Yes, I am excited that soup season is upon us. But to tell the truth, every season is soup season to me. I make a batch of soup practically every week throughout the year, using whatever produce is at the farmer’s market, and serving chilled soups throughout the hotter months (hello gazpacho).
So let me rephrase that—-I am excited that PEAK soup season is upon us. There is nothing better than coming home to a hot bowl of nourishing goodness when there is a chill in the air.
While I love a classic bowl of chicken noodle or minestrone, I also enjoy playing with different ingredients for more surprising flavors and textures. Here a few of my more creative soup recipes—-each easy to prepare, enticingly tasty, and ultimately comforting. Enjoy!
Golden Chicken Vegetable Soup with Chickpeas
Photo by Scott Suchman and food styling by Marie Ostrosky; for The Washington Post
This chicken soup is the very essence of healing goodness: comforting, belly-warming and full of flavor. The broth gets its golden hue from turmeric, and layers of flavor from ginger and garlic, all known for their anti-inflammatory benefits. With green beans, spinach and chickpeas, it is chock full of texture and vegetable nutrition, too.
Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Mushroom and Hazelnut Topping
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Lisa Cherkasky; for The Washington Post
This pureed cauliflower soup, made extra creamy with the addition of potato, is topped with a mix of sauteed mushrooms, crunchy hazelnuts and fresh parsley, which highlight the soup’s earthy, nutty flavors and result in a bowl as nourishing as it is luxuriously tasty. And it happens to be dairy-free.
Coconut Curry Carrot Soup
Photo by Goran Kosanovic for The Washington Post
This gorgeous soup of carrots pureed with curry spices (onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne pepper) and coconut milk, is a supremely comforting and satisfying way to get your vegetables when it is cold outside. Serve it as a starter or alongside a sandwich or avocado toast for a fulfilling meal.
The carrot soup is fantastic. Searching for a recipe calling for the 1/2 c. of coconut milk left in the can, I found the Creamy Tomato Pumpkin Soup: https://www.elliekrieger.com/recipe/creamy-tomato-pumpkin-soup/ So that will be up next! Actually, providing links to other Ellie Krieger recipes that call for a leftover ingredient or two would be a great way to enhance content. Avoiding food waste is a worthwhile goal and I always seem to end up with half a bunch of cilantro or something in the fridge.
Made the carrot soup this evening with some homemade soda bread and simple arugula salad. Perfect post holiday meal. Thank you!!