Editor’s note: This is part of The Know’s series, Staff Favorites. Each week, we offer our opinions on the best that Colorado has to offer for dining, shopping, entertainment, outdoor activities and more. (We’ll also let you in on some hidden gems).
Fall is my favorite season. Wearing a big sweater and eating a warm, comforting bowl of something yummy while I watch “Gilmore GIrls” is a level of peace I just can’t get any other time of the year.
While I don’t subscribe to the belief that soup is a seasonal food, fall is undoubtedly the best time to slurp up a big bowl. As a soup fanatic, the recipes below (plus a pasta for the soup haters) are my favorites. Both make great leftovers and are filling enough to stand alone or act as a side or starter.
Happy fall, ya’ll. And happy cooking!
Minestrone Soup
Since I was a kid, this family recipe has been one of my favorites and I’ve perfected it over the years. It’s packed with veggies and feels like a warm hug.
Ingredients
6 cups of vegetable stock (or more if you like more broth)
2 14.5-ounce cans of diced tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes, if you have ’em)
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
2 cups diced onion
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/3 cups of zucchini, sliced into half-moons
1 1/3 cups green beans (frozen, fresh or canned)
1 1/3 cups of small shell pasta
2 cups packed chopped spinach
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can white navy beans, drained and rinsed
Seasonings: salt, pepper, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder
3 bay leaves
Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Freshly shredded parmesan for serving
Olive oil
Directions
Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot. Add celery, carrots and onion, stirring until softened. Add garlic, stirring until fragrant. Add seasonings (at least 1/2 tablespoon of each) and stir.
Add tomatoes, vegetable stock and bay leaves. Bring the pot to a boil, then lower to a simmer for at least an hour.
Taste and add more seasoning to taste.
Add zucchini, shell pasta and green beans. Simmer for another 30 minutes.
Taste and add more seasoning to taste.
Stir in spinach, kidney beans, white navy beans and parsley and allow to simmer about 10 more minutes or until ready to serve.
Top with parmesan in bowls and serve.
Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta with Sausage and Spinach
This is a recipe by Julia’s Album that I found on Pinterest but quickly became a fall staple in my house. Veggies, cream sauce and pasta make everyone happy.
Ingredients
2 cups butternut squash, cubed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound sausage, crumbled (I prefer a spicy sausage)
4 garlic cloves
8 ounces spinach
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
8 ounces farfalle pasta
Seasonings: salt, pepper
Directions
Toss butternut squash in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.
In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add sausage and cook until browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
Wipe out the skillet or grab a new one to make the cream sauce. Heat another 1 tablespoon of oil and add garlic and spinach over medium heat. Cook about 5 minutes until spinach wilts.
Add heavy cream, bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer. Add parmesan and keep stirring until the cheese melts. Remove from heat.
Cook pasta al dente in salted boiling water. Strain; add the cooked pasta to the creamy spinach sauce along with sausage. Season with salt according to taste. (Salt depends on how salty your sausage is.)
Top with butternut squash and extra parmesan cheese.
Wild Rice and Mushroom soup
I found this recipe last fall from Lucy & Lentils on TikTok. While her measurements are more vague, this is what I loosely follow. Her original recipe is vegan but this version is not. It’s a winner that even the kiddos loved.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 leek, chopped
2 cups of mushrooms, chopped
1 butternut squash, chopped and roasted
Seasonings: paprika, parsley, thyme, basil, salt, pepper, red chili flakes
Splash of tamari or soy sauce
4 cups vegetable stock
1 package of microwavable wild rice (to keep cooking time low)
1/2 cup of heavy cream (or more if desired)
Crusty bread for serving
Directions
Toss butternut squash in olive oil and season with salt, pepper and paprika. Roast your butternut squash for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees or until desired tenderness is reached.
When butternut squash is almost done, heat butter in a large pot. Add leeks and mushrooms, stirring until softened. Add garlic until fragrant. Add seasoning (1/2 teaspoon each at least or more to taste) and tamari.
Add in vegetable stock, rice packet, and butternut squash. Bring to a simmer and add heavy cream. Add more seasoning to taste.
Optional: Add fresh herbs on top.
Serve with a crusty bread and enjoy.
