Soup Season: Recipes And Tips For The Perfect Autumn Bowl

I love the first few days of autumn. When there’s definitely a chill in the air, but the summer sun lingers and the supermarkets start to sell those cute baby pumpkins. It’s a time when the natural world is slowing down, yet the academic year is just firing up and raring to go. And whilst I love cosy knits and a seasonal drink, there’s part of me that can’t help but dread those 3pm sunsets lurking around the corner as things start getting hectic. 

The Danish philosophy of ‘Hygge’ encompasses making the most of the retreat indoors when the days get darker, shorter and colder. With an emphasis on cosiness, Hygge is all about creating spaces that are comforting, warm and filled with good company. One of the best ways to achieve this is through food —nothing beats meeting friends over a home cooked meal after a long day of classes.

Enter soup. Many soups are great to make in batches and freeze for those long library days when, let’s be honest, you’re way way too tired to cook. Or for when you’ve had enough of the meal rotation in the dining hall. So, before we’re plunged into the thick of autumn and the deadlines start to pile up, here are two recipes to help you get through the season. These soups only require one large pot so they’re perfect for when it’s crowded in the kitchen. They’ve both been vigilantly taste-tested by my flatmate and are sure to fill your home with sweet and spicy aromas. 

When I asked my friends what makes a soup a soup and not a stew or a sauce, it was a surprisingly divisive debate. But I think that just reflects the wide variety of soups that exist and the opportunity to make yours exactly to your liking. What’s great about soup is that it’s hard for it to go wrong. These recipes are just guidelines— don’t hesitate to double the seasoning, swap ingredients out, use whatever veggies are left over in the fridge, or go completely off book and perfect your own signature soup. They say cooking is an art, and I find the best soups are often happy accidents, so measure with your heart and get creative! 

Autumn Vegetable Soup

This is a warming chunky soup that doesn’t require a blender and combines lots of seasonal vegetables. The recipe makes four to five servings. 

Ingredients

• One red onion (chopped)
• One small butternut squash (peeled and chopped)
• One small courgette (chopped)
• One tin of chopped tomatoes 
• One tin of lentils
• One vegetable stock cube
• Two tbsp of nutmeg 
• Two tbsp of garam masala 

Recipe:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan and add the red onion in with the garam masala. Mix and cook for five minutes. 
2. Add the butternut squash and the courgette alongside the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook on a low medium heat for 10 minutes. 
3. Add the vegetable stock cube and 200ml of hot water and stir. Then add in the can of chopped tomatoes and bring the pot to a boil. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. 
4. Check the butternut squash is cooked by piercing it with a fork. Taste and adjust the flavour to your liking. 
5. Add the lentils to the pot. Mix and cook on a low heat for five minutes. 
6. Serve hot with bread and enjoy! 

Tips: For a thinner soup add in more boiling water alongside the stock cube. For a warmer, sweeter flavour add a teaspoon of cinnamon. 

Carrot and Coriander Soup 

This is a simple classic autumnal soup that requires a blender. The recipe makes four to five servings. 

Ingredients

• 400g of carrots (peeled and chopped) 
• One medium potato (peeled and chopped)
• One vegetable stock cube 
• One small onion (chopped)
• Two cloves of garlic (grated, chopped, whatever you like!)
• One heaped tbsp of ground coriander
• Two tsp of cumin 

Recipe:

1. Fry the onions and garlic in oil in a large saucepan for about five minutes. 
2. Add the potatoes and carrots to the pot and season with the cumin, ground coriander, salt and pepper. Stir the pot and cook for five minutes. 
3. Add the vegetable stock cube and 750ml of boiling water. 
4. Bring the pot to a boil. Then cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are soft enough to pierce with a fork. 
5. Blend the mixture, taste, and adjust the seasoning to your liking. 
6. Serve hot with bread and enjoy!

Tips: Add in a few spoonfuls of plain yogurt for a creamier and thicker soup. For a more intense flavour, simmer for longer, add turmeric or use fresh coriander to garnish.

• autumn
• cooking
• fall
• food
• hygge
• soup