Autumn’s arrived, the nights are drawing in and there’s a definite chill in the air. That can only mean one thing. It’s soup season! From hearty British classics and creamy favourites to tasty bowls inspired by kitchens all across the world, these scrumptious soups are just the ticket for taking the edge off a chilly day. So grab a spoon and settle in - these amazing soup recipes are here to help you beat the cold, one delicious bowl at a time. Stick with us as we ladle some love into lunchtime, and dish up some deliciousness for dinner.
Roasted Tomato Soup with Toasted Cheese
PB&J, bacon & eggs, fish & chips, and strawberries and cream. The culinary world is full of great pairings, but there are few things better on a chilly night than roasted tomato soup and a toasted cheese sandwich.
Roasted plum tomatoes are warmed with garlic, tomato juice and hot sauce before being blended with olive oil and brown sugar. Served with toasted-cheese sandwiches for dipping, it’s easy to make and perfect for a cosy autumn lunch or supper. If you want to mix it up a bit, add some chilli flakes to dial up the heat, stir in a little cream, or switch out the cheddar or edam for gruyère or gouda.
Grilled Chicken Tortilla Soup with Tequila Crema
Mexico’s famous for tacos and tamales, enchiladas and empanadas, and lots more besides (check out our Mexican food collections here), but its soups are every bit as colourful and full of spicy character.
This grilled chicken tortilla soup from Guy Fieri, host of Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives, brings together smoky chipotle, cumin, chilli, garlic and oregano, with a little lime juice for an amazing dish. The chicken’s marinated in tequila and lime before being grilled, shredded and divided between the bowls, ready for the broth to be ladled over. Topped with crispy tortilla strips, creamy avocado, fresh coriander and a tequila crema, this is a bowl of Mexican comfort food with plenty of Fieri’s famous fiery flair!
French Onion Soup
In the world of famous soups, French onion soup is among the most iconic. And this particular recipe is from the Pioneer Woman herself, the amazing Ree Drummond, and it’s worthy of any Parisian café.
Yellow onions are roasted in butter until golden, then simmered with wine, beef & chicken stock, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and garlic. It’s easy to make at home, though the onions take time to caramelise, so it’s worth planning ahead. To serve, top each bowl with French bread and plenty of melted, bubbly cheese, then finish under the grill until lightly toasted. Voila, et bon appétit!
Vietnamese Tenderstem & Chicken Noodle Soup
Asia is a hotbed of sensational soups. You’ve got the iconic hot and sour soup from China, a slow-cooked Korean-style short rib soup, and the famous Thai pork porridge known as Khao Tom, but we’ve taken a trip to Vietnam for this amazing tenderstem and chicken noodle soup. A whole chicken is gently simmered with fish sauce, sugar and salt to create a delicate broth, then served with soft vermicelli noodles, Tenderstem, bamboo shoots and tender pieces of chicken. Crispy fried shallots, spring onions and coriander add plenty of flavour, while a squeeze of lemon or lime and fresh chilli brings everything to life.
Winter Minestrone
Famous the world over for their perfect pizza and pasta, Italy’s also a hotbed of talent when it comes to soups. The famous Italian wedding soup, minestra maritata, isn’t actually for nuptials, but named for the marriage of flavours, and chicken and gnocchi soup, as well as sausage, white bean and tortellini soup, are worthy of national pride, but think Italian soup and you usually think minestrone.
Pancetta, onion, carrots, celery and garlic are sautéed before being simmered with Swiss chard, potato, tomatoes, rosemary and Parmesan rind for a rich, savoury flavour. Cannellini beans are blended in to give the soup its thick texture, while whole beans and fresh parsley add the perfect finish. Guaranteed to warm the cockles of your heart.
Moroccan-Style Chicken Soup
North Africa boasts a wide range of delicious soups with iconic recipes that have often been passed down from generation to generation. This twist on a classic chicken soup is no exception. Onion, carrots and garlic are softened with harissa spices before pearl barley, chopped tomatoes and chickpeas are added to create a hearty base. Sweet dried apricots add a twist, while plenty of parsley adds a fresh finish. It’s a clever way to use leftover roast chicken and makes for a delicious lunch or easy midweek dinner.
New England Clam Chowder
American soup is serious stuff. From Louisiana gumbo and Tex-Mex tortilla soup to hearty Midwestern chowders, hamburger soup, and the legendary bread, bacon and beer soup, America doesn’t do anything by half. But when it comes to iconic American soups, few are more famous than New England clam chowder.
Onion and celery are softened in butter before flour, stock, clam juice, cream and bay leaves are added, with potatoes simmered until tender and clams stirred through at the end. This masterpiece brings together the flavours of the Atlantic coast in one creamy, comforting bowl. Served with crisp, parsley-flecked pan-toasted croutons, it’s rich without being fussy and guaranteed to warm you from the inside out.
Lancashire Pea & Ham Soup
This traditional pea and ham soup is a perfect example of classic English cooking, turning simple ingredients into something hearty and delicious. Dried marrowfat peas and a fresh ham shank are simmered with celery, carrots, onions, thyme and black pepper until everything’s tender and full of flavour. Some of the soup is blended to create a thick base, while chunks of ham and whole peas are added after. Finished with mint sauce and fresh parsley, it’s a hearty bowl with humble roots and proper Lancashire soul. Some say it’s best made the day before and refrigerated so everything has a chance to meld together, but it’s so good, you might not be able to wait that long!
Cullen Skink
The fishing town of Cullen in Moray on Scotland’s rugged northeast coast is the birthplace of Cullen skink, one of the nation’s most famous dishes. The main ingredient is smoked haddock - truly authentic versions use finnan haddie, haddock cured with the smoke of peat or green wood - and although skink is an old Scots word for a knuckle or shin of beef, it eventually came to mean any hearty soup or broth.
This version of Cullen skink simmers the fish in water to create a delicate stock, then you add all the other ingredients. Just before serving, you add the flaked fish, milk and butter (and a splash of cream if you want it extra-rich) to bring the final flourish!
Beetroot Soup (Borscht)
Eastern Europe is famed for hearty, comforting food, and few dishes capture the region’s love of warming dishes better than borscht. Celebrated in kitchens across countries including Ukraine, Poland and Russia, it’s a dish where beetroot remains the unmistakable star.
You brown the beef, (some recipes use pork, or a combination of both) add the vegetables and stock and simmer everything for about an hour, then allow the soup to cool slightly before blending until smooth. Some recipes add a roast potato, as well as a spoonful of sour cream or crème fraîche at the end, and it’s often served with rye bread to complete the Eastern European vibe. This is old-school rustic cookery at its best, and a hardy way to beat the winter chill.
