The Art of Autumn Soup - From Classic French to Homemade Perfection
There's something about the first crisp day of autumn that makes your soul crave soup. Not just any soup - the kind that warms you from the inside out, that carries the essence of the season in every spoonful, that transforms simple ingredients into pure comfort.
Today I'm sharing three approaches to embracing soup season…
For those at home: my obsession-worthy pumpkin butternut squash recipe that combines the best of French technique with warming spices;
For those in the city: where to find Paris's most exceptional classic French soups, and where to source exceptional prepared soups when you want that homemade quality without the time investment.
Classic French Soups: Where Tradition Lives
When I think of French soup culture, two classics immediately come to mind: French onion soup and boeuf bourguignon. These aren't just dishes — they're expressions of French culinary philosophy that transform humble ingredients into something sublime.
French Onion Soup Perfection
For the most authentic French onion soup experience, I return to these treasures again and again:
Saint Régis on Île Saint-Louis offers French onion soup in one of Paris's most romantic settings. The island location adds magic to an already perfect dish. 6 rue Jean du Bellay, 75004 Paris
Au Bourguignon du Marais (which we visited during our coffee week) serves exceptional French onion soup alongside their other classics. 52 rue François Miron, 75004 Paris www.aubourguignondumarais.com
Terminus Nord deserves special mention — I've created an entire YouTube video about this Belle Époque brasserie experience. 23 rue de Dunkerque, 75010 Paris www.terminusnord.com
Au Pied de Cochon in Les Halles continues the tradition of serving classic French onion soup 24 hours a day, maintaining its historic role feeding market workers. 6 rue Coquillière, 75001 Paris www.pieddecochon.com
Boeuf Bourguignon Excellence
For this Burgundian masterpiece, return to Au Bourguignon du Marais where the family recipe creates the authentic depth you're seeking.
Café des Musées near Place des Vosges also offers exceptional boeuf bourguignon in an intimate bistro setting. 49 rue de Turenne, 75003 Paris
My Autumn Pumpkin Butternut Squash Soup
Here is what I consider the perfect autumn soup by combining French technique with warming spices. This recipe uses both pumpkin and butternut squash, creating layers of flavor that taste like autumn distilled into liquid form.
Ingredients (Serves 6-8):
1 kg pumpkin, peeled and cubed
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 cm fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 cardamom pods, crushed
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp thyme powder
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of ground allspice
1 tbsp honey
5 cups vegetable stock
2 tbsp olive oil
1 handful hazelnuts for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut cream
Fresh herbs for garnish
Method:
Heat olive oil in a large pot. Sauté garlic until fragrant, then add onion and cook until translucent.
Add cubed pumpkin, butternut squash, and carrots. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add all spices, grated ginger, and honey. Stir to coat vegetables and toast spices for 2-3 minutes.
Pour in stock, bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 25-30 minutes until vegetables are completely tender.
While soup cooks, toast hazelnuts in a dry pan until fragrant. Cool and roughly chop.
Blend soup until smooth using an immersion blender. Adjust consistency with additional stock if needed.
If using cream, stir in gently and heat through without boiling.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with chopped hazelnuts and fresh herbs.
The combination of pumpkin and butternut squash creates incredible depth, while the spice blend — led by coriander seeds and cardamom — adds warmth without overwhelming the vegetables' natural sweetness.
Exceptional Prepared Soups for Busy Days
Sometimes the most artistic choice is recognizing when someone else does it better than we could, or when time simply doesn't allow for homemade. Paris offers exceptional options:
Gourmet Épiceries
La Tour d'Argent Épicerie offers soups that match their legendary restaurant standards. 2 rue du Cardinal Lemoine, 75005 Paris www.latourdargent.com
La Grande Épicerie locations throughout Paris stock exceptional prepared soups from various artisanal producers. Multiple locations - check website www.lagrandeepicerie.com
Maison Plisson curates beautiful prepared foods including seasonal soups. 93 boulevard Beaumarchais, 75003 Paris www.maisonplisson.com
Artisanal Soup Specialists
Giraudet at Mabillon offers traditional French soups and prepared dishes perfect for apartment living. 16 rue Mabillon, 75006 Paris Tel: 01 43 25 53 00 Email: boutiqueparis@giraudet.fr
Zoé Bouillon in Belleville specializes in homemade soups from seasonal vegetables. Everything changes daily, often vegetarian or vegan, with gluten-free options available. They even deliver if you can't face the cold! Multiple locations in Belleville www.zoebouillon.fr
Paris: A Global Soup Capital
While we celebrate French classics, Paris truly is a gastronomic capital where any soup tradition thrives. My personal favorite for when I'm craving Asian comfort is Kodawari in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, where the ramen transport you instantly to Japan. The attention to detail in their broth preparation rivals any traditional French technique.
29 rue Mazarine, 75006 Paris www.ramen-kodawari.com
The Philosophy of Soup Season
What I love about soup culture — whether French onion soup requiring hours of caramelizing onions, my complex spice-laden pumpkin creation, or the daily-changing offerings at Zoé Bouillon — is how it represents the intersection of comfort and craftsmanship.
Soup demands patience. It cannot be rushed or optimized without losing its essential character. The slow building of flavors, the careful balance of seasonings, the transformation of simple vegetables into something that nourishes both body and soul — this is cooking as meditation, sustenance as art.
Whether you're ladling homemade soup from your own pot, discovering a perfect bowl in a Paris bistro, or heating artisanal soup in your rental apartment kitchen, you're participating in one of humanity's most fundamental acts of care — turning raw ingredients into comfort, creating warmth in a cooling world.
This is exactly the kind of autumn ritual that feeds us on multiple levels. Sometimes the most artistic way to spend a chilly afternoon is with hands wrapped around a warm bowl, feeling gratitude for the alchemy that transforms earth's harvest into liquid comfort.
The season invites this kind of slowing down, this return to basics elevated through attention and care. Whether that's mastering a complex recipe or knowing where to find the perfect prepared version, soup season reminds us that nourishment — real nourishment — takes time and intention.
That's autumn wisdom in a bowl.
