The best warming autumn soup recipes you can try
26th October 2020
As the evenings draw in and the nights get colder there are lots of ways you can keep warm – wearing wool sweaters, using blankets and sitting around a fire to name a few. One of the best ways to stay cosy is to turn on the cooker and make something that will warm you up and for many that means making soup.
The coronavirus pandemic and various lockdowns have meant that people have had more time to cook their own meals and making soup is particularly easy. You just need to place the ingredients in a bubbling pot, let them simmer until it’s time to eat.
Cooking is a great activity to get involved in as it is accessible to all, with people who have mobility issues and need a stairlift at home being able to cook alongside their family members and the variety of seasonal vegetables that are in season over autumn.
This guide takes a look at the seasonal vegetables that are in season during this time of year and looks at some of the best autumn soups you can try.
Vegetables that are in season during autumn in the UK
There are lots of vegetables which come into season during the autumn months in the UK. The Vegetarian Society website has a list of all vegetables and fruits that come into season from September to November and here are a few you could put into soup:
- Aubergine
- Beetroot
- Broccoli
- Butternut Squash and other types of squash
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Kale
- Leeks
- Onions
- Parsnips
- Peppers
- Potatoes
- Pumpkin
- Spinach
- Swede
- Tomatoes
- Turnips
- Wild Mushroom
READ MORE: Quick and easy autumn recipes
Autumn soups to try
- Scotch broth
- Carrot and butternut squash soup
- Roast red pepper and tomato soup
- Courgette, potato and cheddar soup
- Pumpkin soup
- Caldo Verde
Scotch broth
Scotch broth is perfect for the slow cooker as you can simply tip in all the ingredients and cook on high for 6-8 hours.
Emma Shilton, who is behind the Life According to Mrs Shilts blog, believes soup is a great meal to eat during autumn and she talks about why she loves scotch broth.
“Soup is brilliant for autumn or winter as there are so many different varieties that you can make. My favourite soup is scotch broth as it includes a handful of seasonal vegetables all of which are plentiful at this time of year plus pearl barley which adds a different texture to the soup. It's a one-pot serves all kind of meal, which also means there's less washing up! Make a big batch at the weekend and store it in the fridge to have ready-made lunches for the week ahead.”
Ingredients:
- 250g/8oz carrots (diced)
- 250g/8oz turnips (diced)
- 2 onions (diced)
- 1 celery stalk (diced)
- 1 leek (sliced)
- 75-125g/3-4oz pearl barley
- 125g/4oz dried peas
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2.3litres/4 pints lamb or mutton stock
- 85g/3oz kale, chopped (optional)
Carrot and butternut squash soup
This vegetable-packed soup is easy to make, very filling, rich in nutrients and tasty as well. You can make a big batch of this soup and then freeze the leftovers so you can enjoy a quick dinner for days to come.
Lori Lange, who runs the Recipe Girl food blog, talks a bit about why carrot and butternut squash is a great choice for an autumn soup.
“This is a creamy soup recipe with simple flavours. There’s no chicken in it, no beef, no meat of any kind. It’s a vegetarian soup unless you want to use chicken broth. Everything in the soup is puréed. A bowl of warm carrot and butternut squash soup is perfect for a fall or winter day. I suggest serving it with a side salad and a hunk of bread to make it a complete and filling meal.”
Ingredients:
- Olive oil
- Onions and garlic
- Carrot and butternut squash
- Chicken or vegetable broth
- Rice
- Non-fat milk
- Orange zest
- Salt and pepper
Roast red pepper and tomato soup
A blend of red peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic and celery, this soup is healthy and easy to make as you just need to roast all the vegetables on a baking tray and then blend it together.
It is a great way to get more vegetables into your diet and is perfect for batch cooking and freezable so you can quickly whip up or reheat the soup if you are in a rush.
Some people think that tomato-based soups can be a little bit bland, but this soup is vibrant and flavourful, which is down to the fact that the vegetables are roasted first.
Ingredients:
- 3 deep red peppers (de-seeded)
- 1 white onion (sliced)
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 sticks of celery (sliced)
- 500g plum tomatoes
- 450ml vegetable stock
- 2tbsp olive oil
- 2tbsp tomato puree
- 1tbsp sundried tomato paste
- 1tsp flaked chilli
- 25g butter
- Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
Courgette, potato & cheddar soup
Warm, tasty, thick, creamy and cheesy, this soup is perfect for the autumn months and can be had as a starter or a small meal. The soup is freezeable and is a great way to use up a glut of courgettes and potatoes that need to be eaten.
The soup is healthy and full of nutrients and is very filling. If you are cooking for your family, then it is a great way to get a lot of vegetables into them.
Whether you’re growing your own courgettes or buying them from the local supermarket, autumn is the perfect time to be eating them. The potato being included in the recipe makes the soup more filling.
There are lots of foods that can be served alongside the soup including croutons, extra cheese or nutmeg.
Ingredients:
- 500g potato (chopped)
- 2 vegetable stock cubes
- 1kg courgettes (chopped)
- bunch spring onion (sliced) – you can save one for serving
- 100g extra-mature cheddar grated cheese
- Fresh nutmeg
Pumpkin soup
If you want to make the most of pumpkin season during the autumn months, then you should look to make pumpkin soup. It’s a really easy thing to make and you can toast the pumpkin seeds and use them as a garnish to add texture.
Talking about pumpkin soup, The Wooden Speen, a Michelin star restaurant and cookery school, says: “We love the smooth velvety texture of this soup, and for an everyday recipe the soup alone is delicious. However, if serving for an occasion making the soda bread and spiced lentil cake too is well worth the effort.”
Ingredients:
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 2 carrots (chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 25g/1oz unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium pumpkin (prepared weight about 850g/1lb 14oz) - deseeded and roughly chopped
- 1 medium-sized floury potato, such as Maris Piper (chopped)
- 1 litre/1¾ pint vegetable or chicken stock
- 100ml/3½fl oz double cream
- 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Caldo Verde
Caldo Verde is a soup which originates from Portugal and the hearty soup is perfect if you need warming up on a cold Autumn day.
Anita Breland, who runs the Anita's Feast food blog, highly recommends trying this type of soup. She said: “In my house, autumn’s chill means it is time for a batch of Caldo Verde, or ‘green broth’, Portugal’s signature soup. This favourite from the country’s northern region is enjoyed year-round from the Algarve to the Minho: for traditional parties, alongside grilled sardines in summer, and as a wee-hours after-party dish at New Year’s.
“Caldo Verde gets its warming goodness from a melding of simple ingredients. The centrepiece is couve galega, a type of dark and leafy Portuguese cabbage (kale or collard greens are good substitutes), sliced into thin ribbons before cooking. Couve comes pre-sliced at Portugal’s farmers’ markets and in the salad sections of supermarkets. The greens enrich a base of stewed onions, garlic, potatoes, and carrots. To serve, slices of chouriço add a smoky pop of colour. The best accompaniment? Broa, a dense Portuguese cornbread.”
Ingredients:
- 2 fat onions (finely chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 60ml/2¼fl oz olive oil
- 1 chorizo sausage
- 6 large potatoes
- 1.5 litres/2 pints 13fl oz good vegetable or chicken stock
- salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 2 bay leaves
- large bunch of greens or cabbage
- smoked paprika and olive oil, for dressing
These soups make the most of what's in season and whether you’re a fan of classic tomato, kicked-up pumpkin, or are looking for a healthy carrot and butternut squash option, there’s a comforting autumn soup recipe you can try to warm you up on a chilly day.
This news article is from Handicare UK. Articles that appear on this website are for information purposes only.
