As the temperature starts dropping and noses start sniffling, soup season approaches. Some say soup is the best meal: cheap, fills you up and tastes good. Also, making a killer soup requires little to no effort. Just throw the ingredients in the pot and let them simmer! What’s not to love? 

Here are three soup recipes that are worthy of trying this fall season.

Traditional Chili

Chili is a fall staple and has lots of room for substitutions to adhere to almost every diet. Here is a recipe that is sure to make you fill up your bowl in seconds.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of ground beef (can substitute for turkey, chicken or completely omit)

• 1 diced yellow onion

• 2 family-size cans of Campbell’s Tomato Soup

• 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis

• 1 can Miss Grimes Chili Beans

• 1 packet chili seasoning

• 1 tsp sugar

Directions:

1. In a frying pan, sauté diced onions with cooking oil until translucent. Add ground beef to the onions and cook together until beef is browned.

2. In a large pot with the heat on medium-low, add onions, beef and both cans of tomato soup. Add diced tomatoes (undrained) and beans (undrained) to the pot. Mix the ingredients together. 

3. Let simmer and put the lid on for 20-30 minutes.

4. Add chili seasoning packet and cover for another 20 minutes, heat still on medium-low.

5. Remove soup from heat and add sugar, then mix. 

6. Let cool and serve with toppings of your choice! It goes great with sour cream, cheese and soup crackers!

French Onion Soup

This old-time classic has been trending on TikTok for months. Here is a recipe to replicate.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 4 tbsp butter

• 3 yellow onions halved and thinly sliced (about 10 cups)

• A pinch of salt

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp thyme

• 1 tbsp of minced garlic

• 1 tbsp flour

• 4 cups of beef or chicken broth

• Pepper

• Toasted crunchy baguette bread

• 2 cups grated gruyere cheese

Directions

1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat.

2. Add olive oil and butter. Add onions when butter has melted.

3. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with lid for ten minutes to let onions cook down and soften. Stir every couple of minutes.

4. Add seasonings: salt, bay leaf and fresh thyme. Leave uncovered and stir until onions are a brown color, about 40 minutes.

5. Add the garlic to browned onions.

6. Stir in the flour once it has come to a boil.

7. Add the beef broth and salt and pepper. Reduce heat down to low. Simmer for ten minutes.

8. Preheat broiler. Arrange the baguette slices and top with cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown, one to two minutes.

9. To serve, ladle soup into bowls and top with cheesy baguette.

Creamy Tortellini Soup

This soup has cheese-filled pasta in it. Carbs AND soup? Enough said.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil

• 1 pound Italian sausage (Can substitute with shredded chicken or meatballs) 

• 1 tbsp minced garlic

• 1 diced yellow onion

• ½ tbsp Italian seasoning

• 1 tsp of oregano 

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 2 tbsp flour

• 4 cups low sodium chicken stock

• 8oz can tomato sauce

• 1 package refrigerated cheese tortellini

• 3 cups chopped kale

• ½ cup heavy cream (preferred milk also acceptable)

• 3 tbsp basil

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add Italian sausage and cook until browned and crumbled, about three minutes. 

2. Add onions, garlic, oregano and Italian seasoning. Cook and stir until onions are translucent. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Whisk flour in one tablespoon increments. Slowly pour in the chicken stock and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Let sit until the soup is thickened. 

4. Pour in the tortellini and let cook until tender in the soup. Then add in the kale until wilted, about one to two minutes. 

5. Add in heavy cream and basil.

6. Serve.

All recipes were inspired by family, traditional and popular recipes but were modified by Iowa State Daily writers for quality and taste.