that means a week of the same bowl. Senior Helpers has four easy winter soup recipes below that make a bowl or two in a single saucepan. Since they borrow from different cooking traditions, you can rotate through them on cold mountain evenings and not get bored by February.

Mountain Soup Beans, Scaled Down

This easy winter soup recipe brings a Southwest Virginia favorite to the table in a manageable two-serving portion. For two servings, rinse one cup of dried pinto beans and soak them overnight. Drain, cover with fresh water to a depth of 2 inches, add a small chopped onion and a piece of smoked turkey or a strip of bacon, then simmer gently for about 2 hours, until tender.

Taste and add salt near the end. A wedge of cornbread on the side is traditional, and any leftover beans freeze nicely in a pint jar. On a busy day, a rinsed can of pinto beans cuts the simmer to twenty minutes.

Italian White Bean and Greens

Among easy winter soup recipes, this lighter option is a great choice for anyone looking for a simple, satisfying meal. Warm a spoonful of olive oil, soften a minced garlic clove, then add a can of cannellini beans with their liquid, along with two cups of low-sodium broth. Stir in a big handful of chopped kale or spinach and give it about five more minutes.

A squeeze of lemon brightens the whole pot. For a vegetarian bowl, use vegetable broth, and add some grated Parmesan if you eat dairy.

Japanese Miso Soup With Tofu

Miso soup is done in under ten minutes, and after a week of heavy food, it feels like a reset. Heat two cups of water just below a simmer, whisk in two tablespoons of miso paste, then add cubes of soft tofu and thinly sliced green onion. Don't let it boil after the miso goes in.

Miso is salty, so anyone watching sodium on a doctor's advice should use less paste and check the label. For the bigger picture, the USDA's MyPlate page for older adults encourages people to make nutritious foods a priority as they get older.

Red Lentil Soup From the Pantry

Red lentils need no soaking. Simmer half a cup with a diced carrot, half an onion, a teaspoon of cumin and three cups of broth for about twenty minutes, until the lentils fall apart and the soup turns thick and golden, then mash a little with a fork or leave it chunky. It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, and it reheats well.

Whatever you make, don't leave leftovers sitting out. Split them into small containers, get them in the fridge within two hours, and write the date on each lid with a marker you keep in the drawer by the stove. FoodSafety.gov, has guidance on refrigerating food promptly and storing it safely.

Easy Winter Soup Recipes and Good Company This Season

A pot of soup tastes better with someone across the table. In Abingdon, Bristol, Richlands, Saltville and Tazewell, caregivers from Senior Helpers Bristol can shop for groceries, help with meal preparation, wash up afterward and stay for a bowl and a chat. When cooking starts to feel like a chore, contact us about meal help and companionship.