There’s so much to love about the fall season: cooler weather, gorgeous foliage, gathering around the firepit. But warming comfort food might be my favorite. Particularly homemade soup. There are few things more comforting than cozying up with a steaming hot, nourishing bowl of goodness to warm you on these chilly nights. I love having a large pot of soup simmering on the stove, filling the house with delectable aromas. I love having a fridge stocked with soup leftovers that I can easily warm up for lunch or share with neighbors. I even enjoy all the chopping and food prep involved as a quiet, meditative process with delicious soup resulting at the end. 

Soups offer a good source of hydration, nutrients and fiber all in one bowl. But my favorite thing about making soups is that they are so adaptable. You can usually substitute any vegetables you have on hand. (Bonus points for cleaning out your crisper drawer!) It’s also an easy way to work toward your five veggie servings a day. Many soups can be prepared for vegetarians, gluten free or other dietary restrictions. These are some of my favorite easy substitutions:

• Use vegetable broth instead of chicken or beef stock for vegetarians

• Substitute rice or potatoes for pasta for a gluten free soup

• Coconut milk beautifully replaces cow’s milk for a creamy, dairy free soup

• Replace rice or pasta with cauliflower rice for a lower carb version

• Add fresh herbs instead of extra salt for added flavor and to boost nutrients

To celebrate soup season, I’m sharing two of my current favorite recipes. One is a standby of mine for a quick, weeknight meal that I’ve been making for years. The other is a more recent find that is especially comforting when you’re feeling under the weather. 

Tortellini Soup

This is an easy, weeknight soup that comes together quickly and is loaded with veggies. It’s also hearty, flavorful and my kids loved it when they were little. Given to me by my Aunt Dorothy.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced (more or less to taste)

32 ounces chicken broth

½ cup water

1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 package refrigerated cheese tortellini (approx. 9 oz.)

1 package fresh baby spinach (6-9 oz.)

½ tsp. dried oregano

Salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes to taste

Grated parmesan cheese for serving

Directions:

Pour olive oil into a large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute till onion softens. Stir in broth, water and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add tortellini, return to boil. Cook 5-7 minutes until almost tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add spinach and seasonings. Stir until spinach is wilted. Serve with a tablespoon of parmesan cheese over each bowl if desired.

Lemon Chicken & Rice Soup

When you have just a bit more time (45 minutes or so), this delicious soup becomes creamy from cooking the rice a bit longer and has a surprising brightness with the addition of fresh lemon. Adapted from the New York Times. 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

32 ounces chicken broth

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs

3 stalks celery, sliced

¾ cup jasmine rice

¼-½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

½-1 cup fresh kale, chopped (I used Tuscan Kale.)

1 lemon

Salt, pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large stock pot, saute the onion in the olive oil until soft. Add broth, chicken, celery, garlic  and rice. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Reduce heat and cook for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the rice starts to break down. Remove from heat and use two forks to shred the chicken. Then stir in kale, salt and pepper. Once the kale is wilted and just before serving, squeeze the juice of the lemon into the soup and stir in with the parsley.