When the air gets chilly and Spirit Halloween starts popping up in your neighborhood, you know it's soup season. Soups and stews are my favorite one-pot dishes, and here are 23 that are perfect for when the leaves turn golden.
Diner-Style Smashburger and Spicy Tomato Soup
Recipe by Buddy Love
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Potato Soup Recipe with Cream of Mushroom and Sharp Cheddar
Recipe by Tori Hammontree
The temperature dropped below 70 degrees here in the South, and I immediately said, “it’s a soup night!” So here is the BEST potato soup recipe you will EVER MAKE!
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Roasted vegetables are one of the best bases for a pureed soup, and perhaps there's none better than butternut squash. Make sure to leave room on the roasting tray for airflow; you want it roasted and golden, not a stodgy mess.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss squash with 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Spread in one layer. Roast 30–35 minutes, turning once, until tender and browned.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a soup pot over medium. Soften onion, 7–8 minutes. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add squash, broth and remaining salt. Simmer gently 10 minutes. Remove from heat; blend smooth with an immersion blender.
- Brown butter in a small, light-colored saucepan over medium-low, 3–5 minutes. Stir in sage for 15 seconds; immediately pour into soup.
- Stir in cream and vinegar. Heat on low, stirring, 2–3 minutes. Don't boil.
Thai Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkin is a common addition to red curry in Thailand, and this Thai-inspired recipe reimagines it as a puree. Red curry paste varies widely in quality, so it's worth experimenting with different brands.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oil in a soup pot over medium. Soften onion, 6–7 minutes. Stir in ginger and curry paste for 1 minute.
- Partly cover; cook 22–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pumpkin crushes easily with a spoon.
- Remove from heat; blend smooth with an immersion blender. Stir in lime juice. Rewarm gently, 1–2 minutes if needed.
Sausage, Kale and Butternut Squash Soup
One great thing about autumn soups is that they tend to be chock-full of nutrients and low in calories. With this sausage, lentil, kale, and butternut squash, getting your macros isn't a chore.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oil in a soup pot over medium. Brown kielbasa, 5–6 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a plate.
- Cook onion in the same pot 5 minutes, scraping up browned bits. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds. Add lentils, broth and bay leaf.
- Bring to a simmer; partly cover. Cook 15 minutes. Add squash and kielbasa; simmer 15–20 minutes more, until lentils and squash are tender.
- Add kale and pepper; simmer 6–8 minutes until kale is tender. Discard bay leaf. Stir in vinegar.
Beef and Barley Soup
Bone-in beef really does level up your stews. If you don't have a pressure cooker, this is just as easy to make in a conventional pot, but the cooking time will be significantly longer (2 to 3 hours until fork-tender).
Ingredients
Method
- Season beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat oil on sauté in a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Brown beef 4 minutes per side, in 2 batches if needed. Transfer to a plate.
- Cook onion in the cooker 4 minutes; stir in garlic for 30 seconds. Add broth; scrape bottom completely clean. Add beef, bay leaf and thyme.
- Lock lid. Cook on high pressure 50 minutes, plus about 15 minutes to reach pressure. Release naturally 15 minutes; release remaining pressure following the cooker's instructions.
- Meanwhile, boil barley and its water in a saucepan. Partly cover; simmer 50–65 minutes until tender but chewy. Drain well.
- Transfer beef to a board; discard bay leaf. Add turnips and leeks to broth. Simmer uncovered on sauté 12–15 minutes, until tender.
- Discard bones and tough connective tissue; pull beef into short pieces. Return beef and barley to broth. Add remaining salt and vinegar; simmer 3 minutes.
Chicken Meatball and Wild Rice Soup
I love chicken meatballs because they manage to feel both substantial and light at the same time. Here, the chicken meatballs are accentuated by celery root, providing celery flavor without the texture that so many people find objectionable.
Ingredients
Method
- Boil wild rice and its water in a saucepan. Partly cover; simmer 45–55 minutes until tender and many grains split. Drain.
- Gently mix chicken, ricotta, breadcrumbs, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Chill 15 minutes. With damp hands, shape 24 meatballs. Chilling is included in prep time.
- Heat oil in a soup pot over medium. Cook leeks 6 minutes. Add celery root, broth, sage and remaining salt and pepper; simmer 12 minutes.
- Lower meatballs individually into gently simmering broth. Partly cover; cook 10–12 minutes without vigorous stirring, until the largest meatballs reach 165°F on a thermometer and celery root is tender.
- Fold in drained rice and lemon juice; heat 2 minutes. Serve 4 meatballs per bowl with broth and vegetables.
Vegetable Beef Soup
Of the thousands of vegetables that we can eat, Americans restrict themselves to awfully few, especially in the home kitchen, which is a shame. Rutabagas and parsnips are two criminally underappreciated vegetables worth a second look.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 325°F. Season brisket with 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven; sear beef 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
- Cook onion in the same pot 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, broth and bay leaf; scrape bottom clean.
- Return beef; bring to a simmer and cover. Oven-braise 2 1/2–3 hours until fork-tender, turning halfway.
- Move covered pot to stove. Raise oven to 425°F. Toss rutabaga, parsnips and carrots with remaining oil and salt on a rimmed sheet. Roast 25–30 minutes, turning once, until browned and tender.
- Transfer beef to a board; discard bay leaf. Add cabbage to broth; simmer uncovered on the stove 15 minutes until tender.
- Cut rested beef across the grain into bite-size pieces; discard hard fat. Return beef to broth with roasted vegetables and vinegar. Simmer 5 minutes.
Autumn Minestrone Soup
Minestrone is one of my favorite clean-out-the-fridge dinners, so this is pretty modifiable. In this recipe, though, I think it's worth seeking out fennel for the anise kick it provides.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F. Toss squash with 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt on a rimmed sheet. Roast 20–25 minutes, turning once, until browned and tender.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a soup pot over medium. Cook fennel and onion 8 minutes; stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add tomatoes with juices, broth, oregano, beans and remaining salt. Bring to a simmer; cook 10 minutes.
- Add farfalline; simmer 4 minutes. Add kale; cook 5–7 minutes more, until pasta is tender with a little bite.
- Fold in squash, lemon juice and pepper. Heat 2 minutes; serve while pasta still has a little bite.
Vegetarian French Onion Soup
For a lighter take on French onion soup, this vegetarian soup uses vegetable broth and Sherry as the base, with onions that are roasted rather than cooked on the stovetop to provide darker flavors. You won't even miss the beef stock.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 400°F. Toss onions and shallots with melted butter, oil, salt and pepper in a large roasting pan. Spread evenly.
- Roast 70–85 minutes until soft and deeply golden, not blackened. Stir every 20 minutes, more often near the end. Transfer to a soup pot.
- Add sherry and 1/2 cup measured broth to the warm roasting pan. Scrape up browned juices with a wooden spoon. Pour into soup pot; add remaining broth, thyme and bay leaf.
- Simmer uncovered 20 minutes. Meanwhile, toast baguette on a baking sheet at 400°F, 6–8 minutes until crisp. Heat broiler.
- Discard bay leaf. Divide soup among 6 broiler-safe bowls on a rimmed sheet. Top each with toast and equal portions of Gruyere. Broil 6 inches from heat, 2–4 minutes until bubbling and browned.
- Rest 5 minutes. Warn diners: bowls are still hot.
Apple Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger
Apples work great in savory contexts as well as sweet, especially when paired with a sweeter vegetable like butternut squash. It's worth seeking out a tart, cloudy English or French cider for this recipe.
Ingredients
Method
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a soup pot over medium. Soften onion, 7 minutes. Stir in ginger for 30 seconds.
- Add squash, broth, cider, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer; partly cover. Cook 20–25 minutes until squash is tender.
- Meanwhile, melt remaining butter in a large skillet over medium. Cook apples in one layer, 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly browned and just tender.
- Transfer one-third of the squash and 1 cup broth to a heatproof bowl. Purée with an immersion blender. Return to pot with apples and vinegar.
- Simmer gently 3 minutes, keeping the remaining squash and apples intact.
Sweet Potato Peanut Soup
Every country in West Africa has its own local version of peanut soup, and it can be made vegetarian just as well as with meat. Peanut butter works so well to thicken and flavor the soup that you might wonder why more dishes don't use this trick.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oil in a soup pot over medium. Cook onion 6 minutes. Stir in ginger, garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute.
- Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes with juices, broth, salt and cayenne. Bring to a simmer; partly cover. Cook 18–22 minutes until potatoes are tender.
- Whisk peanut butter with 1 cup hot broth until smooth. Return to pot; simmer gently 3 minutes, stirring along the bottom.
- Fold in spinach; cook 2 minutes until wilted. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice.
Turkish Red Lentil Soup
Red lentils are great when you want lentils but don't want to wait for them to soak, and I think they're probably the tastiest lentils to boot. The spiced butter finish makes this richer than any low-calorie meal has any right to be.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oil in a soup pot over medium. Cook onion and carrot 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste and cumin for 1 minute.
- Add lentils, broth and salt. Bring to a gentle boil; reduce heat and partly cover. Simmer 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils and carrot are very soft.
- Remove from heat; blend smooth with an immersion blender. Rewarm on low if needed.
- Melt butter in a small saucepan on low. Stir in mint and paprika for 20 seconds; immediately stir into soup.
- Remove soup from heat; stir in lemon juice.
Roasted Leek and Potato Soup
Few vegetables roast up as well as leeks do. Instead of pureeing them, as leek soups normally do, this recipe keeps them whole, and I personally don't mind if those leeks go from golden edges to straight-up charred — heck, I prefer it.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F. Pat leek halves dry; place cut-side up on a rimmed sheet. Brush with oil; season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Roast 20–25 minutes until tender and golden-edged. Chop crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a soup pot over medium. Cook onion 6 minutes. Add potatoes, broth, bay leaf and remaining salt.
- Bring to a simmer; partly cover. Cook 15–20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Discard bay leaf; mash one-quarter of the potatoes against the pot.
- Add leeks, milk and Dijon. Heat on low 5 minutes without boiling. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice.
- Serve, dividing potato pieces evenly among bowls.
Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup
When you don't want to go to the trouble of rolling out meatballs, this recipe has you covered. Ground turkey works here, but sub out whatever ground meat you like, or a vegetarian substitute.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 450°F. Place tomatoes cut-side up on a rimmed sheet. Brush with 1 tablespoon oil; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Roast 25–30 minutes until soft and browned-edged. Chop; reserve juices.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a soup pot over medium. Cook turkey and onion 8–10 minutes, breaking up turkey, until it reaches 165°F on a thermometer. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add turnips, carrots, broth, thyme and remaining salt. Bring to a simmer; cook 8 minutes.
- Add cauliflower and roasted tomatoes with juices. Simmer 10–12 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Add spinach; cook 2 minutes until wilted. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar.
Vegetarian Stuffed Pepper Soup
I love stuffed red peppers, but I don't love the process of making them. I always manage to screw at least one up. This soup gets that perfect red pepper bite without the hassle.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 450°F. Brush red peppers with 1 tablespoon oil; place cut-side down on a rimmed sheet. Roast 20–25 minutes until soft and blistered. Loosely cover in a bowl for 5 minutes. Peel loose skins; chop into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a soup pot over medium. Cook onion and green pepper 7 minutes. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add tomatoes, broth, quinoa, beans, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer; partly cover. Cook 18–22 minutes until quinoa is tender with curled germs visible.
- Add roasted peppers; simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice.
Vegetarian Lasagna Soup
When you want veggie lasagna but don't want to spend the afternoon layering pasta and vegetables, lasagna soup is the solution. Make a warm veggie soup with lasagna sheets, and build it in a bowl, with ricotta and Parmesan at the base and mozzarella on top.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F. Toss eggplant and mushrooms with 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper on a large rimmed sheet. Roast 25–30 minutes, turning once, until browned and eggplant is tender.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a soup pot over medium. Cook onion 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute.
- Add tomatoes, broth, oregano and remaining salt. Simmer uncovered 15 minutes.
- Add roasted vegetables and fresh pasta. Simmer gently 3–5 minutes, stirring carefully, until pasta is tender.
- Mix ricotta and Parmesan-style cheese; divide among 6 bowls. Ladle soup over cheese; top evenly with mozzarella. Rest 1 minute to soften cheese.
Wild Mushroom, Caramelized Onion and Kale Soup
Don't worry, wild mushroom soup is in name only; I'm not asking you to go forage. Rather, a mix of mushrooms provides varied aromas and textures, and the porcini in particular are absolute flavor bombs, so they're worth seeking out.
Ingredients
Method
- Soak porcini in boiling water in a heatproof bowl, 20 minutes. Lift out, rinse off grit and chop finely. Strain and reserve soaking liquid through a damp paper coffee filter in a sieve.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a soup pot over medium-low. Add onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook 35–40 minutes, stirring often, until soft and deeply golden.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Brown fresh mushrooms in 2 batches, 5–6 minutes each. Leave briefly undisturbed between turns.
- Stir garlic into onions for 30 seconds. Add sherry; simmer 1 minute. Add porcini, filtered soaking liquid, broth, thyme, browned mushrooms and remaining salt.
- Simmer 10 minutes. Add kale and pepper; simmer 7–8 minutes until kale is tender. Stir in vinegar.
Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup
Carrot and ginger soup was one of my go-to poverty foods in my youth, and it's still in my rotation because nothing accentuates the flavor of carrot quite like ginger. Coconut milk brings the richness.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F. Toss carrots with 1 tablespoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt on a rimmed sheet. Roast 30–35 minutes, turning once, until tender with browned edges.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a soup pot over medium. Cook onion 7 minutes. Stir in ginger and garlic for 1 minute.
- Add carrots, broth and remaining salt. Simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat; blend very smooth with an immersion blender.
- Stir in coconut milk, vinegar and white pepper. Heat on low 3 minutes without boiling.
Roasted Parsnip Soup
I love an earthy, sweet roasted parsnip, and they work just as well pureed into a soup as alongside a roast dinner. The white miso does so much to highlight their natural umami.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F. Toss parsnips with oil, salt and white pepper on a rimmed sheet. Roast 30–35 minutes, turning once, until tender and golden-edged.
- Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a soup pot over medium. Cook onion 7 minutes. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add parsnips and broth; simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat; blend smooth with an immersion blender. Blend in remaining butter.
- Whisk miso with 1/2 cup warm soup until smooth. Return to pot with lemon juice. Rewarm gently if needed.
Vegetarian Borscht
Even in carnivorous Eastern Europe, there are still great vegetarian recipes, particularly for the Lent season, and veggie borscht is one of the best. Vinegar and dill keep flavors bright, even with long-cooked root vegetables.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oil in a soup pot over medium. Cook onion and carrot 6 minutes. Add beets; cook 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Stir in tomato paste and garlic for 1 minute. Add broth, potatoes, cabbage, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
- Partly cover; simmer 25–30 minutes until vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaf.
- Stir in vinegar and dill; remove from heat. Top each of 6 servings with 1 tablespoon sour cream.
Creamy Chestnut Soup
Chestnut soup is an old-school French fine-dining favorite that is actually pretty easy to reproduce at home. Chestnut spread just doesn't work here, so skip it if you can't get whole chestnuts.
Ingredients
Method
- Melt butter in a soup pot over medium. Soften onion and celery, 8 minutes. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add sherry; simmer 2 minutes. Add chestnuts, broth, salt and white pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Partly cover; cook 20 minutes until chestnuts crush easily against the pot. Remove from heat; blend smooth with an immersion blender.
- Stir in cream and lemon juice. Heat on low 3 minutes without boiling.
Ham and Cabbage Soup
Ham and leafy greens are a natural winter pairing. This winter soup focuses on the veggies, with just enough ham to provide smoky, meaty goodness.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-high. Brown ham 5–6 minutes, turning occasionally. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Cook onion and carrots in the same pot 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and caraway for 30 seconds.
- Add broth, cabbage, bay leaf and pepper. Bring to a simmer; partly cover. Cook 15–18 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Return ham; simmer 3 minutes until heated through. Discard bay leaf; stir in vinegar.
