Souper Season: Bright and Cozy Fall Favorites
We’ve officially stepped into fall, and we’re welcoming the season with opens arms and simmering stock pots! The ultimate cure-all, comfort food, soup is always in season. That said, autumn marks the start of a one-pot wonder’s chance to truly shine.
There’s so much to love about a souper supper—or lunch, or anytime, for that matter. You can go for something hearty, stuffing the pot with chunky vegetables, potatoes, grains. You can opt for something thinner and lighter but equally cozy, like a classic tomato soup paired with a toasty sandwich. You can even transform leftovers into a soothing soup—pasta and chili dishes are perfect for this.
One massive bonus of soups and stews that is exceptionally welcome this time of year, when shifts in routines slide straight into strings of events and holidays—you can always make ahead. In fall, when deep cerulean blue skies frame growing explosions of color and temperatures be capricious, I tend to gravitate to bright, sushiny soups that tend to echo a bit of the pumpkin cheerfulness cropping up everywhere from fields and stands to lattes, but not necessarily with a pumpkin base. Regardless, soups are endlessly versatile and forgiving. You can’t really go wrong. You can simply be nourished. Here are a few of our favorites lately.
immune-boosting TURMERIC carrot ginger soup
Carrot Ginger Soup
Carrot Ginger Soup: This betacarotene beauty soothes and bolsters immunity with the piquant and earthy notes of anti-inflammatory ginger, garlic. There’s definitely overlap between this and the Carrot, Ginger, Cilantro soup also included in this post, yet each is distinct enough that I couldn’t help but include both in this lineup. This one has more of a smooth thickness from potato.
Tom Yum Noodle Soup
Tom Yum Noodle Soup: This fragrant, taste-bud tantaltizing soother was originally created for Organic India and incorporated their peppery, herbasceous supplement Trikatu, a product which has since been discontinued. Black pepper works the trick beautifully, though—or you could play around with other options. One of my favorites year-round, this bowl of comfort has just the right kick of heat.
Carrot Ginger Cilantro Soup
Carrot Ginger Cilantro Soup : When we lived in England many, many moons ago, we weren’t too long out of grad school and still felt and lived a lot like students. During this time, I fell in love with a canned carrot and cilantro soup that always seemed to hit the spot. For years I tried to recreate it. Given how elusive the comforting blend was, I just about threw up my hands in certainty that I must have been sugar-coating the memories and that likewise the experience was probably rooted an an actual overload of sugar and sodium. Then, this winning result!
African Sweet Potato Peanut Stew
African Sweet Potato Peanut Stew: There’s a fine line distinguishing soups and stews from one another sometimes. This warming, rich, and hearty dish really slots neatly into both categories. Proof that peanut butter really can complement just about anything, even tomatoes, this family favorite provides weeknight satisfaction while also being special enough for company.
Curried Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup
Curried Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup: Packed with hearty veggies and legumes, this oh-so-satisfying, flavorful meal used to be a slow cooker staple. After my slow cooker died, I swapped over to an Instant pot. Sometimes, though, I’ll throw it together last minute on the stovetop—every way is wonderful, but I’d have to say the crockpot and Instant Pot versions have an edge, transforming sweet potatoes and lentils into creamy richness with just enough of a curried, gingery kick to really soothe the throat and awaken the senses.
Butternut Leek soup: Bright, silky smooth, and nourishing, this is a true hug in a bowl. Even if you don’t have time to make ahead, you can get a big, solid step ahead by whole roasting your butternut squash in advance. Using this method, he skin peels off so easily, the seeds are separated effortlessly, and you really maximize the flavor, enhancing it even with subtle caramel like notes.