Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper give this white bean soup a creamy and spicy kick.

One of Bobbi Brown's winter staples — this hearty lentil soup from the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook — gets its robust flavor from small, green French lentils. Also called Le Puy lentils, they're less starchy than common brown lentils. Look for French lentils at specialty shops.

Lentils add a delicious earthy flavor to the stew; their starchiness helps thicken the broth. Brown lentils work fine in this recipe, but we prefer French green lentils; they hold their shape better. Feel free to cook dried beans especially for this recipe, but any leftover or canned beans—rinsed and drained—will work well.

Remove hocks; remove and discard skin from hocks. Remove meat from bones, and roughly chop; set aside. Skim and discard fat from surface of stock. Set stock aside.

Bring the flavors of the French countryside home with this vegetable-filled lentil soup.

A simple and satisfying lentil soup from Eric Monkaba simmers red lentils with tomatoes and spices for a warm and cozy soup.

A summer staple from the coastal town of Antakya, this light stew is a favorite of Musa Dagdeviren's wife, Zeynep, who was born there. To keep the textures and flavors of the vegetables distinct, Musa layers the eggplant in a pot with tomatoes, lentils, chopped onions and garlic, then slowly cooks it, covered, without stirring. The stew is best when made ahead and allowed to mellow for at least a few hours.

Harira is our favorite Moroccan soup, but we rarely have the hours it takes to simmer the lamb that's traditionally a part of it. With some trepidation, we developed this vegetarian version—and it knocked our socks off. Top each serving with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkling of chopped dates for a real Moroccan feel.

This warming soup is packed with greens and flavors.