As the days grow shorter and a crisp chill fills the air, there’s nothing quite like a bowl of warm, comforting soup. Autumn offers a wonderful harvest of flavourful vegetables, perfect for creating hearty and nourishing meals. Making soup from seasonal produce is not only a delicious way to celebrate the flavours of the season, but it’s also a fantastic way to create healthy, filling, and deeply satisfying dishes.
This guide will walk you through the best vegetables autumn has to offer for soup-making. We’ll explore why using seasonal ingredients is so beneficial and provide you with some wonderful recipe ideas to get you started. Get ready to fill your kitchen with the rich aromas of autumn and discover the simple joy of a homemade seasonal soup.
The Beauty of Autumn’s Bounty
Why choose seasonal vegetables for your soups? When you cook with produce that’s in season, you’re using ingredients at their peak. They are fresher, more flavourful, and packed with a higher concentration of nutrients. Seasonal vegetables are often more affordable and widely available at local farmers’ markets and grocery stores.
This autumn, look for these wonderful vegetables, each ready to bring its unique character to your soup pot:
- Squashes (Butternut, Acorn, Kabocha): With their sweet, nutty flavours and vibrant orange flesh, winter squashes are the stars of autumn. They are rich in vitamins A and C, potassium and fibre.
- Root Vegetables (Carrots, Parsnips, Swede): These earthy, sweet vegetables form the flavourful base of many classic soups. Carrots are an excellent source of beta-carotene, while parsnips offer a unique sweet and slightly spicy note.
- Pumpkins: Beyond Halloween decorations, pumpkins are a versatile and delicious ingredient for soups. Their mild, sweet flesh is packed with vitamin A and antioxidants.
- Leeks: A member of the onion family, leeks have a milder, sweeter flavour than their pungent cousins. They add a delicate, savoury depth to soups and pair beautifully with potatoes.
- Mushrooms: Autumn is the prime season for wild mushrooms. Their earthy, umami-rich flavour can transform a simple soup into a gourmet experience. They are also a good source of B vitamins and selenium.
- Celeriac: This unsung hero of the vegetable world has a subtle, nutty flavour reminiscent of celery and parsley. It adds a wonderful creaminess to soups when puréed.
Embracing these ingredients allows you to connect with the rhythm of the seasons and create meals that are both comforting and incredibly fresh.
Warming Autumn Soup Recipes
Ready to start cooking? Here are three recipes that celebrate the best of autumn’s produce. Each one is designed to be simple, nutritious, and full of comforting flavour.
Classic Butternut Squash and Sage Soup
This soup is the essence of autumn in a bowl. It’s velvety, rich, and wonderfully aromatic, with the sweet flavour of butternut squash perfectly complemented by the earthy notes of fresh sage.
Ingredients:
- 1 large butternut squash (about 1.2kg), peeled, deseeded, and chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 litres vegetable or chicken stock
- A small bunch of fresh sage leaves (about 10-12 leaves)
- 150ml double cream or coconut milk (for a vegan option)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Toasted pumpkin seeds and a swirl of cream, to serve
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Toss the chopped butternut squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper on a baking tray. Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until tender and lightly caramelised. This step deepens the squash’s natural sweetness.
- While the squash is roasting, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the minced garlic and most of the sage leaves (reserving a few for garnish) to the pot. Cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Once the squash is roasted, add it to the pot with the other vegetables. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Then, reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavours to meld together.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until it is completely smooth and velvety. Alternatively, you can carefully transfer the soup in batches to a stand blender.
- Return the soup to the pot over low heat. Stir in the double cream or coconut milk and season with salt and pepper to your liking. Gently heat through, but do not let it boil.
- To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with a swirl of cream, a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds, and the remaining fresh sage leaves.
Nutritional Insight: Butternut squash is a fantastic source of Vitamin A, crucial for vision and immune health. It also provides a significant amount of Vitamin C and dietary fibre, which aids digestion. Sage contains antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Hearty Lentil, Mushroom and Swede Soup
This soup is a wonderfully rustic and filling meal, perfect for a chilly evening. The earthy mushrooms, sweet swede, and protein-packed lentils create a robust and deeply savoury flavour profile. It’s a true one-pot wonder.
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 250g mushrooms (chestnut or mixed wild), sliced
- 1 medium swede (about 400g), peeled and diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 200g brown or green lentils, rinsed
- 2 litres vegetable stock
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- A splash of soy sauce or tamari (optional, for extra umami)
- A large handful of fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method:
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Increase the heat slightly and add the sliced mushrooms. Cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they have released their liquid and started to brown. This process develops their rich, earthy flavour.
- Add the diced swede and carrots to the pot and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring to combine everything.
- Stir in the rinsed lentils, vegetable stock, dried thyme, and bay leaves. Bring the soup to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for 45-50 minutes, or until the lentils and vegetables are tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Remove the bay leaves. If you like, you can blend a small portion of the soup (about a quarter) and stir it back in to create a thicker, creamier consistency.
- Stir in the splash of soy sauce (if using) and the chopped fresh parsley. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Serve hot with a slice of crusty wholemeal bread for a complete and satisfying meal.
Nutritional Insight: Lentils are an excellent source of plant-based protein, dietary fibre, and iron, making this soup incredibly sustaining. Mushrooms provide B vitamins, while swede and carrots are rich in vitamins C and A.
Creamy Leek and Celeriac Soup with a Hint of Nutmeg
This elegant soup is creamy, comforting, and surprisingly light. The delicate sweetness of the leeks combines beautifully with the nutty, celery-like flavour of the celeriac. A touch of nutmeg adds a warm, aromatic finish.
Ingredients:
- 3 large leeks (about 500g), white and light green parts only, washed and sliced
- 1 medium celeriac (about 600g), peeled and chopped
- 2 tbsp butter or olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1.2 litres vegetable stock
- 100ml single cream or oat cream
- A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Salt and white pepper to taste
- Chopped chives or parsley, for garnish
Method:
- Melt the butter or heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the chopped onion and sliced leeks. Cook gently for 10-12 minutes, stirring often, until they are very soft but not browned. This slow cooking method is called ‘sweating’ and it brings out their natural sweetness.
- Add the chopped celeriac to the pan and stir to combine. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Pour in the vegetable stock, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the celeriac is completely tender when pierced with a knife.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until it’s silky smooth. For an even finer texture, pass it through a sieve.
- Return the soup to the pan over a very low heat. Stir in the cream and the pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.
- Season carefully with salt and white pepper. White pepper is ideal here as it won’t leave black flecks in the pale soup.
- Warm the soup gently, being careful not to let it boil after adding the cream.
- Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of chopped chives or fresh parsley before serving.
Nutritional Insight: Leeks are a great source of flavonoids and vitamins A, C, and K. Celeriac is low in calories but high in fibre, vitamin K, and phosphorus. It supports bone health and digestion.
Plan Your Autumn Cooking
Making a simple pot of soup is one of the most rewarding ways to enjoy the autumn season. It’s a chance to slow down, connect with the food you eat, and create something truly nourishing for yourself and your loved ones. With a few fresh ingredients and a little time, you can create a bowl of comfort that will warm you from the inside out.
Further Reading: What to Do in Your Vegetable Garden in September, The Incredible Benefits of Growing Your Own Food