5 Soups Montana Loves When the Weather Turns Cool

It's happened. The Cats and Griz are on our TVs on Saturdays. We're watching our favorite NFL teams on Sundays (go Vikings!). As of today, the sun will set at 7:28 PM, and our overnight temps are starting to dip into the 40s.

Soup season is here.

It's certainly getting into soup season, and I love it. Soups and stews are typically an inexpensive way to feed a family; they're easy to make, and the sky is the limit when it comes to flavors and varieties.

From savory French onion soup with that thick layer of broiled Gruyère cheese on top, to a thick, chunky beef stew, I embrace all of the soups. While there is no official ranking of the most popular soups in Montana, I believe these might be the Top 5.

1. Chili

Basic chili, with ground beef, beans, a tomato base, and chili seasoning, is perhaps one of the easiest to make and most popular soups not only in Montana, but across the nation. Regional variances in chili can be big.

Customization is king with chili, too, and that's one of its most attractive qualities. No beans? Go for it. Loaded with pureed chili peppers and spicy hot? Yes, please.

Make chili with smoked brisket instead of hamburger? Get in my mouth! White bean chicken chili? Sure, why not.

2. Chicken noodle soup

Homemade chicken noodle soup is 100x better than anything you'll get in a can. I like to kick it up a notch with fresh, easy-to-make egg noodles, and plenty of sautéed carrots, onions, and celery. It reheats well, making it a great eat-it-all-weekend food.

a close up of a bowl of food on a table — Photo by tommao wang on Unsplash

3. Potato soup

Montana ranks 15th in the US for potato production, which doesn't seem that impressive until you realize that Idaho and Washington (#1 and #2) get most of their seed potatoes from Montana farmers.

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Potato soup is super easy to make. Crumble some bacon in the mix, top it with cheese, and you're looking at a satisfying calorie bomb.

soup with green leaf on white ceramic bowl — Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

4. Taco soup

Combining two of my favorite things into one warm, delicious bowl is awesome. And those crispy little tortilla strip things are so much cooler than plain old crackers.

You can make taco soup with beef or chicken, and the corn adds a nice sweet balance to the spice of the taco seasoning. Plus, taco soup is Taco Dowler's favorite. I made that up... but it's probably true.

5. Broccoli cheese soup

I may get some flak for putting broccoli soup in my opinion of Montana's Top 5 soups. Kids and vegetable-adverse folks might think it's gross. But honestly, the broccoli flavor basically disappears under all that cream and cheese.

Served with a crusty loaf of bread, my family will chow down on a crockpot of broccoli cheese soup anytime.