Pine & Palm Kitchen: Top 7 Soup Season Favorites
It’s time for sweater weather and soup- here are my 7 favorite soups for cozy fall suppers
1. Classic French Onion Soup with Hearty Gruyere toast

Let’s not mess around with number 1. French Onion Soup is the mother of the fall soup line up. Slowly caramelizing onions while enjoying a glass of wine, is the perfect way to spend an evening.
3 pounds of onions reduce down to make this fantastic recipe. It takes 3 hours, but I promise you, it is worth every bit of effort.
Click HERE for the recipe.
My soup bowls in the photo above are no longer available, but here is a perfect option from Juliska for French Onion Soup.
2. Pantry Staple Roasted 4-Tomato Soup

I have made this soup so many times, I could probably whip it up in my sleep. A well stocked pantry is your friend when it’s too cold out to run to the store for ingredients. I use pantry staples like canned tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, tomato paste and heirloom or even humble plum tomatoes to make this creamy dish. Serve with a toasty grilled cheese for a simple, but perfect, autumn dinner.
This soup is even brighter in late summer when tomatoes are abundant.
Click HERE for the recipe.
3. Pacific Northwest Wild Mushroom & Rice Soup

I forage for mushrooms in our woods every Autumn.
We have fat morels that pop up when the Fall rains begin. They are so spongey and earthy. Fortunately, you do not need to live near a forest in the Northern Rockies or the Pacific Northwest to enjoy this delicious bowl of thick, luxurious soup.
Just source Oyster, Baby Portobellos and Chanterelle mushrooms and sauté with leeks and sticky wild rice. I partially purée the veggies with an immersion blender to make it creamy without adding too much dairy. If you can find plush local mushrooms from your famers market, splurge and grab them.
Click HERE for the recipe
4. Healthy Veggie & Bean Soup- Pasta e Fagioli

Writing up this list, I realized a lot of soups I make have beans, lots of beans. This soup is packed with not only beans, but just about every vegetable I could cram in the pot. Remember eating unlimited bowls of this soup at Olive Garden when you were a kid? Me too. Find some garlic breadsticks and a big Italian salad with too many croutons and take a trip down memory lane.
Click HERE for the recipe.






5. Quick Italian Wedding Soup

One of my all time favorite recipes is classic Italian Wedding soup. Use fresh pork sausage, onion and herbs to make tiny meatballs. Roast them to bring out tons of flavor. Escarole or kale adds a ton of fiber and brightness. I like aicini pasta for this soup, but you can use orzo or ditalini as well.
Take time to search for the best pecorino, pork sausage and freshest herbs. This soup is worth it.
Click HERE for the recipe and be prepared to fall in love.
6. Lentil and Sausage Soup

I have been making this very easy soup for decades. This is what to make when you have no time to make dinner and really want to put something healthy on the table. Take kielbasa, (but any sausage would be fantastic), add in onions, carrots, diced potatoes, chopped tomatoes, kale and garlic and dry French lentils. Add in herbs like thyme or rosemary to give this soup a fantastic, fragrant finish.



The entire pot is ready in a little over an hour. And it makes a fantastic “next day” meal as well. Don’t forget to serve with crusty bread and a dry white wine.
Click HERE for the sausage and lentil soup recipe.
Need the Best Dutch Oven to cook this soup? Buy my favorite by Le Creuset HERE. I have a 5.5 quart and a 9 quart. An absolute work horse in my kitchen.
7. The “Good Stuff” Award winning Chili

This recipe was voted “best chili” at the University of Washington’s chili cook off my daughters’ sophomore year. When a boathouse full of hungry rowers and coaches agree on this winning recipe, you know it’s good. Toss in a fantastic spice mix, chopped bell peppers, two kinds of beans and loads of ground turkey (don’t use turkey breast meat- it’s too dry). Top with sliced avocado, green chilies, cheese and wedges of lime. Delish! The Boys in the Boat have it right on this recipe.
Click HERE for the full recipe.
Bonus: Try my shredded chicken chili recipe HERE







I hope you give a few of these recipes a try.
Be sure to go to my SHOP page to check out my equipment recommendations for your fall and holiday baking this year.