Five comforting soup recipes to get you in the autumn mood
From pumpkin to chunky chicken and a classic leek and potato.
Pumpkin and Coconut Milk Soup
A warming, coconutty slurp for the autumn evenings.
Servings
6Preparation Time
20 minsCooking Time
35 minsTotal Time
55 minsCourse
SideCuisine
AmericanIngredients
800g of pumpkin flesh
a dash of olive oil
1 medium onion
3 garlic cloves
a piece of ginger, about 2 inches long
½ tsp mild chilli powder – if you like
1 tin of coconut milk
400ml stock
Method
Pre heat your oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4.
Pumpkin is difficult to cut and to peel as it can be quite hard, so ask an adult to do this. Take out the seeds from the centre of the pumpkin and save them for the activity below. Put the chunks of pumpkin into a roasting tray or a large ovenproof dish.
Toss the chunks in the oil.
Ask an adult to help you peel and slice the onion. Add this to the dish. Crush the garlic with a garlic crusher and add this too. If you do not have a garlic crusher, ask an adult to help you slice the garlic up. Grate the ginger and add it as well. Put the dish into the oven to roast the vegetables for 30 minutes, the pumpkin should be soft after this time.
Once the dish has cooled enough so you can handle it scoop everything into a big saucepan. You can use the stock to rinse out the dish and add this to the saucepan as well. Add the coconut milk from the tin. With an adult blitz the soup with a wand blender (soup gun) until it is nice and smooth.
Leek & Potato Soup
An easy meal - with locally-sourceable ingredients.
Servings
4Preparation Time
10 minsCooking Time
30 minsTotal Time
40 minsCourse
MainCuisine
IrishIngredients
50g butter
4 potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 onions, sliced
4 leeks, washed well and sliced
750ml vegetable stock
250ml milk
Salt and pepper
Method
Melt the butter and stir in the vegetables. Turn the heat down to low, clamp on a lid and sweat for ten minutes until the vegetables have softened. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Bubble gently for fifteen minutes.
Stir in the milk and cook for five more minutes. Once cooled slightly blend with an immersion blender or in a jug blender until super smooth. To get ultra-silky soup, blend for at least five minutes - much longer than you may think. Season to taste, with salt and pepper.
Spicy sweet potato soup with maple almonds and pecans
This soup is hearty and healthy
Servings
4Preparation Time
25 minsCooking Time
20 minsTotal Time
45 minsCourse
StarterIngredients
For the topping
3 tbsp pecan nuts, roughly chopped
2 tbsp flaked almonds
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp sunflower oil
¼ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp red chilli flakes
For the soup
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced
½ tsp red chilli flakes
1 tsp ground coriander
150g peeled sliced carrots
2cm fresh ginger, grated
450g peeled and diced sweet potatoes
Zest of 1 medium orange
1.5 litres vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sunflower oil
½ tsp sea salt flakes
1 tbsp pomegranate seeds
2 tsp chopped flat leaf parsley
Method
To prepare the topping: Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4, and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Mix everything for the topping together and spoon out onto the tray.
Bake for about 12 minutes, turning once. Keep an eye on them as flaked almonds burn quickly.
When golden, remove and sprinkle the sea salt flakes on top, mixing well.
Set aside until ready to use.
To prepare the soup: Add a little oil into a large saucepan, add the onion and sauté for 6-8 minutes before adding the garlic, ground coriander and red chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute.
Add carrots, fresh ginger, orange zest and diced sweet potatoes and sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring from time to time. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes – check that the carrots and sweet potatoes are cooked though.
Use a blender to puree the soup until smooth. Check the seasoning and add more salt and freshly ground black pepper.
To serve, ladle soup into bowl and sprinkle generously with the maple toasted nuts. Finish with the pomegranate seeds and parsley and serve.
Chunky Chicken Soup
This lovely recipe is perfect for these autumnal evenings and is guaranteed to fill up the hungry tummies coming home from school
Servings
4Preparation Time
5 minsCooking Time
40 minsTotal Time
45 minsCourse
StarterIngredients
2 tbsp olive oil
4 celery sticks, cut into small pieces
2 carrots cut into small pieces
1 onion, finely diced
3 free-range chicken fillets, diced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
Half butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
1 litre chicken stock, good quality stock
salt and pepper
Method
Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat.
Add the celery, carrots, herbs and onion. Cook for 8-10 minutes.
Season with a little salt and pepper as you cook. Add the chicken, potatoes, butternut squash and stock.
Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from the heat and ladle the soup into warm serving bowls.
Carrot, Apple, and Ginger Soup
You can freeze this soup in portions easily once it has cooled to room temperature. If you use low salt stock cubes then this is also a great dish for weaning.
Servings
4Preparation Time
10 minsCooking Time
60 minsTotal Time
1 hours 10 minsCourse
StarterIngredients
6 medium carrots, peeled, and sliced
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
1 knob of fresh ginger (about the size of your thumbnail), grated
1 medium apple, chopped
1 litre vegetable stock
1 tbsp vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
Method
Put the pot on the hob on a medium heat, add the vegetable oil then the ginger and onion, stir well.
Add the celery and carrots to the pot and stir.
Add the apple to the pot and stir around.
Pour the stock over all the vegetables and bring the pot to a simmer.
Cover the pot with the lid and leave to simmer for approximately 45 mins.
After which time the vegetables should all be tender.
Turn off the pot and leave for 15 mins before blending.
Season to taste before serving.
