As the weather cools, there’s nothing better than filling, warming soups loaded with a variety of gorgeous fall vegetables. The foundation of onion and carrots is enhanced with chunks of squash, potatoes and strips of hearty greens in a broth infused with herbs and spices. Here are a few easy, to make soup recipes, using seasonal ingredients for you to try. What is your favorite fall soup?
Autumn Chowder
Serves: 4
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 3 ears corn
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1 1/2 cups peeled and diced sweet potato
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
In a large pot on medium, heat oil. Add celery, onion and bell pepper and sauté until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir until coated and thickened, about 45 seconds.
Cut corn kernels off the cobs, reserving cobs. Add corn cobs, broth, milk, coriander and thyme to the pot. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the cobs.
Add corn kernels and sweet potato. Continue to cook until sweet potato is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in half-and-half, salt and pepper and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
Hearty Greens and Pasta Soup
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic , chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion , chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 plum tomatoes, cored and chopped
- 2 carrots , chopped
- 1 bunch Swiss chard (about 3/4 pound) , roughly chopped
- 1/2 bunch escarole (about 1/2 pound) , stemmed and roughly chopped
- 1/2 pound dried bow tie (farfalle) pasta
- 1 (3-inch) Parmigiano-Reggiano rind , plus grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for garnish
- 1/4 pound baby spinach
Directions
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, bay leaf, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until most of the liquid is released and absorbed, about 5 minutes more. Add carrots and 8 cups water and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Stir in chard, escarole, pasta and Parmigiano-Reggiano rind. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until broth is flavorful and greens and pasta are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in spinach and season with salt and pepper.
Remove and discard bay leaf and cheese rind from soup then ladle into bowls, garnish with grated cheese and serve.
Creamy Pumpkin Soup
6 servings
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3/4 cup chopped leeks
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups peeled and cubed pumpkin
- 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds or pine nuts, toasted
Directions
Lightly coat an unheated large saucepan with nonstick cooking spray. Add olive oil; heat over medium-high heat. Add leeks and garlic; cook and stir until leeks start to brown, stirring occasionally.
Stir in pumpkin, broth, pepper and cloves. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until pumpkin is tender. Remove from heat; cool slightly.
Transfer half of the pumpkin mixture to a blender or food processor; cover and blend or process until smooth. Repeat with the remaining half of the pumpkin mixture. (Or use an immersion blender directly in the saucepan.) Return all of the pureed mixture to saucepan.
Stir in the milk, water and honey; heat through, but do not boil. Serve warm garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds or pine nuts.
Brown Rice Chicken Soup
Serves 8
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion , chopped
- 3 medium carrots , chopped
- 2 stalks celery , chopped
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup long-grain brown rice
- 1 whole boneless chicken breast , cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 bunch of your favorite greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard, collards) thick stems removed and leaves thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat oil and add onion, carrots and celery and cook about 8 minutes or until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally.
Add broth, water, rice, chicken and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook about 45-50 minutes or until rice is tender.
Remove bay leaf and stir in greens and continue cooking until wilted and tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add parsley, salt and pepper.
Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup
6 servings
Ingredients
- 3 cups peeled, diced butternut squash
- 2 cups thinly sliced carrots (about 4 )
- 1 cup thinly sliced leek or chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Two 14 1/2 ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup half-and-half or light cream
- Sour cream
Directions
In a large covered saucepan cook squash, carrots, and leek in hot butter over medium heat about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth and thyme. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 25 to 35 minutes or until vegetables are very tender. Cool slightly.
Place one-third of the squash mixture in a food processor or blender. Cover and process or blend until almost smooth. Repeat with remaining squash mixture. Return all of the mixture to saucepan. Or use an immersion hand blender.
Add white pepper and nutmeg; bring just to boiling. Add half-and-half; heat through. If desired, garnish each serving with sour cream.
Note To My Readers
My blog, Jovina Cooks Italian, has reached a milestone. I now have 3000 followers who have the blog emailed to them on a daily basis. Thank you all for reading and commenting on my posts. I am truly appreciative.
Laurie Benner
I love your blog and your recipes. I especially enjoy when you focus on the various regions in Italy. My family is from the province of Caserta. Thank you!
Jovina Coughlin
Thank you Laurie. I really appreciate your comment. Stay tuned I will be sure to cover Caserta in my next round of Italian regional articles.
pattytmitchell
Yum!!!!
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
Your soups look and sound delicious!! I could have soup every day and when I was young I would complain. Thank goodness my taste matured!!
Jovina Coughlin
I know what you mean and now I prefer soup for lunch most days.
Anne
Great ideas as usual. Wow–3000 followers!! Congratulations–you deserve it!
Jovina Coughlin
Thank you so much dear Anne
Animalcouriers
Congrats on the follows Jovina – seriously well deserved!
Jovina Coughlin
Thank you Annie
Mary
Love soups and the last one is on my list to try. Congratulations on the followers, you have an awesome blog!
Jovina Coughlin
Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy the soup.
For the Love of Cooking
I’ve never had pumpkin soup -it looks and sounds wonderful.
Jovina Coughlin
I hope you like it Pam.
Bob
Love the soup recipes. I do have a question. Under the Autumn Chowder you mention preheating oven to 400F but in the recipe there is no mention of using the oven. Have I lost my mind (and eyesight) completely or are you just testing us? Have a wonderful day and thanks in advance for your reply.
Jovina Coughlin
Oops thanks for catching that. I totally missed it. Don’t know where it came from. Thanks for reading and commenting today.
Amanda | What's Cooking
Great soup ideas. I’m totally making the pumpkin soup in a pumpkin. I don’t know why I never did it before. Awesome.
Heather
I made the Creamy Pumpkin Soup yesterday. It was delicious and so creamy! My picky eaters enjoyed it too! Keep the recipes coming Mrs. Jovina!
Jovina Coughlin
Thank you so much Heather for making this soup and for taking time to comment. Much appreciated.
Splendid Recipes
Nice article and recipes as always Jovina and congratulations on your following and readership of your website and blog!!!