Yummy Autumnal Veggie Soup
A Warming Autumn Soup to Support Your Seasonal Transition
As the leaves turn and temperatures drop, our digestion naturally weakens, making warm, cooked meals ideal for this time of year. This Ayurvedic-inspired veggie soup is packed with seasonal ingredients that are easy to digest, gently detoxifying, and deeply satisfying.
Inspired by the teachings of Divya Alter, this soup blends Ayurvedic principles with the comforting flavours of autumn. It’s grounding, nourishing, and a great way to use what’s in season—from root vegetables to hearty greens. Best of all, it’s easy to prepare and makes for a complete meal on its own.
How to make the Soup?
This vegetable soup is super tasty and versatile. I got inspired when I was reading a recipe by Divya Alter, one of my favourite Ayurveda chefs.
You can utilise any autumn vegetables to make this a nourishing, seasonal meal. The soup is complete in itself, but a slice of toasted sourdough bread works well too.
These measurements are good for 4 servings as the main course, don’t shy away from the long list 😅, it’s all worth the while.
Here are the ingredients for the Autumnal Veggie Soup:
½ cup pearl barley, soaked overnight or at least 8 hours
½ cup lentils, any of your favs, green or puy lentils, azuki or mung beans soaked overnight or at least for 8 hours
1 cup peeled and diced beetroot
1 cup green cabbage or kale
1 cup peeled and diced carrots
1 stake celery, sliced
1 cup diced zucchini
2 tbsp ghee or olive oil
1 small green chilli
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 pinch hing
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 ½ tsp salt
Lemon juice to taste
¼ tsp black pepper
Fresh parsley, basil or coriander leaves chopped for after cooking.
How to do it!
Wash and strain the barley and lentils, set aside in the strainer.
In a big pot, heat up the ghee or olive oil, add the cumin seeds, sauté till they give off fragrance, add the hing sauté for a moment, then the chilli and ginger, add the celery and sauté for a few minutes.
Add the beetroot and carrots, then the cabbage, keep sautéing, add the barley and lentil mixture, and the dried herbs and sauté all for another 5 min. Stir the mixture regularly.
Add about 1 l boiling water; the mixture should be covered by about 4 cm. Cook the mixture for about 20-30 min until the lentils and barley are soft.
Add the salt, lemon juice and black pepper.
Add the fresh herbs to the individual bowls.
Enjoy the soup with a slice of toasted sourdough bread.
Why This Soup Works in Ayurveda
This soup combines the sweet and earthy qualities of autumn vegetables with digestive spices like cumin, ginger, and hing—perfect for pacifying Vata dosha, which becomes dominant in autumn. The lentils and pearl barley offer grounding protein and fibre, the beetroot supports the liver, and cabbage or kale offers gentle detoxification.
It’s a beautiful example of how seasonal eating can be delicious, nourishing, and aligned with your body's changing needs.
Katja x
