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Best Cozy Soup Recipes

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Here are the best cozy soup recipes for the season… They are easy, delicious, and healthy.
creamy lemon rice soup

Soup, Soup, Soup… It is repetition worthy

Soup  is the most amazing food. Honestly, soup has saved me on many an occasion. If I have a big pot of soup sitting in my fridge, I’m good. It means I have food for when I’m hangry. Or for when someone just drops by. Or for when I feel a bout of gluttony coming on while I’m watching The Great British Baking Show. If I have a big bowl of healing soup instead of let’s say… cake… I am so much better off.

If you follow me on Instagram then you already know I can be obsessed with certain food groups or preparations. Soup is a happy obsession. Pasta is another one… but that’s a post for another day. There are plenty of worse things than cooking and making way too much soup. Don’t get me started on that though…

There are two types of soup eaters. Those who like a thin, delicate soup and those who feel it should be more like a stew and the thicker and heartier the better. I am part of each. Steve, on the other hand, needs his soup to be more like a Stoup, if I may borrow that word from Rachael Ray. When I worked at Food Network for a stint, I thought that word was so corny, but now I find myself actually using it in sentences. I guess I’ve evolved. Thanks Rachael.

Anyway, this list of the Best Cozy Soup Recipes includes both types. Because diversity is always good. I always like to switch things up. So if you think you only like thick soups, try making a thinner one. And if you always make brothier soups, go for one with a thicker consistency sometimes. These recipes are easy enough so you can make several of them. Or all of them. So go for it.

 

What makes a good soup?

Well, taste, obviously is the number one factor. Duh. But there’s so much more than that. To earn a spot on this best cozy soup recipes list, it’s got to be more than tasty. It has to have a great mouth feel. And it has to have healing ingredients, be kind to my digestive system, and be nice to look at. It also has to have some textural complexity. Some of my favorite great soups are made exceptional by the addition of amazing toppings. Kind of like what makes a smoothie bowl good. But then again, this is nothing like a smoothie bowl, but my point is that it can be all about the toppings if you want it to be.

 

Here’s my  list of the Best Cozy Soup Recipes…

These recipes are mostly dairy-free, grain-free, and easy to make. Remember, it’s only soup, not rocket science. Change up the recipes as you see fit. You do you and have it your way. All of these soups are healing and in each recipe I describe the healing ingredients and how they can help you out. There are no bad choices here.

 

1. Dairy-Free Creamy Tomato Soup

Dairy Free Creamy Tomato Soup

This one is comfort food to the max. I love to serve it with dairy-free quesadillas made with grain-free wraps. Or, with sourdough croutons. It doesn’t sound decadent, but it is.

 

2. Grain-Free Creamy Lemon Rice Soup

creamy lemon rice soup

It’s creamy and has the texture and taste of a traditional lemon rice soup. But there’s no cream and no rice. Go figure.

3. Instant Pot Hamburger And Hot Dog Soup

hamburger and hot dog soup

This soup came to be when I was craving burgers and dogs but it wasn’t the season to be standing outside at the grill yet. This one will make you feel like a kid again. Or still.

 

4. Easy Black Bean Soup

easy black bean soup

One of the first soups I learned to make was black bean soup. It was good way back then and it’s still good now. I like to top mine with scallions, dairy-free cheese, and some avocado. Oh, and if you add a dollop of dairy-free yogurt, it takes it to a whole other creaminess level. So there’s that.

 

5. Immune Boosting Onion Chicken Soup

immune boosting onion chicken soup

This soup is a mashup between chicken soup and onion soup. The broth is like an onion soup broth but the ingredients in the soup are like those found in a more traditional chicken soup. It is so healing.

 

6. Fresh Vegetable Minestrone Soup

fresh vegetable minestrone soup

This photo says it all. Fully loaded with fresh veggies, this one will make you smile. A lot.

 

7. Borscht With Beef

borscht with beef

I don’t like to play favorites. But as I sit here and write this post now, this one is my baby. Beets are like magic. They are one of the most healing foods and this soup calls my name loudly. I just love it.

 

8. Chicken Tikka Masala Soup

chicken-tikka-masala-soup

This is one of the most flavorful soups around. It’s warming and cozy and just plain delicious. Make it vegan by substituting cauliflower for the chicken if that makes you happy.

 

Let me know which one is your favorite. My recipes are always a work in progress, so I love any and all feedback. Pick one or two and make them now. Make a big pot and keep it in your fridge for the week. Maybe soup will save you too.

Simple Roasted Butternut Squash

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Butternut squash can help reduce inflammation in the body… so if you are suffering from achy joints, here’s your excuse to eat more of this awesome fall wonder! Some of my best menopause-friendly recipes are made with butternut squash… it’s amazing!

simple roasted butternut squash

Fall is my favorite season! I’m one of those people who just loves the change of seasons, so I’ve probably said that other seasons are my fav, but this time I really mean it. The colors of the leaves, the smell of a fireplace, all the cute boots and sweaters, and of course, the food. One of my favorite things that screams autumn is simple roasted butternut squash.

You can’t get simpler than this recipe.

Or more delicious.

Or prettier.

Or more fall-friendly.

People get put off by butternut squash because roasting a whole squash can be intimidating. I get this. I remember once, after roasting a whole squash, when I went to cut it, it rolled off of my counter and onto the floor right next to my huge hairy beast of a dog.

I also remember trying to cut a whole squash before roasting it. This was just hard. Even with my good knives. And even though I like to think I have good muscle strength.

So now, I buy my butternut squash already peeled and cut into cubes. So many markets sell it this way now… how awesome.

I highly recommend buying your squash for this simple roasted butternut squash recipe, already cut up. And, this is not because I’m lazy, but I’m all for saving energy for other things whenever possible (ok, maybe that’s a little lazy…). But just in case you can’t, or you are a purist, feel free to roast it and then cut it — it’s really not too hard. All you do is poke a bunch of fork holes in it, put it on a tray, roast it until done, then cut it in half when it’s softened. Scoop out the seeds and cut it up.

If you love butternut squash, you should also try my Sausage & Butternut Squash Frittata.

simple roasted butternut squash

simple roasted butternut squash

Usually, this is where I list all of the awesome ingredients and tell you why they are good for you. This recipe is so simple that all I’ve got is the one:

Butternut squash is more than just a delicious vegetable; it’s really good for you. It’s a good fever reducer, it can lessen stomach pain and it can be a comfort during pregnancy when the baby feels like she’s doing acrobatics. It’s also rich in carotenoids and Vitamin B6. This means it’s good for your heart and can help lower bad cholesterol. And, because butternut squash can help reduce inflammation in the body, it benefits almost everyone.

simple roasted butternut squash

Simple Roasted Butternut Squash
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Recipe type: vegetable, side dish, Thanksgiving
Cuisine: paleo, whole30, vegan, vegetarian
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Once you make this recipe the first time, you will find yourself making it again and again. It is that good. And that easy. And that healthy...
Ingredients
  • butternut squash cubes (I buy mine already cut into cubes) (use as much as you like)
  • extra-virgin olive oil (enough to drizzle onto the squash)
  • sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Heat your oven to 400°F.
  2. Place the squash cubes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  3. Drizzle the oil over (not too much).
  4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  5. Roast for about 25 minutes, then stir or flip the cubes.
  6. Roast about 15 minutes more, or until the edges are getting a deep brown color and squash is tender.
  7. Serve with everything.
  8. Enjoy!

simple roasted butternut squash