Cozy Winter Soups

Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients

• 6 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
• 1 cup uncooked wild rice*
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 large (about 1 pound) sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 small white onion, peeled and diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk (or see cream sauce option below*)
• 2 large handfuls of kale, roughly chopped with thick stems removed
• fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

Instructions

Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Method:

1. Combine base ingredients. Combine vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, garlic, carrots, celery, sweet potato, onion, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning in the bowl of an Instant Pot pressure cooker.  Stir briefly to combine.
2. Pressure cook. Cover and cook on manual (high pressure) for 25 minutes.  Let the Instant Pot rest and naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes.  Then carefully open the vent and quick release the remaining pressure.  Remove lid and discard the bay leaf.
3. Add final ingredients. Add the coconut milk and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined.  Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.
4. Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!

Stovetop Method:

1. Sauté the veggies. Heat (an extra) 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.  Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.
2. Add base ingredients. Add in the vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, carrots, celery, sweet potato, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning.  Stir to combine.
3. Simmer. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer.  Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
4. Add final ingredients. Add the coconut milk and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.
5. Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!

Zucchini Corn Chowder

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 cup yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound russet potatoes, washed, peeled, diced into ½-inch cubes
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 medium zucchini, diced into ½-inch cubes, (about 1 ½ cups)
• 4 ears sweet corn, husk + silk removed, kernels cut from cob (2 ¾ cups or 2 cans corn kernels, drained)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Garnish

• fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon jalapeno, seeded, minced
• cayenne pepper, optional

Instructions

• In a large heavy-duty bottom stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt butter.
• Add onion and garlic. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times.
• Add potatoes and broth.
• Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Decrease the heat to medium and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
• Add zucchini, corn, heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Simmer for additional 8-12 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are completely tender.
• Remove half of the chowder, pouring it into a separate bowl. Using an immersion blender, puree the remaining chowder until smooth. Stir the other half of the chowder back into the pot.
• Salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with freshly chopped parsley, jalapeno, and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper, optional.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

• 2 heads of cauliflower (about 4 pounds)
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground sumac
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 32 ounces (4 cups) low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 cups whole milk or unseasoned, unsweetened plant-based milk of choice
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 cup chopped fresh dill

Instructions 

• Get ready. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Cut the cauliflower in half from top to bottom through the stem, then use the tip of your knife to slice off each individual floret. Slice any larger florets into smaller pieces so all of them are about the same size.
• Season the cauliflower. Transfer the cauliflower to a large sheet pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle generously with olive oil. Toss to coat, then spread evenly without overlapping–use two sheet pans if you need to.
• Roast the cauliflower. Roast, turning at about 25 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and deeply browned in some parts, about 45 minutes in total. Remove from the oven.
• Sauté the onions. In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium until shimmering but not smoking. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, sumac, and turmeric and and stir just until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Simmer. Add 3/4 of the cauliflower (reserve the remaining for later). Stir to coat well with the spices, then add the broth and 1 cup of water. Turn the heat to high to bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium and cover part-way. Simmer until thickened slightly, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Blend. Uncover and remove from heat momentarily. Use an immersion blender to blend until you achieve your desired smoothness–I keep mine a bit on the chunky side. You can also transfer to a blender or food processor, just be sure to leave plenty of room at the top and blend with the steam cap off.
• Finish and serve. Return to a medium heat and stir in the milk, lemon juice, and reserved cauliflower. Cook briefly so that the soup is all warmed through. Test and adjust salt as needed. Finally, stir in the dill and serve hot.