tips for making soup

12 Autumn Soup Recipes for Cosy, Comforting Dinners

Wednesday 19th Aug 2026 |

12 Autumn Soup Recipes to Make When the Weather Turns

There is a point every year when salad suddenly stops sounding like dinner.

The evenings become cooler, the light disappears earlier and thoughts inevitably turn towards steaming bowls of soup, thick slices of bread and something bubbling gently on the hob.

Autumn is arguably the best season for homemade soup. Squash, carrots, leeks, potatoes, mushrooms, cauliflower and root vegetables are ideally suited to roasting, simmering and blending, while warming herbs and spices can turn relatively inexpensive ingredients into something properly comforting.

Whether you fancy something creamy, spicy, chunky or substantial enough to count as dinner, these autumn soup recipes are worth keeping on rotation throughout the colder months.

Each recipe makes roughly 4 servings.

1. Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash is one of the easiest ways to make a naturally creamy autumn soup, and roasting it first gives considerably more flavour than boiling alone.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 750ml vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1 tsp dried sage
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 2 tbsp cream, optional

Method

Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan.

Place the squash, onion and garlic on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season. Roast for around 30–35 minutes until soft and caramelised around the edges.

Transfer to a saucepan with the stock and sage. Simmer for 5 minutes before blending until smooth.

Stir through the cream if using and adjust the seasoning before serving.

Make it even better

Top with crispy sage leaves, toasted pumpkin seeds or a drizzle of chilli oil.

2. Classic Leek and Potato Soup

Simple, inexpensive and endlessly comforting, leek and potato soup remains one of the easiest cold-weather lunches to make.

Ingredients

  • 2 large leeks, sliced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 450g potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 25g butter
  • 750ml vegetable or chicken stock
  • 100ml milk or cream
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and gently cook the leeks and onion for 8–10 minutes until softened.

Add the potatoes and stock and bring to a simmer.

Cook for around 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely tender.

Blend until smooth, stir in the milk or cream and season generously with black pepper.

Make it even better

Serve with crispy bacon, grated mature Cheddar or finely sliced spring onions.

3. Spiced Carrot and Red Lentil Soup

Red lentils naturally thicken this soup, making it satisfying without requiring cream.

Ingredients

  • 500g carrots, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 150g red lentils
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 1 litre vegetable stock
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a saucepan and gently fry the onion for 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and spices and cook for another minute.

Add the carrots, lentils and stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for around 25 minutes until everything is soft.

Blend until smooth and finish with lemon juice, salt and black pepper.

Make it even better

Add chilli flakes with the spices if you prefer a little heat.

4. Creamy Mushroom and Thyme Soup

The secret to good mushroom soup is letting the mushrooms brown properly rather than overcrowding the pan and allowing them to steam.

Ingredients

  • 500g mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 25g butter
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 700ml vegetable or chicken stock
  • 100ml double cream
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

Melt the butter in a wide saucepan.

Cook the mushrooms in batches over a medium-high heat until golden, setting a few aside for garnish if you like.

Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes before stirring in the garlic and thyme.

Pour in the stock and simmer for 15 minutes.

Blend until mostly smooth, leaving a little texture if preferred.

Stir through the cream and season well.

Make it even better

Finish with plenty of black pepper and a few golden fried mushrooms on top.

5. Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup

Roasting the vegetables produces a deeper, sweeter flavour and makes this feel much more autumnal than a light summer tomato soup.

Ingredients

  • 700g ripe tomatoes, halved
  • 2 red peppers, roughly chopped
  • 1 red onion, quartered
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 600ml vegetable stock
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Small handful of basil, optional

Method

Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan.

Arrange the tomatoes, peppers, onion and garlic on a baking tray. Drizzle with oil and season.

Roast for 30–35 minutes until soft and slightly charred.

Transfer everything to a saucepan, add the stock and smoked paprika and simmer for 5 minutes.

Blend until smooth and stir through basil if using.

Make it even better

Serve with a cheese toastie for one of the easiest cold-weather dinners imaginable.

6. Cauliflower and Mature Cheddar Soup

Cauliflower becomes beautifully creamy when blended, while mature Cheddar gives this soup enough richness to make it feel indulgent.

Ingredients

  • 1 large cauliflower, broken into florets
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 small potato, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 750ml vegetable stock
  • 100g mature Cheddar, grated
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

Melt the butter in a saucepan and cook the onion gently for 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, cauliflower, potato and stock.

Simmer for 20 minutes until completely tender.

Blend until smooth before stirring through the Cheddar and mustard.

Season with plenty of black pepper.

Make it even better

Top with extra cheese, crispy onions or homemade croutons.

7. Chicken, Leek and Pearl Barley Soup

This is one of the more substantial soups in the collection and makes an excellent one-bowl dinner.

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless chicken thighs
  • 2 leeks, sliced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1 celery stick, diced
  • 100g pearl barley
  • 1 litre chicken stock
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Handful of parsley
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and gently cook the leeks, carrots and celery for around 8 minutes.

Add the chicken thighs, barley, thyme and stock.

Bring to a simmer and cook gently for around 35 minutes.

Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks and return it to the pan.

Stir through chopped parsley and check the seasoning.

Make it even better

Pearl barley continues to absorb liquid after cooking, so add a little extra stock when reheating leftovers.

8. Curried Parsnip Soup

The natural sweetness of parsnips works brilliantly with warming curry spices.

Ingredients

  • 600g parsnips, peeled and chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 750ml vegetable stock
  • 100ml milk or cream
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the onion for around 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and curry powder and cook for another minute.

Stir in the parsnips and stock.

Simmer for 20–25 minutes until the parsnips are very soft.

Blend until smooth, stir through the milk or cream and season to taste.

Make it even better

Add yoghurt, coriander or toasted seeds just before serving.

9. French Onion Soup

French onion soup requires a little patience, but the ingredients themselves could hardly be simpler.

Ingredients

  • 750g onions, thinly sliced
  • 40g butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 litre beef stock
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 4 slices baguette
  • 100g Gruyère or mature Cheddar, grated
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large saucepan.

Add the onions and cook over a low heat for 30–40 minutes, stirring regularly, until deeply golden and soft.

Add the sugar and flour and cook for another minute.

Gradually stir in the stock and thyme and simmer for 20 minutes.

Toast the bread, top with grated cheese and grill until bubbling.

Place a cheesy toast on each bowl of soup before serving.

Make it even better

Do not rush the onions. Their slow caramelisation provides almost all of the character in this soup.

10. Smoky Sweet Potato and Chilli Soup

Sweet potatoes produce an incredibly smooth soup and pair particularly well with smoky paprika and chilli.

Ingredients

  • 600g sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 750ml vegetable stock
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Juice of ½ lime
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a saucepan and gently cook the onion for 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, paprika, cumin and chilli and cook for 1 minute.

Add the sweet potatoes and stock and simmer for around 20 minutes.

Blend until smooth.

Finish with lime juice and season to taste.

Make it even better

Serve with yoghurt, sliced chilli and coriander.

11. Broccoli and Stilton Soup

Broccoli and blue cheese is a classic British combination and particularly good when the evenings start turning colder.

Ingredients

  • 1 large head broccoli, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 medium potato, diced
  • 750ml vegetable stock
  • 120g Stilton, crumbled
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • Black pepper

Method

Melt the butter in a saucepan and gently cook the onion for around 5 minutes.

Add the potato and stock and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the broccoli and cook for another 8–10 minutes until just tender.

Blend until smooth.

Add the Stilton gradually, stirring until melted.

Finish with plenty of black pepper.

Make it even better

Keep a little Stilton aside to crumble over the finished bowls.

12. Easy Autumn Minestrone

Minestrone is ideal for using vegetables that are lingering in the fridge and can be changed according to whatever you have.

Ingredients

  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery sticks, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 courgette, diced
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 litre vegetable stock
  • 100g small pasta
  • 400g tin cannellini beans, drained
  • 100g kale or cabbage, shredded
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • Parmesan, to serve
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan.

Cook the onion, carrots and celery for 8–10 minutes until soft.

Add the garlic and oregano and cook for another minute.

Add the courgette, tomatoes and stock and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions.

Add the beans and kale for the final 5 minutes.

Season well and serve with Parmesan.

Make it even better

Treat the recipe as a framework rather than a rule. Green beans, potatoes, spinach, cabbage and other leftover vegetables can all go in.

How to Make Homemade Soup Taste Better

Homemade soup is straightforward, but a few small techniques can make a surprisingly large difference.

Cook the onions properly

Many recipes tell you to soften onions for a couple of minutes.

Give them longer.

Allowing onions, leeks, carrots and celery to cook gently before adding liquid builds a much better flavour base.

Roast vegetables when you can

Squash, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, cauliflower and sweet potatoes all develop deeper flavour when roasted.

Those golden and caramelised edges add complexity that boiling alone cannot provide.

Season at the end as well as the beginning

A large saucepan of vegetables and stock can absorb a surprising amount of seasoning.

Taste the finished soup before serving.

If it seems flat, it might need salt, but acidity can be just as important. Lemon juice, lime juice, mustard or a tiny splash of vinegar can bring everything into focus.

Add a little richness

Butter, olive oil, cream, crème fraîche, cheese and yoghurt can all change the texture and flavour of soup.

You rarely need enormous quantities.

Add texture on top

A completely smooth soup can benefit enormously from something crunchy or fresh.

Try:

  • Croutons
  • Toasted seeds
  • Crispy onions
  • Fried mushrooms
  • Grated cheese
  • Chilli oil
  • Fresh herbs
  • Crispy bacon
  • Toasted nuts

The Best Autumn Vegetables for Soup

One of the biggest advantages of making soup during autumn is the amount of seasonal produce that suits it.

Good choices include:

  • Butternut squash
  • Pumpkin
  • Carrots
  • Parsnips
  • Leeks
  • Potatoes
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Cauliflower
  • Broccoli
  • Mushrooms
  • Beetroot
  • Celeriac
  • Kale
  • Cabbage
  • Onions

Soup is also an excellent destination for vegetables that are beginning to look slightly tired but are still perfectly good to eat.

How to Turn Soup Into a Proper Dinner

Soup sometimes gets relegated to lunch, but the right recipe can easily become an evening meal.

Choose soups containing chicken, lentils, beans, barley, potatoes or pasta if you want something particularly filling.

What you serve alongside it makes a difference too.

Crusty bread is the obvious choice, but cheese toasties, garlic bread, warm focaccia, toasted sourdough and savoury scones can all make a bowl of soup feel much more substantial.

Adding toppings such as grated cheese, croutons, crispy onions, seeds or herbs also makes even a simple vegetable soup feel more complete.

Can You Freeze Homemade Soup?

Most homemade soups freeze very well, which makes autumn a particularly good time to get into batch cooking.

Allow soup to cool before transferring it to suitable containers and freeze it in individual or family-sized portions.

Smooth vegetable soups generally freeze particularly well.

Soups containing pasta, cream or potatoes can occasionally change texture once frozen and reheated. Where practical, add dairy or pasta after reheating instead.

Label containers so you know what you have and avoid the mysterious freezer tub problem three months later.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best soups to make in autumn?

Soups based on squash, root vegetables, mushrooms, leeks and potatoes are especially good during autumn. Butternut squash soup, leek and potato, mushroom soup, carrot and lentil and curried parsnip are all excellent starting points.

What can I add to soup to make it more filling?

Chicken, lentils, beans, pearl barley, pasta and potatoes can all turn a lighter soup into a substantial meal.

Bread, cheese and crunchy toppings help too.

Why does homemade soup sometimes taste bland?

It usually needs either more seasoning or a little acidity.

Try salt first, followed by black pepper, herbs, lemon juice or a small splash of vinegar.

Browning vegetables properly before adding stock also produces considerably more flavour.

Should you fry vegetables before making soup?

In most cases, yes.

Softening onions and other aromatic vegetables in a little butter or oil before adding liquid creates a deeper flavour than simply boiling everything together.

Can soup be made ahead?

Absolutely.

Many soups taste even better the following day once the flavours have had time to develop.

Store them correctly in the refrigerator and reheat until piping hot before serving.

Which soups are best for batch cooking?

Butternut squash, carrot and lentil, sweet potato, tomato and pepper and parsnip soups are particularly freezer-friendly.

Make double quantities and freeze portions for easy lunches and dinners later.

Make Soup Season Count

The best autumn soup recipes rarely need complicated ingredients or elaborate techniques.

A few seasonal vegetables, decent stock and the right combination of herbs and spices can produce something far more comforting than the sum of its parts.

Make a large pan at the weekend, put a couple of portions in the freezer and you have an easy dinner waiting for the evening when the temperature drops and cooking feels like far too much effort.

And once the first proper bowl of homemade soup has appeared on the table, autumn has officially begun.


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