Vegetable soups are the perfect canvas for seasonal produce. In early spring, a lingering chill in the air calls for warm asparagus or pea soup laced with tarragon, and summer begs for chilled cucumber puree and gazpachos. But soup really comes into its own once we turn back the clocks and temperatures fall: What we then crave most is a big bowl of warmth to slurp down.
This one-pot wonder makes the most of autumn’s multicolored bounty. Although it doesn’t have many ingredients, the vegetables and seasoning in it make for a surprisingly bold and deeply satisfying flavor. There is a sweet, earthy undertone from the carrots and butternut squash that is balanced by savory garlic, tomatoes and ribbons of kale.
Allspice, thyme and a touch of cayenne pepper perfume the broth and give the soup a bit of a Caribbean flair. Sometimes I toss in cooked chickpeas or black-eyed peas for extra heartiness and healthful protein. Either way, it is a dish I make year after year, and one that makes me welcome the season’s longer evenings.
Autumn Vegetable Soup
6 servings (makes 8 to 9 cups)
The soup can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. From nutritionist and cookbook author Ellie Krieger.