Fall Harvest Root Vegetable Soup

Looking for the perfect comfort food in a bowl? Check out this recipe for Fall Harvest Root Vegetable Soup, loaded with all of your favourite fall produce. Good news, it's also a baby-friendly soup recipe!

Every year when the leaves change colour and the temperature drops, my taste buds start to crave certain fall-specific flavours.  The cooler weather is the perfect time to enjoy hot dishes and seasonal items not readily available other times on the year.  The farmer's market is always best in the fall, full of hearty vegetables - squash, potatoes, onions and carrots, to name a few.  

This recipe for Fall Harvest Root Vegetable Soup is one of my favourite comfort food recipes. The great thing about this soup is that you can incorporate pretty much any fall produce that you have at home, from white or red potatoes to turnip, celery root, acorn squash, pumpkin and more. This recipe is perfect for lunch, dinner or that first course at an upcoming holiday gathering. Your home will be filled with the smell of spices while the vegetables simmer. My mouth waters just thinking about it.

You know who else loves this soup? Little miss Morley.



Morley is at the age that we can start getting a little more adventurous with her food. This means that every chance we get, she eats what we eat. We have eggs for breakfast, so does she. We have fish, so does she. I think you get the point. With a few simple modifications, like keeping the vegetables in chunks, omitting the cream and limiting the salt added, this is a recipe that she also loves.

Quality control gave this Fall Harvest Root Vegetable Soup recipe two thumbs up, and I think you will too. Enjoy!

Fall Harvest Soup

Serves: 8-10 people


Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 cups onion - coarsely chopped
• 4 stalks green onion - coarsely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic - peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 medium butternut squash - peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 2 large parsnips - peeled and coarsely chopped
• 4 large carrots - peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 large sweet potato - peeled and coarsely chopped
• 4 cups low sodium stock (chicken or vegetable)
• 4 cups water
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• salt and pepper, to taste
• optional: crumbled goat cheese or splash of cream

Directions:

1. In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic for 5 minutes, or until translucent.
2. Add cinnamon and stir for another 30 seconds to toast spices.
3. Add root vegetables and stir to combine.
4. Add stock and water to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer for 1 hour or until all the vegetables are very soft.
5. Using an immersion blender, puree mixture to desired consistency. If the mixture is too thick, add smell amounts of water at a time to thin it out. 
6. If using, add crumbled cream or splash of cream and warm through without boiling. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Home Chef Tip: Since this recipe makes almost 10 servings, it can also be frozen in freezer-safe containers. If you are freezing the soup, omit the cream and goat cheese until after it is reheated. 

Voila, comfort food at its finest!

What is your favourite soup recipe? Any fall favourites? I'd love to hear!