3 Cozy Soups for Gut Health to Make on a Weeknight

Half a cabbage in the crisper is a good reason to make soup. Slice it thin, let the edges pick up a little color in olive oil, and add white beans. The part that makes me want a second bowl comes at the very end, when the lemon and dill hit the hot broth.

That last-minute finish does a different job in each of these three vegetarian soup recipes. Toasted pumpkin seeds give a silky squash soup some crunch. Dill perks up a pot of beans. Crisp tortilla strips soften just enough around the edges to catch a spoonful of smoky red broth. All three start with vegetables and legumes, an easy way to work more fiber into dinner.

Gingered Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Soup

Serves 4 · About 40 minutes

Split red lentils almost disappear as they cook, which is exactly what you want here. Frozen cubed squash works beautifully and saves you wrestling a whole squash across the cutting board.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• 4 cups peeled butternut squash in ¾-inch cubes
• ¾ cup dry split red lentils, rinsed
• 5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, plus more to thin
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus more to taste
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

1. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry soup pot over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, shaking often. When a few start to pop, tip them onto a plate.
2. Add the oil and onion to the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the ginger and coriander for 30 seconds, then add the squash, lentils and broth.
3. Bring to a boil, lower to a gentle simmer and cook for 18–25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The squash should crush easily against the side of the pot.
4. Take the pot off the heat and purée with an immersion blender. Add a splash of broth if the soup sits in a mound on the spoon. Stir in the lemon juice, season to taste and scatter the seeds over each bowl.

Lemony White Bean and Cabbage Soup with Dill

Serves 4 · About 35 minutes

Use the biggest pot you have for this one. A wide base gives the cabbage room to brown, and those golden edges give a short-simmered broth real flavor.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 packed cups thinly sliced green cabbage
• 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 lemon, zest finely grated and juice reserved
• ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

1. Warm the oil over medium-high heat. Spread the cabbage across the bottom of the pot and leave it for 3 minutes. Turn it, add the carrot and cook for another 4–5 minutes. If the pot is narrow, brown the cabbage in two batches.
2. Stir in the garlic. Once fragrant, add the beans and broth. Scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon and simmer for 12–15 minutes, until the carrot is tender.
3. Crush a few beans against the pot to give the broth a little body. Turn off the heat. Stir in the zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and most of the dill. Taste a spoonful with a bean in it before adding salt or more lemon. Finish each bowl with the remaining dill.

Smoky Sweet Potato Enchilada Soup with Black Beans

Serves 4 · About 35 minutes

One corn tortilla goes into the broth, where it breaks down and lends the soup a gentle toasted-corn flavor. A second one goes into the skillet for the crisp strips on top.

Ingredients

• 2 small corn tortillas, divided
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 teaspoon each smoked paprika and ground cumin
• 2 cups peeled sweet potato, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup mild red enchilada sauce
• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• Salt and chopped cilantro to taste

Method

1. Warm 1 tablespoon oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Cook the onion and pepper for 5 minutes. Add the paprika and cumin and stir for 30 seconds.
2. Add the sweet potato, beans, enchilada sauce and broth. Tear one tortilla into small pieces and drop them into the pot. Simmer for 15–20 minutes, stirring now and then, until a fork slides through the sweet potato.
3. Meanwhile, slice the remaining tortilla into thin strips. Toss with the remaining teaspoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat for 4–6 minutes, turning until crisp. Transfer to a plate.
4. Squeeze a lime wedge into the soup and taste before adding salt. Ladle into bowls and pass the cilantro, remaining lime wedges and tortilla strips at the table.

If you’re packing soup for lunch, tuck the pepitas or tortilla strips into a separate little container. For the cabbage soup, save a pinch of dill and a wedge of lemon to add after reheating.

Recipe inspiration came from the squash and lentil, cabbage and white bean, and vegetable enchilada soups in EatingWell’s cozy soup collection.