Story by: Alyssa Shultis
Photographed by: Carson Downing
Food styling by: Charles Worthington
Produced by: Scott J. Johnson
Art direction by: Billy Jack Brawner
If a meal could give you a hug, these one pot wonders would offer a warm embrace. Autumn is all about meals that offer comfort and satisfaction, like a silky soup simmering with squash, hearty stew stocked with tender braised beef or a pot of broth teeming with stuffed pasta shells. This season, the fastest way to soak up fall is through a ladle, a spoon and your bowl.
Butternut Squash Soup
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 small white onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 32-ounce box chicken broth or 4 cups homemade chicken broth
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 to1 cup heavy cream + 3 Tbsp. for optional garnish
Toasted pepitas or Air-Fryer Chickpea Topping
1. Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium. Add the squash, onion, and garlic; cook about 10 minutes or until onion is translucent and tender, stirring occasionally.
2. Add broth, salt, nutmeg, and white pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a rolling boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, until about 25 minutes or until squash is very tender.
3. Stir in 1/2 to 1 cup cream, as desired
4. Use an immersion blender to blend soup until it is smooth and velvety. (Alternatively, let
soup cool slightly and, working in batches, blend in a regular blender until smooth. Fill the blender no more than half full and remove the steam vent in the lid.)
5. Ladle soup into bowls. Top servings with a drizzle of heavy cream (if using) and/or toasted pepitas or Air-Fryer Chickpea Topping.
Number of Servings: 6
Yield: 7 1/2 cups
Featured in Magnolia Table Cookbook: Volume 2
Classic Beef Stew
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 40 minutes
1 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup salted butter
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (2 cups)
3 stalks celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 1/2 cups)
1 medium white onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 cup)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 32-ounce box beef broth
1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 14.4-ounce can gold and white corn, such as Del Monte, undrained
1 large russet potato, scrubbed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (1 1/2 cups)
1 cup frozen peas
Biscuit Dumpling Soup Topper
1. Lightly season beef with a pinch each of salt and pepper. In a 6-qt. soup pot heat butter over medium until foam subsides. Add the beef and cook about 5 minutes or until browned on all sides.
2. Add the carrots, celery, and onion; cook about 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the flour, garlic powder, garlic salt, and 1 tsp. pepper. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until well combined, stirring constantly.
3. Add the broth, tomatoes, corn, and potato. Add up to 1 cup water if needed to ensure the ingredients are covered. Bring to boiling over medium-high; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 1 hour 15 minutes or until meat and potato are tender.
4. Stir in frozen peas; return to a simmer. Add Biscuit Dumpling Soup Topper and cook as directed.
5. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days or freeze up to 1 month.
Number of Servings: 8
Yield: 10 3/4 cups
Featured in Magnolia Table Cookbook: Volume 1
Biscuit Dumpling Soup Topper
Prep: 10 minutes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1. Stir together the first six ingredients (through baking soda) in a medium bowl. Add the buttermilk and butter; stir until dough comes together. If dough seems dry, add 1 to 2 Tbsp. additional buttermilk. Use a cookie scoop or two soup spoons (one for scooping and one for pushing) to drop dough onto simmering soup, spacing evenly. Cover pot and simmer over low about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centers of dumplings comes out clean.
Number of Servings: 8
Tortellini Soup
Start to Finish: 20 minutes
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 of a medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
6 cups (1 1/2 qt.) chicken broth
1 14.5-ounce can diced fired-roasted tomatoes, undrained
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 9-ounce pkg. fresh cheese tortellini
1 14.5-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
6 cups fresh baby spinach
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1/2 of a lemon (1 1/2 Tbsp.)
1 cup shaved Parmesan cheese (about 4 oz.) or Cheese Crisps (directional)
1 loaf French bread, for serving
1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high. Add the onion and garlic; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until the onion is soft and tender, stirring constantly.
2. Add broth, tomatoes, and Italian seasoning; bring to a rolling boil. Add the tortellini and beans; cook about 2 minutes or until tortellini are cooked through.
3. Turn off the heat. Add the spinach, parsley, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Squeeze the lemon juice into the soup.
4. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with the Parmesan or top with Cheese Crisps. Serve immediately with torn bread for dipping.
5. Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days or freeze up to 2 months. Thaw soup before reheating.
Number of Servings: 6
Yield: 9 cups
Featured in Magnolia Table Cookbook: Volume 1
