it's soup season
5 very good soups for cozy autumn nights
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It’s finally fully soup season here in Northern California. The weather has turned during the last week or so, the leaves are beginning to tinge shades of ochre, russet, auburn, and it’s currently raining. As we move deeper into autumn, soups begin to take center stage again. What is better than a steaming bowl of soup when the days turn chilly and gray and darken much before bedtime? Pure comfort. I love soup so much that I have a designated day of the week in our meal plan for soups (Monday nights), but truly we often eat a bowl of soup for lunch or dinner many days of the week.
After making soup last night with the rain pattering against the window, and thinking how delighted I am to have the coziness of soups enveloping me again, I thought I’d round up a few of our favorites for this season here in one place. I hope you find something to make and enjoy this October, and do comment if you have a favorite staple soup.
A few notes:
The flavor of the broth you use becomes the backbone of a soup, and can make the difference between good soup and so-so soup. Make sure it tastes good on its own; packaged vegetable broths can tend to taste overly flat, bitter, or tinny, or tomato forward, which is fine for some applications like minestrone but terrible for others. I prefer a more neutral/clean base that is savory like Better than Bouillon No-Chicken, or Heidi Swanson’s Homemade Bouillon Powder. For a carton option, I think Imagine Foods Organic Vegetarian No-Chicken broth is pretty good.
Another fantastic thing about soup is that it freezes beautifully. I use mason jars for this, because I don’t like freezing in plastic, and also I always have them on hand. Just don’t fill it all the way full, leave about 2 inches headspace.
Take your time to saute the aromatic base (the onion, celery, carrots) this absolutely makes the flavor. Cut them finely, use enough oil, and cook it all low and slow to coax the flavors out. They should be nice and sticky when done, not burnt/browned or still crunchy.
lentil, chard, and tomato soup
This is a very basic Italian minestra filled with wholesome, healthy ingredients that is also so tasty — I make it for us all cool season, but it’s also the one I drop off for friends that have just had babies, or have been ill, and I always get asked for the recipe. The large chunks of potato are texturally satisfying and comforting, you get little lentils in each bite, and the chard is beautiful and soft. I make use of both the stems and the leaves here for no waste.
To go with: The best olive oil toast; slice sourdough, toast or broil until very golden, rub lightly with garlic and drizzle with olive oil and flaky salt. When I drop this off for friends, I always accompany it with a batch of pumpkin dinner rolls.
notes: this soup is very simple and relies primarily on the quality of flavor of the tomatoes and broth. My preference in this soup is for a sweeter, richer type of tomato such as the Mutti/Cento canned cherry tomatoes or the Trader Joe’s Super Sweet San Marzanino—it really makes a difference. If using water, be absolutely sure to salt well and not to skimp on the oil. I highly recommend a small spoon of calabrian chile paste (such as Tutto Calabria) or chile crisp to adorn each bowl.
5 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced small
3 stalks celery, sliced
2 large carrots, cut in half moons
2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed large
one 14 oz tin tomatoes, coarsely chopped with scissors in the can
5 cups broth or water, see headnote
1 bunch chard, stems sliced and leaves chopped
2.5 cups cooked lentils, I prefer french or beluga
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed stock pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions and a large pinch of salt, sauteeing over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and just a bit golden and sticky, about 8 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, and chard stems, stirring to coat, and let cook a few minutes.
Add the potatoes, tomatoes, a big pinch salt, and broth. Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer, and allow to cook until potatoes are soft, about 10-15 minutes. Taste and add salt if needed.
Stir through the chard leaves and the lentils, allowing to cook enough time for the chard to soften well, 5 minutes or so.
Ladle into soup bowls, topping with calabrian chile paste or chile crisp as desired. Serve, passing hunks of crusty bread to dip.
roasted tomato white bean soup
This one is so lovely in both color and texture, plus I think most everyone will always have the six (!!) ingredients on hand to make it. You simply cut up an onion and peel some garlic, adding it to a roasting dish, and dump a can of whole tomatoes on top. It all gets olive oiled and roasted into sticky, caramelized tomato perfection, then blended into a silky, orange red bowlful. Some white beans stirred through provide texture, protein and fiber.
To go with: obviously, a classic grilled cheese if very at home here, but also a simple crusty baguette or a slice of sourdough, broiled and then olive-oiled and salted. On the side, I love a very crunchy green salad to offset the soft, yielding texture of the soup. Little gems or romaine tossed in a punchy vinaigrette (something like 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 3 tbsp olive oil, a tbsp capers, pinch salt and pepper, 1 tsp dijon mustard, optional bit of minced shallot or garlic if you have the inclination). Dinner!
tofu and kimchi stew
This spicy, brothy soup, adapted from a Bon Appetit recipe, was my absolute savior when I worked late nights- it can be made very quickly, mostly you just have to wait for it to simmer 15 minutes, during which time my rice cooked and I took the opportunity to take a shower—then you have a nice, warming, nourishing bowl of richly flavored, fiery soup. It’s perfect for when you’re feeling a cold coming on, too, with all the ginger, garlic, scallions, and kimchi it contains.
To go with: I find this to be a perfect complete meal when adding a scoop of perfectly cooked sushi or sticky rice, either on the side, or on top. I’ve also added in cooked noodles instead of rice, such as udon or soba noodles andit’s very delicious like this, too.
notes: I like Mother In Law’s brand gochujang, which comes in glass and has good, honest ingredients. I really enjoy this with a nice scoop of steaming hot sticky or sushi rice on top of the bowl, which makes it a complete meal.
one bunch of green onions
2 tbsp sesame oil
4 garlic cloves, chopped
a thumb of ginger, minced
4 cups broth
3 tbsp gochujang
3 tbsp tamari
a small daikon radish, peeled, sliced
1/2 cup kimchi
1/2 a block of silken tofu
a big handful spinach
toasted sesame seeds
optional: cooked short grain rice, to serve
Slice the green onions: add the white and light green parts (reserve the dark green tops for garnishing) to a medium pot with the sesame oil and the garlic + ginger. Cook, stirring often, until they are softened and fragrant, a few minutes.
Add broth and whisk through the gochujang and tamari. Add the daikon and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Add kimchi, tofu, and spinach, just allowing the spinach to wilt and the tofu and kimchi to gently heat through, removing from heat as soon as they do. Ladle into bowls and scatter over the reserved green onions and the sesame seeds. If using rice, add a scoop to the bowls. Serve immediately.
winter minestrone
Everyone loves a minestrone, and this one is extra luxurious with its dollop of a quick parsley and toasted walnut pesto. The leek and turnip in this add a subtle vegetal sweetness that’s very nice.
To go with: toasted sourdough, warmed ciabatta, or a scoop of pastina into each bowl (ditalini is the easiest to find, but there’s a huge world of teensy shells, penne, farfalle and more out there).
Find the recipe here (for paid subscribers).
creamy butternut squash soup with crispy sage leaves
This is a forever favorite for us! I think it’s one of the first recipes I ever shared online. I used to absolutely loathe winter squash, and this was my gateway into learning to love it; the texture is silky smooth and creamy, and the sage leaves atop balance out the sweetness and complement the flavors beautifully, not to mention look fancy and lovely (although they are very quick and easy to make).
To go with: the sage leaves are wonderful and very low lift, if you want to add more crunch I love a crouton on this one. To make some easy ones, simply tear up a few slices of good bread, such as sourdough, ciabatta, or a country loaf, into bite size pieces. I like tearing rather than cutting because you get more texture. Toss with a good drizzle of olive oil and flaky salt, then roast on a baking sheet at 400f until crisp and toasted, about 10 or 12 minutes. Easy, and they taste incredible. Sauteed crumbled (sweet or hot) Italian veg sausage is also really good atop this one, esp. with the sage leaves. Serve with a simple green salad, and perhaps a small glass of wine for the coziest of autumn meals.
notes: I typically use a Granny Smith or Pink Lady apple here, you don’t want it to be overly sweet; avoid Fuji. A delicious variation is to use a large leek instead of the onion. I often switch it up and use cashews instead of the coconut milk: blend 1/2 cup of raw cashews with 1 cup of water and 1/4 tsp of salt until very smooth. Depending on how big your squash is, you may need to add more or less broth to achieve your perfect texture.
3 tbsp olive oil
a large onion, diced
a small apple, diced
a large butternut squash, peeled + cubed
4 cups broth
1 can (400ml) full fat coconut milk
a pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper
for the crispy sage leaves:
fresh sage, 3 leaves per person
2 tsp olive oil
flaky sea salt
Warm the olive oil over medium heat, with the onion, and let it cook slowly until the onions are tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add a big pinch of salt, and the apple, and cook, stirring occasionally, a few minutes. Add in the butternut, broth, and another pinch of salt, and bring to a boil.
Simmer until the squash is tender and a fork pierces very easily through it, about 15-20 minutes. Add the coconut milk and nutmeg, and stir well, cooking for another few minutes to allow it to warm.
Puree, using a regular or immersion blender. If it seems too thick, add a bit more broth. Taste and add more salt as needed. Pour or ladle into bowls and grate a bit of fresh nutmeg over the top, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
For the sage leaves: Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan. Drop in a handful of sage leaves, making sure each one is separate and not crowded atop another. Sprinkle over the salt and fry less than 1 minute, until edges are just barely browned and leaf is bright green. Remove to a plate immediately.
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See you Saturday with a meal plan newsletter!
xx A
Now I want to make ALL of these. Currently on a tomato soup and chili kick. Our best friend, who lives alone, comes to dinner once a week, and I always make soup/stew/chili when she comes so that I can pack her off with soup and fresh bread for her week ahead.
We have made and enjoyed your tomato soup so far! I want to try the kimchi and tofu stew next. My very favorite winter soup is the split pea soup from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.