I enjoy autumn very much. One of my favorite things about it is that it is typically a time of year when we eat a lot of soup. I love soup! I’m always on the look out for easy soup recipes–things I can toss into the crock pot or stockpot on the stove, which can simmer for hours without needing attention.
In our house, autumn also happens to be Cross Country(XC) season. With several XC athletes in our household, easy soup recipes come in handy. We often travel to meets that are several hours away from home, so it’s nice to be able to start dinner in the crock pot when I leave and not have to worry about cooking from scratch after being away all day. Whether you’re a soup lover like myself or have been wanting to try more soup ideas for the first time, I think you’ll enjoy these recipe ideas. I’m including some links, so you can find detailed recipes and create soups to warm you and thrill your taste buds this fall.
Versatility is a benefit of easy soup recipes
Soup is great because you can adapt easy soup recipes to fit your taste preferences, nutrition needs and dietary lifestyle. There might be a recipe that includes meat, but you’re vegetarian. No problem, because you can simply leave out the meat and add other ingredients to replicate the flavor!
You can make soup a main meal or use it as a side dish or separate course in a multi-course meal. Some people even eat soup for breakfast, especially Japanese miso soup or Vietnamese pho recipes.
Use fresh garden produce for easy soup recipes
Did you grow butternut squash in your garden this year? If so, Thai curry squash soup is nice way to make good use of your harvest! You might not have Thai red curry paste on hand, so that’s something you’ll want to get if you plan to make Thai curry butternut squash soup. You’ll also need an onion, some garlic, ginger root, red pepper flakes, coconut milk and broth.
Tuscany bean soup is super fave in our house
If one of your primary goals is to provide food for your family that helps build strong immune systems, you’ll want to include lots of spinach, kale or other leafy green things in your diet. For easy soup recipes, you can combine broth, white Tuscan beans, carrots, onion, celery and a few greens to make a delicious, hearty supper that is good for your health. Add a crunchy, crispy baguette or hunk of Italian garlic bread and you’ll feel like you’re dining at a Mediterranean café!
Be a copycat for easy soup recipes
Every time I go to Panera bread, I tell myself I’m going to try something new. I never do, though, because I simply cannot get enough of their broccoli/cheddar cheese soup! I always get a steaming hot bowl (even in summer) with a baguette and a Greek salad. YUM!
It’s exciting when you can find copycat recipes for your favorite restaurant menu items! Here’s a great knock-off for Panera’s broccoli/cheddar soup. You need cheddar cheese, carrots, celery, broccoli and a couple other items, and that’s it! Just writing this is making me want to make some! If I had to go through life with only ONE soup option, this might be what I’d choose! By the way, broccoli is a power house of antioxidants and vitamin C! You should eat broccoli (raw, steamed or in soup) several times per week.
Why you need more easy soup recipes in your life
Soups are a great resource when your aim is to eat high nutrient foods. Incorporating fresh herbs, greens and vegetables easily allows you to pack an extra nutritional punch and bursts of flavor when creating new and tasty soup recipes at home. As mentioned earlier, making soup is also a great way to use up surplus garden produce.
You can pretty much toss anything into a pot and call it soup if you add some broth. Speaking of broth, have you ever tried making your own? If you want to be strong and healthy heading into flu season, homemade broth is the way to go! Soups are filling, although you can make them low-calorie if you happen to be trying to cut back. Use easy soup recipes to create inexpensive, low-calorie meals to help attain a healthy weight.
Finally, easy soup recipes can help you knock out the common cold; in fact, if you use homemade broth, you might be able to prevent the cold altogether. And, let’s face it. Who doesn’t love to bundle up and sip something steaming hot on a cold winter’s day or when illness strikes? Got a stuffy nose, achy head and body chills? A piping hot cup of soup may be just what you need to feel better!
