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The Best Fall Soups and Stews for Soul-Warming Comfort

Come crisp leaves and sweater weather, we depend on our best fall soup recipes

By SAVEUR Editors

Updated: October 24, 2018

It's fall. Light the fire, throw on a sweater, and make a pot of soup. We're looking to incorporate as much fall produce as we possibly can: think carrots, persimmons, and so many types of squash. In the Dominican Republic, pumpkin is made into a creamy soup studded with cheese. Our Middle Eastern red lentil and butternut squash soup is fragrant with cumin, paprika, and garlic. Argentine locro is a hearty stew of squash, hominy, and meats like veal and pork. Paprika gives it a striking yellow-orange hue.

So after you're done mastering the hardest fall recipes we have, take it easy and make yourself the best bowl of soup ever.

Beef Marrow Dumpling Soup (Markklösschensuppe) — The dumplings in this beef soup get a boost of richness from beef bone marrow; parsley and nutmeg impart bright and warming flavors. Get the recipe for Beef Marrow Dumpling Soup (Markklösschensuppe) »Todd Coleman

Braised Beef Stew with Garlic Cream — The silky garlic cream sauce at Las Cabras, Juan Pablo Mellado Arana's restaurant in Santiago, Chile, adds a welcome zing to this rich stew, but is also a great condiment in its own right—served with fries, slathered on sandwich bread, or spooned over meats. Get the recipe for Braised Beef Stew with Garlic Cream »Justin Walker

Marmitako — In Spain's Basque Country, marmitako means roughly "from the pot." This rustic, filling soup, now common in Basque homes and sociedades, began as a meal local tuna fishermen would make during long fishing routes on their boats, and still do. Traditionally, locals crack the potatoes with a partial cut, then break off ragged chunks to toss into and add starchiness to the soup. Adding the tuna right at the end, just as the soup is removed from the heat, keeps the fish moist and tender. Get the recipe for Marmitako »Matt Taylor-Gross

Hot Beet Soup with Pork Belly (Bietes Zupa) — The rich, beet-infused pork broth of this soup is briny, with tangy vegetables floating throughout. For the fullest flavor, marinate the beets in the vinaigrette well ahead of time. Get the recipe for Hot Beet Soup with Pork Belly (Bietes Zupa) »Susan Bell

Cod and Pearl Onion Stew — Practicing our fish-butchering skills resulted in a treasure trove of trimmings, so we turned to our whole-fish guru, Barton Seaver, for help putting the leftovers to good use. This creamy, smoky stew with pearl onions and flaky cod can be made using scraps picked from the bones. Seaver brines the meat (which helps tighten its texture) and cold-smokes the bones and trimmings before stewing them. Our quicker variation relies instead on a spoonful of smoked paprika (pimentón). Get the recipe for Cod and Pearl Onion Stew »Ted Cavanaugh

Squash Soup (Soupe de Courge) — Lulu Peyraud explains that this Provençal squash soup has "just enough potato to give a little body to the soup, lots of celery to season the squash--no other herbs except for the parsley at the last minute... But I forgot to say that, instead of parsley, this soup is wonderful finished with chopped fresh mint." Get the recipe for Squash Soup »Kat Craddock

Fermented Carrot Borscht with Ginger and Turmeric — "Borscht was traditionally a fermented soup," says Cortney Burns, who adapted the classic beet base to one featuring a combination of fresh and fermented carrots and beets instead. "The warming spices, fresh ginger, and alliums bring out the natural sweet flavor of the carrots," she says. Burns tops her soup with anything from salt-brined caraway to shredded or wilted vegetables, pickled ginger, dill, or yogurt, but play around with combinations you like. For a red version, use purple or red carrots and red beets. For a yellow version, use yellow carrots and golden beets. Pass the finished soup through a fine-mesh sieve for a completely silky texture. Get the recipe for Fermented Carrot Borscht with Ginger and Turmeric »Heami Lee

Chickpea and Pasta Soup — This soup is a meal in and of itself, full of lots of vegetables, chickpeas, and pasta. Get the recipe for Chickpea and Pasta Soup »Farideh Sadeghin

Chicken Noodle Soup — Warming, filling chicken soup just may be the ultimate panacea. Cooking the noodles in the broth enriches both the noodles' flavor and the soup itself, which thickens slightly from the released starches. Get the recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup »Landon Nordeman

Chile Verde — You can get a bowl of green chili most anywhere in the American southwest, but New Mexicans are particularly proud of their chile verde, with its hunks of juicy pork shoulder and tart tomatillo-based sauce. Get the recipe for Chile Verde »Penny De Los Santos

Chicken Dumplings in Broth (Kreplach Soup) — Classic chicken-stuffed dumplings in broth are a Jewish holiday favorite. Get the recipe for Chicken Dumplings in Broth (Kreplach Soup) »Todd Coleman

Argentine Hominy Stew (Locro) — A creamy and slightly sweet stew of squash, meat, and hominy, locro provides a festive burst of spice and color from a paprika garnish. Get the recipe for Argentine Hominy Stew (Locro) »Virginie Blanchére

Red Chile and Pork Stew (Carne Adobada) — A staple in New Mexico, this pork stew gets its flavor from an earthy, sweet chile powder available at most Mexican specialty stores. Get the recipe for Red Chile and Pork Stew (Carne Adobada) »Penny De Los Santos

Onion Fennel and Mushroom Soup — A variety mushrooms gives nuance to this hearty vegetarian soup. Any assortment of fresh mushrooms will work and you can change those flavorful notes by switching up the combination each time you make it. Get the recipe for Onion Fennel and Mushroom Soup »Farideh Sadeghin

Mushroom Cappuccino (Bouillon de Champignons Comme un Cappuccino) — Michelin three-star chef Alain Chapel wowed author Gael Greene with this innovative "cappuccino", a rich, earthy soup made with mushrooms. To foam the broth, use the steamer attachment on a cappuccino machine, or froth it in a blender. Get the recipe for Mushroom Cappuccino (Bouillon de Champignons Comme un Cappuccino) »Todd Coleman

Lamb Soup With Sour Cream (Palócleves) — Hungarian chef Andrea Németh mixes sour cream with flour before adding it to this paprika-spiced lamb and vegetable soup. It thickens the soup and prevents the cream from curdling. Get the recipe for Lamb Soup With Sour Cream (Palócleves) »Todd Coleman

Russian Sweet and Sour Beef Soup (Solyanka) — A mix of fresh and cured beef and pork gives this classic sweet and sour soup heft. Get the recipe for Russian Sweet and Sour Beef Soup (Solyanka) »James Oseland

Yunnan-Style Breakfast Noodle Soup — This popular breakfast in China's Yunnan Province starts with fresh rice noodles and ground meat in a bare-bones pork broth, then gets customized with as many as a dozen condiments. Yunnan mi xian noodles (round and spaghettilike) or mi gan (flat and wide) are traditional, but any size rice noodle works, and dried varieties are fine in a pinch. Find fresh rice noodles in the refrigerated section at most Asian markets. Get the recipe for Yunnan-Style Breakfast Noodle Soup »Matt Taylor-Gross

Tunisian Braised Veal With Dried Greens (Tunisian Molokhia) — The leafy, grassy-tasting green molokhia (also known as jute or Jew's mallow) is a vegetable widely used in its fresh or frozen state across North Africa and the Middle East, however Tunisians use a dried and finely ground version of the leaves to make this rich, hearty green stew. The powder has a mucilaginous thickening quality similar to okra or filé powder, giving the finished dish a silky consistency. Consider it a nourishing, restorative aphrodisiac. Look for dried molokhia at Middle Eastern and North African grocery stores, or online. Get the recipe for Tunisian Braised Veal With Dried Greens (Tunisian Molokhia) »Max Falkowitz

Kak-Ik, Turkey Soup — This rustic turkey soup—often served when christening a new home in Guatemala—has a sweet-sour broth made from puréed tomatoes, tomatillos, and lots of garlic. Classically, the vegetables are toasted on a comal or griddle over fire, then crushed into a purée using a grinding stone, but a cast-iron pan and blender work just as well. Serve kak-ik like the locals do: with a small bowl of chile paste on the side to customize your own spice level. Get the recipe for Guatemalan Turkey Soup (Kak-Ik) »Matt Taylor-Gross

Chicken Fricot — Chicken and vegetable soup dotted with airy dumplings is a beloved Acadian comfort food. Savory—a pungent, peppery herb—adds a piney zest. Get the recipe for Chicken Fricot »Gemma and Andrew Ingalls

Chickpea Stew with Lamb, Pork, and Veal (Cozido de Grão) — Chickpeas are bolstered with spicy sausage and three kinds of meat in a filling stew served at País das Uvas in Vila de Frades, Portugal. Get the recipe for Chickpea Stew with Lamb, Pork, and Veal »Todd Coleman

Cream of Fennel Soup — This rich, smooth soup balances the gentle flavor of fennel with spices and a bracing addition of Pernod. Get the recipe for Cream of Fennel Soup »Vanessa Rees

Hungarian Bean and Ham Soup (Csülkös Bableves) — A paprika-laced roux of lard, flour, and sour cream transforms a simple bean and ham soup into something luxurious. Get the recipe for Hungarian Bean and Ham Soup (Csülkös Bableves) »Todd Coleman

Korean Clam Soup — A simple, light soup not short on heat or spice. Get the recipe for Korean Spicy Clam Soup »Matt Taylor-Gross

Dominican Cream of Pumpkin Soup (Crema de Auyama) — This rosemary-accented crema de auyama—Dominican cream of pumpkin soup—is the perfect Thanksgiving treat. Get the recipe for Dominican Cream of Pumpkin Soup (Crema de Auyama) »Farideh Sadeghin

Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup) — The thin vermicelli-like noodles called fideos add starch and body to this elemental tomato soup from Patricia Quintana, chef-owner of Izote restaurant in Mexico City. Get the recipe for Mexican Noodle Soup (Sopa de Fideo) »Todd Coleman

Burgundy-Style Beef Stew (Boeuf Bourguignonne) — With its brisk acidity, a good-quality pinot noir from France's Burgundy wine region marinates and tenderizes the meat and structures the flavor of the sauce in this classic French beef stew. Get the recipe for Burgundy-Style Beef Stew (Boeuf Bourguignonne) »Ingalls Photography

Michel Roux Onion Soup — Michel Roux, the French-born chef of England's Le Gavroche, takes a Normandy spin on this classic soup with a splash of cider and a whole lot of subtlety. But the best part? It only takes an hour to make. Get the recipe for Normandy-Style French Onion Soup »Matt Taylor-Gross

Red Lentil and Squash Soup (Shorabit Jarjir) — Protein-rich red lentils and hearty butternut squash are transformed into a smooth, fragrant soup that's a perfect, simple meal served with flatbread. Get the recipe for Red Lentil and Squash Soup (Shorabit Jarjir) »Penny De Los Santos

Fatback and Heirloom Bean Soup — You can serve this soup the day you prepare it, but after an overnight rest on the refrigerator, the beans will have absorbed some of the broth and the soup will have a deeper flavor. Get the recipe for Fatback and Heirloom Bean Soup »Michelle Heimerman

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