The monsoon is one of the most beautiful times of the year, but it can also be a little depressing if you’re stuck at home on a rainy day. We’ve found that there is nothing more comforting than sipping on a hot bowl of delicious soup while watching the rain fall (especially if you throw in some homemade croutons!). That’s why we wanted to share a few of our favourite soup recipes with you, to keep you warm this monsoon. 

• Creamy vegan mushroom soup

• ½ tablespoon olive oil or vegan butter
• ½ cup mushrooms
• 8 cloves garlic
• 1 onion
• 1 teaspoon sea salt & ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 ½ cup coconut milk
• 4 sprigs thyme with their stems removed

In a large pot bring olive oil or vegan butter to heat. Dice the mushrooms and onion and mince the garlic cloves and add them to the pot. Stir the ingredients together and sauté them until the mushrooms begin to release their natural juices and become fragrant. Pour vegetable broth and coconut milk into the pot and add thyme. Let the mixture simmer. Scoop out two cups of soup along with mushrooms and pour them into your blender. Blend the soup until it is thick. Add the blended mixture back into the soup and stir well. Serve hot with croutons for best effect.

• Cauliflower soup

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 onion
• 2 carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cauliflower
• 1 bay leaf
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Begin by melting butter in a pot. Dice and add garlic, onions, carrots and celery into the pot, stirring these vegetables until they turn tender. Add chopped cauliflower and a single bay leaf to the pot and stir it until the cauliflower turns crisp. Sprinkle flour onto the pot, this will result in the colour of the soup turning light brown. Gradually add milk, stirring the soup and allowing it to thicken. Stir until you get your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Pair it with tortilla chips from DIP Foods for a crunchy side dish to this tender soup.

• Sausage potato spinach soup

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound spicy Italian sausage
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 onion
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pound red potatoes
• 3 cups baby spinach
• ¼ cup heavy cream

Heat oil in a pot and add the Italian sausage to it, cook the sausage until it turns brown. Add minced garlic, chopped onion, oregano, basil and red pepper flakes into the pot. Stir the pot frequently, allowing the onions to become translucent as they are cooked. Add chopped spinach and diced potatoes to your dish and stir it until the potatoes are soft and the spinach begins to wilt. Gradually add milk, allowing the soup to thicken. When you have your desired consistency, you can serve the soup along with crunchy potato chips for the best effect.

Apart from the weather, the monsoon is when many of us fall sick which is exactly when you need that wholesome bowl of soup! Pair your favourite soup with baked whole grain chips and get the double whopper of good health and taste.