7 Cozy Soups to Warm You Up This Fall

Fall hit the tri-state area headfirst, like a ton of bricks, and swung at 100 mph. As much as I love these sunny days mixed with a bit of chill and wind, I can’t help but feel the seasonal depression setting in. Soon I’ll spend my evenings hermitting away into my room with a bottle of organic wine, an old record, and my Trader Joe’s pumpkin scented castle to set the mood. Kinda like this guy. 

You, my dear Sustainable Baddie, may be starting to feel this way as well. So we decided to compile a list of Vegan and non-vegan soup recipes to help bring up your body temperature this fall, welcoming a little warmth and brightness into the coming dreary days ❤️

Sopa de Calabaza (Pumpkin Soup) (V)

Credit: Love and Lemons

Of course we had to include Pumpkin soup! It's October, gorl!!! I titled the soup in Spanish because that is how I grew up referring to it; Sopa de Calabaza translates to “Pumpkin Soup” or “Cream of Pumpkin Soup.” The. Perfect. Fall. Soup. Get all of your gourds out, it's time to gut them! This soup might be a great way to repurpose a decorative pumpkin before it goes bad. 

My mother is a gatekeeper and refuses to share her recipe, but this recipe by Love and Lemons is simple and makes sure to include the essential autumn veggies. Aside from pumpkin, you’ll need some onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, coriander, cumin, and turmeric. I think my mother would also recommend you include some roasted squash ;) This recipe is vegan and uses coconut milk and vegetable broth for its liquid ingredients. Your house is going to smell so warm and autumnal!

Sancocho

Credit: New York Times

Like me, you may have nightmares about your parents making sancocho on the hottest day of the summer. But now it's fall and we can enjoy this thick and hearty soup without having to keep our AC’s on full blast while eating it. Sancocho is a traditional Latin American stew that is usually made with different kinds of meats and vegetables; my parents like to make it with plantain, corn, beef, potatoes, yuca, chicken, and cilantro. 

My friend Pamela and I used to joke that our parents would take whatever was left in the fridge at the end of the week and throw it into the Sancocho. I’m lowkey entering my señora era and have developed a deep love for the soup from my childhood. All Latinos make their Sancocho differently, but this recipe by Von Diaz for the New York Times is a good place to start in case you don’t have a family recipe to work from. 

Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup + Nommy Homemade Bread (V)

Credit: Simple Veganista

This soup was recommended by our very own Junior Writer, Zibby! This vegan take on a classic greek avgolemono is as warm and comforting as it is bright and flavorful. This recipe from The Simple Veganista captures how Zibby’s family typically makes the soup. Like most household favorites, the soup takes on its own identity overtime. The main ingredient? Lemons of course. Many of the ingredients are also swappable; you can substitute carrots for butternut squash, spinach for kale, dill for parsley or rosemary. We love a flexible soup!

No soup would be complete without a warm slice of bread on the side. Zibby’s mom started making sourdough after they inherited a sourdough starter from a friend. She started by following The New York Times No Knead Sourdough recipe. Sometimes she will add olives, rosemary, garlic, or other fun details to elevate the loaf. The sweetest part is that Zibby’s mom will always make sourdough pancakes the next day with her leftover starter — a gift within a gift within a gift.

Tomato Rasam (V)

Credit: Home Cooking Show

Recommended by our lovely Guest Editor Aparna, Rasam is a spicy and essential South Indian broth. The soup can be interpreted and varied in an infinite many ways, but it is usually served with a side of rice. This particular Rasam recipe’s broth is made from a base of tomatoes, garlic and tamarind mixed with herbs and spices like turmeric, jaggery, coriander, red chili, cumin, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, and curry leaves. The soup aids digestion and is a great meal to have if you’re suffering from some seasonal sickness.

This recipe from Home Cooking Show includes Rasam powder, but there are many recipes out there that do not require the powder! You can add lentils to your broth and the base vegetable for the soup can also be substituted with vegetables like garlic, tamarind, lemon, ginger, onion, or even chicken! Feel free to get creative if you decide to cook up some Rasam this fall!

Carrot Ginger Soup (V)

Credit: Love and Lemons

I recently fell in love with Carrot Ginger Soup. I like how the sweetness of the carrots is balanced out by the spice in the ginger. Perfect soup in my opinion, but watchout with the ginger because it is so easy to over do it! Soups are such a great way to get your veggie intake checked off your to-do list (adulting includes putting veggie intake on your to-do list, yes you heard me right!) 

Carrot Ginger Soup has so many health benefits since its main ingredients are carrots, ginger, onion, and garlic. The holy grail of vegetables! I like to follow this recipe from Love and Lemons whenever I am craving some creamy Carrot Ginger Soup. It’s creamy, and cozy and will bring some brightness into your sad, cold, dark autumn days… jk 😀.The recipe only calls for 7 ingredients, making it simple enough to cook up on one of those days where you’re maybe just not feelin’ it.  

Chicken Noodle Soup

Credit: The Vegan 8

Now, I know what you’re thinking, “I thought this was Sustainable Baddie, not Sustainable Basic B*tch!” First of all, chill. Second, we know that some Baddie’s can be picky eaters! And we serve to satisfy each and every one of you <3 

Chicken noodle soup is a staple soup, she is loved by everyone! She’s always available and, somehow, always there to pick us up when we’re feeling low. Chicken Noodle Soup might not be vegan, but you can sub the chicken for Vegan and Vegetarian options like veggie stock and chicken alternatives to keep this hearty, nostalgic, and homey soup in your recipe repertoire. If you’re looking for a Vegan/Vegetarian option check out this recipe from The Vegan 8. If you’re looking for the traditional recipe, check out this option by All Recipes!

Crema de Espinaca (Cream of Spinach) 

Credit: The New York Times

I think as a child I was just a soup hater because this is another soup I used to hate with a fiery passion as a kid. As would any picky eater, I mean, it’s a very green soup. But like I said, I’ve grown and refined my palette to be able to point out only the nommiest soups. Sopa de Espinaca or Cream of Spinach is a creamy, powerfully flavored, and a super healthy soup! Eat your greens, girl!

You can definitely turn this into a vegan/vegetarian soup with your fave substitutions, but the recipe I know and love (my mother’s recipe) includes blending grilled chicken into the vegetable and water mixture to thicken and add flavor to the soup. As I previously stated my mother is a gatekeeper so I am unable to share her recipe. (From what I can tell you her recipe includes, sauteed spinach, boiled carrots and potatoes, chicken, and a bit of garlic and ginger…🤫) But this recipe by the New York Times is a bit simpler and a good replacement until I can squeeze the recipe out of my mom. 

What soups will you be enjoying this fall?