Grab your hat and bundle that scarf around your neck—it’s finally feeling like fall has truly arrived! There’s a chill in the air, Starbucks has launched its red cups even earlier than usual, and the stores are going all out with their holiday push.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been craving soup nonstop lately. It’s comforting, versatile, and easy to make, making it the perfect lunch to bring to work and get you through a cold day.
Here are five of my favorite soup recipes for you to try—one of my own, and then the rest are from four of my favorite food bloggers on the web.
1. Creamy Asparagus Soup
I found some asparagus in my fridge that looked like it had seen better days—don’t you hate it when your veggies disappear into the dark hole of the refrigerator? Thankfully, they can be transformed into a delicious soup and brought back to life.
This recipe serves one, and you’ll be including an entire bunch of asparagus in your lunchtime meal. How’s that for getting your vegetable servings in?
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 bunch of asparagus, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for a minute more. Add the asparagus, salt, pepper, and cumin and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Then add the stock, let it come to a boil, and cook for five more minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool slightly, then transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth.
2. Spicy Vegan Black Bean Soup From Cookie + Kate
This recipe makes a big batch, so I usually freeze half and then bring it to work for a couple of days. Better yet, have a soup party with your co-workers and bring some for a few of your friends! The garnishes really make the soup, so be sure to bring a little plastic bag with avocado, cilantro, and tortilla chips to sprinkle on top.
3. Spicy Sausage, Kale, and Whole Wheat Orecchiette Soup From How Sweet Eats
This soup is seriously hearty but thankfully won’t weigh you down and send you to that post-lunch sleepy state. It’s jam-packed with kale, which pairs amazingly well with the spicy sausage, and you can throw the whole thing together in 30 minutes!
4. Tomato Sourdough Soup From My Name Is Yeh!
I love this recipe because it’s a single serving, so it’s the perfect lunch to bring to work with you. It’s also really easy to prepare and a great use of day-old sourdough bread. Don’t have sourdough on hand? No problem—any white or wheat bread will work just fine.
5. Spicy Ancho Turkey Chili From Pinch of Yum
Okay, so chili isn’t technically a soup, but I wanted to include it here because I love the flavor the ancho gives this turkey chili, and the addition of farro is pure genius. The texture it adds will make you wonder why you haven’t been adding it all along!
Read More: 52 Creative (and Easy!) Ideas for Lunch at Work That'll Make Everyone Jealous