Fall spices are wafting into our consciousness and soups, blankets, and cats (or whatever fuzz ball you love) are on our minds. This Whole 30 Fall soup is warmed by apple cider and cinnamon, then brightened with cranberries. The sweetness and warmth are so intoxicating both cold and hot. Honestly this soup, like all soup, tastes better the next day. Aun jokes about opening a shop called Next Day Soup. Sometimes they won’t even eat soup until it has rested for a day so that all the flavor harmonize.
This apple cider soup came about like all the best recipes, by complete chance and “bliss it” mentality meeting together. We had apple cider in the fridge that I was blissing out over, because fall is finally in the air and in our food. We made a regular carrot soup with apples then realized the cider was the finishing touch. The cider was poured into the blender, gave it that final whirl and the flavors came through beautifully. The sweetness of apples and carrots is such a delicious combination that I’ll be experimenting with all types of spices soon because it opens up so many possibilities. Both can be sweet or savory, go well with rosemary, sage, thyme and cinnamon. What’s your favorite way to use carrots and apples?
Side cat story: you can’t bring cinnamon brooms home. Fall is my happy place and once those brooms infused with cinnamon pop up in stores they’re at my house soon after. This year they even had car cinnamon baby brooms! We even grabbed the pine cones this year and put them all over the house.
Our intuition pinged us in the car and I was like….can cats take cinnamon? I decided to not research it because it would be too crazy to my life. Then we got home, were talking with our friend on the phone and we were like “Heyyyyy is cinnamon okay for cats.” It’s a no. Goodbye cinnamon smells and hello cinnamon in all of the food 😉
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What is the Whole 30?
Whole 30 is a 30 day reset to reset your body so you can really know, on an individual and personal level, what feels good to you. You will also learn what gives your tummy the grumbles, what keeps you up at night, (other than your imagination) and how delicious whole foods can be.
For my top five Whole 30 tips (after completing five rounds now!) check out the article linked back there. The Whole 30 worked for my friend in a 50 year old body and for me in a 30 year old one. We’ve both tamed our sugar dragons, to the point we can both eat sugar without needing blisstons more of it. The Whole 30 is mentally and physically freeing.
If I ever just crave a quick reset having just soup for a day or even a week relaxes the digestive system and is super easy because you just bulk cook it then heat it up. I love easy delicious food and this Whole 30 fall soup fills all those levels.
Why Do Those Carrots Look Weird?
We got our carrots, pumpkin spice and apple cider from Imperfect Foods. They take wonky fruits and veggies they buy from farmers and sell them at a discount so they don’t go to waste. They deliver to your house for free over $60 and the food tastes like it just came from the farm because it goes straight from the farmer to them to you without hitting a grocery store.
I’ve been using Imperfect Foods for about three years and am still ever so in love. Aren’t these carrots just gorgeous in all the right ways?
This post isn’t sponsored by IF but I do support them in any way I can because of the forever love.
How to Make Whole 30 Fall Soup with Apple Cider and Carrots
The two things to give a quick check to see if they are Whole 30 compliant is the apple cider and the pumpkin spice. Look for any added sugar as those are two places it tends to sneak into.
As we learned from Sophia Roe who suggested using a mushroom broth for mushroom soup, you can incorporate the ingredients of soup into the broth. I caught a curious moment and tried making a broth with the butternut squash skins, onion and carrot scraps. It was perfect and saves a trip to the store if you don’t have broth on hand.
Kitchen Tools You’ll Need:
Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot:
We used the Ninja Foodi to pressure cook this soup. The Ninja Foodi is my forever foodie love. Hopefully….technology in 20 years might make a device where you can have a pressure cooker, air fryer, and a small fire all in a huggable device/ a kitchen appliance size. I constantly miss cooking with a grill or green egg but since we live in an apartment no fire is allowed but for the fire of the soul.
The Ninja Foodi is a pressure cooker, air fryer, dehydrator steamer, and basically, can pressure cook a whole chicken then crisp the skin. I hear the Instant pot now has a lid that makes it an air fryer too so if you already have the Instant Pot that’s a cheaper way to add the crisp.
Stovetop:
This soup really needs no extra whistles, even though whistling while making it is highly recommended. A dutch oven would work well to keep consistent heat with the soup. A large pot will also work beautifully.
Immersion Blender or Blender:
Immersion blenders are great for soup. I prefer to just use a blender because it creates the creamiest soup.
DIY Broth Recipe:
To make the broth peel the butternut squash and place the skins in a bowl. Chop the carrots and onion, placing the onion skins and ends, and carrot butts into the bowl. Add the scraps to your Instant Pot/Ninja Foodi bowl or pan on the stove and add four cups of water. Simmer on the stove for thirty minutes or pressure cook on high for ten minutes. Release after 5 minutes of resting.
This broth is delicious for any Whole 30 fall soup.
Step by Step Apple Cider Fall Soup:
Once the broth is made toast the spices to bring out their aromas. If you’re using the stove and don’t mind dirtying another pan just start in another one. Toast 1/2 a teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 a teaspoon of pumpkin spice (or another 1/2 tsp cinnamon if you don’t have it) and a 1/2 tsp of ginger.
Once you smell the spices, by taking in deep sniffs that fill your soul with fall, add a tablespoon of ghee and stir, then add the chopped onion.
Let the onion cook for about five minutes until it gets translucent then toss in the 4 cups of carrots, 3 cups of butternut and 2 quartered apples along with a 1/2 tsp of salt.
Saute everything for about five more minutes to release its flavor then pour in 3/4 cups of apple cider, 1/2 a cup of your broth (refrigerate or freeze the rest, or just drink it with some added salt).
Add the lid to your Ninja Foodi or Instant pot and set to ten minutes or bring the liquid to a boil on the stove then lower to a simmer for about 20 minutes or until you can pierce a squash with a fork and it goes all the way through.
If using a pressure cooker let it slow release for five minutes then release the pressure carefully (with a cloth over the release valve or away from cabinets).
Let the soup rest for ten minutes the blend, or immersion blend, until smooth and creamy. Give it a taste and see if you want more cinnamon or salt. Once the soup cools you’ll taste all the flavors more as heat can change our ability to taste all the flavors. This soup is incredible cold as even more of the cider flavor comes out.
Top with cranberries and fresh grated nutmeg or cinnamon. Enjoy!
Looking for other Whole 30 Recipes?
Whole 30 Peaches and Pork Chops with Lavender Buds
Whole 30 Fall Soup with Apple Cider, Carrots and Butternut Squash
Ingredients
4 Cups Chopped Carrots
2 Quartered Apples
3 Cups Chopped Butternut Squash
1 Tablespoon Ghee - see notes
3/4 Cups of Apple Cider (no sweetner added) -DIY Recipe
1/2 Cup of Broth (DIY Below)
Broth (optional):
Ends of carrots and onion (as well as onion skin) and skin of squash
4 Cups of Water
Spices:
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pumpkin Spice
1/2 tsp to 1tsp Cinnamon Powder (depending on how much you love cinnamon)
1/4 tsp Ginger Powder
For Toppings: (Optional)
Fresh Whole Grated Nutmeg, Cranberries, or a Sprinkle of Cinnamon
Instructions
For Broth:
Peel the butternut squash and place the skins in a bowl. Chop the carrots and onion, placing the onion skins, ends, and carrot butts into the bowl. Add the scraps to your Instant Pot/Ninja Foodi bowl or pan on the stove and add four cups of water. Simmer on the stove for thirty minutes or pressure cook on high for ten minutes and release after 5 minutes of resting.Â
Turn on your favorite song and dance while creating 😉
1. If using the stove use a separate pan to toast the spices by adding them to the pan at medium high heat and waiting until you can smell them. If using the Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot wait until the broth finishes, strain into a bowl, dry the pot then toast the spices on Saute HI mode.Â
2. Once you can smell the spices add a Tablespoon of ghee and stir, then add the onions and saute for about three minutes. If using Ninja Foodi use a spatula or wooden spoon to avoid scratching the bottom.
3. After the onions have released their flavors add the carrots, butternut squash, salt, and apples and continue to saute for 5 minutes to release their aroma.Â
4. After 5 minutes add in the 3/4 cups of apple cider and 1/2 cup of broth along with another 1/4 teaspoon of salt and either add the pressure cooking lid or add the lid to your stove pan.Â
5. For the pressure cooker set to high for 15 minutes, on the stove bring the liquid to a boil then, once boiling, bring down to medium and simmer for 20 minutes or until you can poke the squash all the way through with a fork.
6. Release the pressure on the pressure cooker then remove the lid or turn off the stove heat and let rest for ten minutes.Â
7. Add to blender or use immersion blender to blend until smooth.Â
8. Top with fresh grated nutmeg, cranberries, cinnamon or all 3. Start with a little then taste as fall spices can get overpowering quickly.
Notes: For the ghee check out our taste test of 7 ghee brands.
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