Do you ever have an experience that just feels like fall? My partner and I were walking our dog Charlie last week and it was a little bit chilly. The sun was shining through the trees. As we rounded the corner, a soft breeze shook the leaves in the trees all around us, some of the falling softly to the ground. We both just stopped for a second, watching the leaves fall. My partner said, “wow, this really just feels like fall!”
I love those small moments, and I try to evoke some of those memories when I create recipes too. Some foods and flavors are really associated with different seasons, especially when combined together. So, when I saw turnips at my local farmer’s market, I immediately knew I wanted to add them to a very fall dish. Turnips just feel like a fall food to me!
This soup is chock full of produce and flavors that evoke fall to me: from turnips to potatoes to carrots on the produce side, and thyme, coriander, and nutmeg on the spice side. A hot bowl of this soup is perfect on a chilly fall night, cuddled up in a blanket on the couch.
In addition to being super flavorful, this recipe is really easy to make. Heat up the vegetables in a pot with the oil first, then the tomato paste, then add the broth and spices, and cook until they are soft enough the pierce easily with a fork.
You can also play around with the ingredients to suit your taste and the produce and spices that most evoke fall for you. For example, you could add corn or celery (especially if you’re getting it fresh at your local market) or use frozen vegetables if that’s easier for you.
One note about the turnip greens: I really love using them in this soup because it cut down on the food waste I was creating and I also found them to be really tasty! My partner enjoyed the leafy part of the greens, but not so much the stem. The stem is a bit bitter, so feel free to just add the leaves if you’d like. The stems also get a bit less bitter as the soup sits overnight in the fridge, so they may be more enjoyable to you as leftovers if you didn’t like them the first time. I personally think the hint of bitterness added a great layer of flavor to the vegetables.
This recipe is completely gluten free and can be prepared kosher as long as you use kosher oil, tomato paste, broth, and spices. I’m looking forward to making this easy vegan Fall Harvest Soup several times over the next few weeks because it’s perfect for meal prepping as it makes 8 servings! It would also be great for a starter for a big gathering (socially distant of course).
I would love the hear how this recipe turns out for you and any changes you make to it. Let me know in the comments or message me at @thejewishvegan on Instagram. And, as always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out. Now, let’s get started!
Simple Recipes: Fall Harvest Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 turnips chopped into small pieces
- 3 white potatoes chopped into small pieces
- 2 medium carrots chopped small
- 3½ cups vegetable broth
- 3 cups water
- turnip greens chopped into 1 in long pieces (stems removed if desired)
- ¼ cup parsley leaves chopped if desired
- 1 tbsp salt to taste
- ½ tsp thyme
- ½ tsp coriander
- ½ tsp nutmeg
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pot.
- Once hot, at the onions and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for 4 minutes, stirring almost continuously.
- Add the turnips, carrots, and potatoes, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the broth, water, turnip greens, and parsley and bring to a boil on high.
- Once at a boil, lower to medium-low, at the spices and salt, then simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the potatoes, carrots, and turnips are cooked through and can be easily pierced with a fork.
Notes
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