The weather’s getting colder, the leaves are falling from the trees and the nights are drawing in. It can only mean one thing: soup season is finally here.

While we’re big proponents of eating soup all year round, there’s nothing quite like curling up with a warm, hearty bowl of soup on an autumnal night to give you a much-needed boost. And while many see soup as a precursor to a meal, there are plenty of nutritionally balanced, tasty soup recipes out there that are guaranteed to keep you full for hours.

If you’ve never made soup before, it’s relatively easy – you’ll just need a blender if you want to achieve a smooth consistency. But before we get to that, here are three of our favourite soup recipes for you to try this autumn. Serve piping hot with a generous helping of fresh, crusty sourdough.

Serves: 4

If you need proof that pumpkins aren’t just for carving, this recipe from The Italian Pantry by British chef Theo Randall is just that. Make sure to roast the squash until it’s very soft for best results and avoid the added crème fraiche to keep things vegan.

Ingredients

• 500g onion squash or butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 2cm (¾in) pieces
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (plus extra for drizzling)
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 3 celery stalks finely chopped
• 2 yellow bell peppers deseeded and sliced into 2cm (¾in) pieces
• 1 tsp thyme leaves
• 1 litre hot vegetable stock
• 1 x 400g can of borlotti beans, drained
• 20g dried porcini mushrooms just covered in boiling water and left to soak, drained and finely chopped
• 1 small ciabatta loaf cut into 2cm (¾in) slices
• 1 garlic clove for rubbing
• 100ml crème fraîche
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6.
2. In a large bowl, toss the squash with half the olive oil and some salt and pepper. Tip the squash into a roasting tin lined with baking paper, cover the tin tightly with foil and roast for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and roast for a further 10 minutes, until tender and lightly coloured. Remove from the oven and keep to one side.
3. Meanwhile, set a large, non-stick saucepan over a medium heat and add the remaining olive oil, as well as the onion, celery, peppers, thyme and ½ teaspoon salt. Place a lid on the saucepan, turn down the heat to low and cook the vegetables for 10 minutes, removing the lid to give everything a stir with a wooden spoon occasionally.
4. Next, add the vegetable stock and bring the liquid to a simmer.
5. Tip in the borlotti beans, porcini mushrooms and the roasted squash, then cook everything over a low heat for 20 minutes.
6. Using a stick blender, blitz the soup to a fine purée. If it’s too thick, add a cupful of boiling water or two – the consistency is correct when the soup coats the back of a spoon. Check the seasoning.
7. Reheat the oven, if necessary, then drizzle the ciabatta slices with a little olive oil and place them on a baking tray or grill pan and into the oven to toast, turning until both sides are crisp and golden. Once toasted, rub the slices with the garlic clove.
8. Serve the soup in warmed bowls with a dollop of crème fraîche on top and the ciabatta toasts on the side.

Serves: 4

Fresh from the kitchen of food blogger Megan d’Ardenne, this soup contains plenty of herbs and spices, perfect for adding to your weekly plant points total. Your gut will thank you later.

Ingredients

• one white onion, finely chopped
• two garlic cloves, finely chopped
• one medium-sized butternut squash, cubed
• one head of broccoli, cut into florets
• 250ml vegetable stock
• one can of coconut milk
• 50g grated cheddar
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp of thyme
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp chilli flakes, plus extra for serving
• 2 bay leaves     

Method

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil and butter. Allow the butter to melt.
2. Add in the onions and garlic and gently fry until translucent.
3. Add in the butternut squash, thyme, nutmeg, cayenne pepper and chilli flakes. Cook for 5 minutes and season with salt and pepper.
4. Add in the vegetable stock and coconut milk and simmer for 10 minutes until the butternut squash starts to soften.
5. Add in the broccoli florets and bay leaves and simmer for 10 more minutes. Remove the bay leaves.
6. Transfer the soup into a blender and blitz until smooth.
7. Return the soup to the heat and stir in the grated cheddar. Heat gently to allow the cheese to melt. If the consistency is too thick, add in more vegetable stock to loosen. If the soup is too thin, stir in a sprinkle of cornflour.
8. Serve the soup with a sprinkle of chilli flakes and a few steamed broccoli florets to garnish. 

Serves: 4

Rich in vitamins C and K, cauliflower makes the perfect base for this rich spiced soup from Denby Pottery. Sprinkle the crispy chickpeas on top to add some delicious texture. 

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tsp harissa spice
• ½ tsp fresh thyme
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• 100ml double cream
• 1 tin chickpeas, drained

Method

• Roughly chop the cauliflower (even the stalk, as this is full of great flavour).
• In a large saucepan add 1 tbsp of the olive oil and gently fry the onions and garlic until soft.
• Add 2 tsp of the harissa spice, fresh thyme and ¾ of the cauliflower and continue frying for approx 5 minutes.
• Pour in the vegetable stock and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the cauliflower is soft. Leave to cool slightly before blending.
• Whilst the soup is cooking, toss the last of the cauliflower with 1 tsp of harissa spice and roast in the oven until soft. About 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 5.
• Pop the drained chickpeas into a frying pan and cook over a medium heat until they start to char a little. Add a tsp of the harissa spice and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Leave to cool.
• Blend the cooled soup until smooth with the double cream and add a little salt and pepper to taste.
• To serve, spoon the soup into bowls and top with the roasted cauliflower, charred chickpeas and a little thyme.

Images: Lizzie Mayson, Megan d’Ardenne, Denby Pottery