More or less including the three colours of the Italian flag, this version of the Tuscan bean and veggie soup known as Ribollita is easiest to prep with an energy (and time) saving Instant Pot.
A global lineup of soups to cozy up with this season
There are plenty of tough decisions to make as the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy approach.
With events happening nine hours ahead, do you set your alarm for the middle of the night to catch skiing, snowboarding, figure skating, curling, hockey, and speed skating live? Or do you tag in for the replay later, coffee in hand, pretending you’re watching it in real time?
Do you try to dodge results, or lean into the "no spoilers in sports" mantra and keep your notifications on so you don’t miss a single moment—or medal—that Team Canada brings home?
And with so many world‑class athletes hitting the ice and snow, how do you keep your focus as you jump from event to event, while still cheering loudly (or as loudly as one can at 3 a.m.) for Canada’s finest?
Then there's the ultimate Olympic‑viewer hurdle: with events stacked back‑to‑back, how exactly are you supposed to cook anything without missing a moment or a reason to cheer?
Don’t worry – we've got a podium‑worthy game plan for you.
Below you'll find standout athletes to watch and soups from around the world you can prep ahead of time, so you can stay glued to the action. We've included options for pressure cookers and slow cookers, too, small‑appliance MVPs that save time and energy without sacrificing flavour. In fact, they can use up to 75% less energy than cooking the same meal on your oven or stovetop.
Italy: Ribollita soup
Our Winter Olympic hosts may be having a little trouble getting their hockey rink measurements just right, but wow, can they make a soup sing.
Ribollita is a hearty Tuscan bean and vegetable stew that’s perfect for using up leftover ingredients (yes, even stale bread). The name literally means “reboiled,” and the dish lives up to it. It’s a rich, comforting mix of cannellini beans, kale, and vegetables, traditionally finished with a generous sprinkle of Parmigiano‑Reggiano.
While it usually simmers for hour, you can speed things up dramatically by using a pressure cooker with this recipe from Serious Eats, or this different take from an Italian living in London, England.
Did you know? Canada hasn’t captured an Olympic curling gold medal (men’s or women’s) since 2014. But this year, we’re bringing serious momentum to the Games with two‑time defending world champion Rachel Homan, who ended Swiss skip Silvana Tirinzoni’s four‑year reign at the top two seasons ago. Italy will be a force too. Their mixed doubles stars, Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner, return to defend the gold they claimed at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
Norway: Fiskesuppe
When Norway hits the Winter Olympic stage, the competition knows what’s coming: medals, records, and more medals. Their record‑breaking 16 gold medals at Beijing 2022? Impressive. Their soup, topped with crème fraîche or sour cream? Equally podium‑worthy.
If you have a pressure cooker, try this recipe from Easy and Delish. Or try this one (cooktop or Instant Pot) from a cook in Bergen, Norway.
Did you know? Norway earned five of its 16 gold medals in Beijing in biathlon — the sport that blends cross‑country skiing with precision target shooting. Canada hasn’t reached the Olympic biathlon podium since Myriam Bédard’s historic double‑gold performance at the 1994 Winter Games in Lillehammer. Maybe you’re our next great hope. Try it for yourself at Whistler Olympic Park, where there are shooting-only lessons for anyone 8-years-old plus, and private ski‑and‑shoot sessions to get the full biathlon experience.
China: Congee (Jook)
China is becoming a true Winter Olympics powerhouse. As hosts in 2022, they delivered their best performance ever — tying for third in the gold‑medal standings with nine and earning a total of 15 medals. Athletes struck gold in speed skating, freestyle skiing, snowboarding and figure skating.
Congee is a beloved comfort-food classic, a thick, creamy rice porridge that’s wildly popular. The Hong Kong-raised husband-and-wife cooking team of Amy + Jacky have an easy four-ingredient Instant Pot congee recipe featuring conpoy (dried scallops) as the secret ingredient that adds rich umami flavours
Did you know? Chinese pairs skaters Suí Wénjìng and Han Cong briefly stepped away from international competition after winning gold in Beijing, but they’re returning to defend their title in Italy. Canada missed the figure‑skating podium in 2022, but hopes are high this time around with pairs team Deanna Stellato‑Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, along with ice dancers Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, both considered strong medal contenders.
Split-pea soup is easy, and much more delicious when you use a ham bone for maximum flavour.
Canada: Split-pea soup
Quebec athletes delivered big at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, earning 11 of Canada’s 26 medals. The province is a perennial powerhouse in short-track speed skating, freestyle skiing aerials and, of course, on our women’s hockey team. So what better choice for a quintessentially Canadian soup than Quebec’s signature classic: split pea?
Just don’t confuse homemade pea soup with the store‑bought version. Make it from scratch and you’ll get a soup that’s far thicker, more flavourful, and noticeably less salty than most canned varieties.
If you really want to elevate your pea soup, use a ham bone and leftover diced ham for incredible depth of flavour. For busy days, cut the cooking time in half by using the slow‑cooker version from Canadian mom Karlynn Johnston at the Kitchen Magpie.
Did you know? Canada’s William Dandjinou is heading to his first Olympics at age 24, but he’s already been the world’s top short‑track speed skater for the past couple of seasons. He’s a strong contender for multiple medals in Italy.
Czechia: Česnečka (garlic soup)
You might think the Canadian men have little to worry about in their round-robin hockey pool at the Games. But Czechia is in the mix, and that always brings the possibility of trouble.
In case you were trying to forget, Czechia has knocked Canada out of the world junior hockey championships for three straight years. And this year’s Czech Olympic squad will be dangerous, featuring NHL scoring stars David Pastrnak, Martin Nečas, and Tomáš Hertl, plus a pair of Vancouver Canucks in Filip Hronek and David Kämpf.
If the Czechs do pull off another upset, many Czech fans may be ladling up česnečka the next morning, a bold, garlicky soup.
Plenty of great recipes are available online, and the version from Cook Like Czechs adapts easily to a slow cooker or pressure cooker. Start by sautéing the garlic and potatoes in fat, then combine them with chicken stock and spices. For a pressure cooker, cook on high pressure for 7 to 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender. For a slow cooker, it’s going to take 3-4 hours on high, or 7-8 hours on low.
Did you know? Seven players are set to make their Olympic debuts for the Canadian women’s hockey team in Italy. Most expect Canada to reach the February 19 final to defend their 2022 gold, almost certainly against their long‑time rivals, the United States.