10 Soups to Keep You Healthy & Cozy This Fall
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop Stylist: Maura Timmerman
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
Get ready to pull out your slow cooker or soup pot, because that first fall breeze has finally arrived. We have 100+ healthy soup recipes on our website, but if you’re not sure where to start, these 10 are some of our readers’ favorites. From veggie-packed bowls to quick dinners, we’re going to love making nutritious recipes like our Roasted Cauliflower & Potato Curry Soup and our Chicken Chili Verde all season long.
Related: Our 19 Most Popular One-Pot Dinners For Fall
Best for Inflammation
For an inflammation-fighting spoonful, this Slow-Cooker Bean, Kale & Barley Soup is the whole package. Featuring leafy greens and legumes, this recipe has anti-inflammatory properties that will help you feel your best. An anti-inflammatory diet has loads of benefits, as it focuses on fruits, veggies, healthy fats and whole grains. Recent research has shown that it can help reduce the risk of dementia for those with diabetes.
Best for Energy
If you’re looking for a midday pick-me-up, soup can be an energizing lunch. Try this Curried Chicken & Cabbage Soup. It’s packed with 27 grams of protein, which will help keep you fulfilled until dinnertime. It also contains water-packed ingredients like cabbage, carrots and potatoes, and staying hydrated is essential for keeping your energy levels up.
Best for Using Up Fall Produce
Whether it’s an abundance from your garden or the farmer’s market, this Slow-Cooker Creamy Butternut Squash-Apple Soup will help you use up your stock of seasonal produce. Butternut squash, parsnips, Granny Smith apples and fresh herbs star in this creamy, comforting soup that our readers call “delicious and easy.”
Best for Protein
Protein is more than just a satisfying nutrient for muscle growth. It can also improve your hair and skin health, support your immune system and boost your energy. Chili is a great option for getting more protein in, and our Chicken Chili Verde has a whopping 32 grams of protein per serving, thanks to the chicken and beans. Eat it for dinner and enjoy it for lunch the next day.
Best for an Upset Stomach
Photographer: Carson Downing, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco
Fall means pumpkin picking and scary movies, but it also means cold and flu season is upon us. For days when your schedule is packed with stomach cramps and minimal movement, try this brothy Chicken & Bok Choy Soup with Ginger & Mushrooms. This soup offers countless ways to help you feel better. Ginger is not only an anti-inflammatory ingredient that can help lower stomach bloat and discomfort, and it can also help reduce nausea and vomiting. Hydrating ingredients like bok choy, mushrooms and broth will help you fight off a viral illness quicker.
Best for Comfort
Sometimes we just want a comforting soup that reminds us of simpler times. This Tomato-Basil Soup with Herbed Focaccia Croutons definitely brings out that nostalgic feel. Whether you have Roma or plum tomatoes on hand, this soup is ideal for using up the last of your summer stash of the fruit. And the cheesy focaccia croutons fully elevate this bowl. You’ll never buy canned tomato soup ever again once you try this recipe.
Best for a Quick Dinner
Jennifer Causey
Got 20 minutes? Then you have plenty of time to make Italian Wedding Soup. This 4-step stovetop soup recipe is a staple in Italian households, and it’s full of herbaceous, cozy flavors and protein for a satiating dinner. One reader writes that this recipe is permanently on their soup rotation, and we don’t blame them!
Best for Gut Health
A gut-healthy diet prioritizes fiber- and probiotic-rich foods for digestion support. If you’re looking to incorporate more foods for your gut health in your regular eating pattern, this Very Green Lentil Soup is a great place to start. It’s packed with gut-friendly ingredients like onions, lentils, spinach and broccoli and is totaling 9 grams of fiber per serving. Expect your gut to thank you after making this tasty bowl.
Best to Eat More Vegetables
POV: Your refrigerator is overflowing with vegetables, and you have no idea how you’re going to use them all up before they spoil. Our solution is making this Clean-Out-the-Fridge Vegetable Soup, where the name speaks for itself. It calls for any hard, soft and leafy veggies that you already have on hand, making this soup completely customizable. And it’s bound to be packed with fiber due to all the produce you’re adding to the pot.
Best for Immune Health
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop Stylist: Maura Timmerman
Whether it’s a cold, sinus infection, strep throat or simply allergies as the weather changes, this Roasted Cauliflower & Potato Curry Soup may help you feel better—at the very least, it will give you a sense of comfort. It’s recipe developer Danielle Centoni’s favorite immune-supporting brew to make for someone that’s sick, and we can see why. A good source of vitamins A and C, sipping on this soup is a delicious way to help you take in nutrients that you need when you’re under the weather.
Read the original article on Eating Well.