Soup Recipes for Every Season in Provence

In Provence, recipes change in concert with the seasons, matching available ingredients and the temperatures. In larger centres like Aix-en-Provence, Avignon and Marseille, the daily markets inspire professional chefs and anyone cooking dinner at home. The classic French onion might spring to mind when you think of French soups, but that is a Paris bistro staple. Soupe au Pistou is the most traditional soup in Provence and one that every Provencal family will have a variation of pistou. Below is a collection of soup recipes by season. Enjoy the tastes of Provence.

Summer Soups

Perfect for a warm sunny day when you are craving the flavour of soup without all the heat! An easy recipe that requires a blender and tomatoes.

Chilled Tomato Gazpacho Soup

Tomatoes, peppers, onions, and more blended together. You will need a good blender, a sieve and some patience but otherwise, this is such an easy recipe. No cooking required!

Check out this recipe

Chilled soup is ideal for summer weather—a delicious and simple recipe made with cucumbers.

Cucumber Grape Gazpacho Soup

A perfect no-cooking required recipe for hot weather. This cold cucumber soup is easy to make, delicious, and gilded with edible gold leaf!

Check out this recipe

A vegan soup dish that combines a variety of vegetables and fruit to make green melon gazpacho!

Green Melon Gazpacho

Paula Sachs recipe turns traditional gazpacho on its head with this green melon version. The soup is easy to make, best served well chilled and suitable for vegan diets. No cooking required, which is terrific on hot summer days.

Check out this recipe

If you’re looking for a new way to enjoy blueberries in the summer, you should try this recipe out! It is easy to prep and store in the fridge to enjoy later in the day.

Blueberry-Lavender Soup 

This recipe was adapted from Cooking in the Shaker Spirit, by James Haller.

Check out this recipe

Add your zucchini to a pot to start making this delicious soup.

Zucchini and Basil Velouté

This soup is simple to make and an interesting way to prepare your late season zucchini harvest.

Check out this recipe

Soups for Fall

Provencal chickpea soup provides comfort and warmth in a bowl. The easy and inexpensive recipe will leave you feeling well-fed!

Provencal Chickpea Soup (Fourmade)

Easy to master: Provencal chickpea soup is so surprisingly rich and luxurious tasting that even my 9-year-old son is convinced it has cream.

Check out this recipe

The perfect soup to keep you warm as the weather starts feeling cooler. The soup is made with mushrooms found all over Provence in the fall and chestnuts!

Creamy Mushroom and Chestnut Soup

This mushroom and chestnut soup was inspired by a recipe from Bizzy Lizzy’s Good Things.

Check out this recipe

This an easy recipe to make when you are craving a warm bowl of soup but not up for cooking. This Butternut Squash is the perfect pick-me-up for fall.

Velouté Butternut Squash Soup

This soup is easy to make and will warm (and cheer) you up on a cool day.

Check out this recipe

A vegetable-filled soup that is comforting and perfect to share with friends.

Soupe au Pistou

A delicious soup in the middle of summer with lots of broth is surprisingly refreshing. Important: Pistou should never be cooked. It should be added to the soup as a finishing touch for flavouring before serving once the pot is off the heat.

Check out this recipe

Suppose you are looking to add some spice to your fall evenings. Wind down with this spicy parsnip soup made 2with red chili peppers.

Spicy Parsnip Soup

Parsnip and garlic take center stage in this rich and creamy soup and the spice is up to you with the addition of the red chili pepper.

Check out this recipe

A delicious cup of soup is the perfect way to get your vegetable servings in the fall. This Roast Carrot Soup is a tastier way to consume carrots!

Roast Carrot Soup

It's the curl up with a good book soup. Smooth and creamy roasted carrots star in this dish with garlic and onions. A great make ahead soup to share with friends too.

Check out this recipe

The next time you see the beautiful displays of vegetables at your local market, purchase a few squash to bring home for an easy and tasteful soup recipe!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Like many soups, this one is easy to prepare. The butternut squash (or other variety) gives it a hearty flavour without being too filling, and roasting the squash adds a richer flavour.

Check out this recipe

Warm Winter Soups

The (best) time to satisfy a soup craving is during the cold winter days. This white bean soup is the perfect recipe for warmth in the winter.

White Bean Soup

This soup is ideal for a dinner party as it can be made ahead. Heat it through at the last moment and serve with toasted country bread.

Check out this recipe

Seafood can be just as satisfying in the winter. Fish and fennel chowder is the perfect way to enjoy fish!

Fish and Fennel Chowder

Easy and satisfying - a perfect soup.

Check out this recipe

A go-to for all soup lovers is French onion soup. Enjoy this restaurant classic recipe that brings a taste of Paris into your kitchen.

French Onion Soup

Bring a taste of Paris to your home dining experience. Bon appétit!

Check out this recipe

The holidays are the perfect time to gather with friends and family, and you can make this French Christmas soup recipe for everyone to enjoy.

Chestnut Soup for the Holidays

This dish is easy to make chestnut soup perfect for holiday celebrating. Whether you're wanting a toasty lunch in front of the fire or a great accompaniment to a holiday meal, this soup is sure to give you what you need.

Check out this recipe

Coconut is often a summer flavour, but this coconut curry chicken soup brings a new meaning to the taste.

Coconut Curry Chicken Soup

This recipe was adapted from a similar version on the culinary blog "Pinch Me, I'm Eating" (https://www.pinchmeimeating.com/). Enjoy the flavour combination of curry, coconut and lime in this Thai-inspired soup. The recipe serves 4 people as a main course.

Check out this recipe

Another way to enjoy seafood in the winter is with Marseille fish soup.

Marseille Fish Soup - Soupe de Poissons

You will want to make a big batch and freeze what you don’t eat. Making fish soup at home can be a very messy, labor-intensive process. Trust me, you will thank me later for this advice. I usually make a few gallons and then freeze leftovers in quart sized mason jars ready to use at a moments call.

Check out this recipe

If you want a different way to consume sausage, make this lentil soup filled with sausage, sweet paprika, potatoes, carrots, and celery.

Lentils and Sausage with Sweet Paprika Soup

This soup is a filling bowl of delicious flavours. It is easy to prepare, and can definitely be made in advance. Serve with fresh bread and a red wine from Provence.

Check out this recipe

Spring Soups

Your soup cravings change with the season as the weather starts warming up. This mussel soup is an easy recipe to try for your next lunch!

Provencal Mussel Soup - La Soupe de Moules

Like most soup recipes this one is not complicated. You can make the rouille in advance to save some time. Enjoy as a first course or as a light lunch.

Check out this recipe

A unique way to enjoy coconut milk is with this soup recipe. It is vegetable filled and delicious!

Cauliflower Velouté (with fresh ginger and coconut milk)

This soup, like most, is simple to make. Cook the vegetable add the liquid and purée. Enjoy a warm bowl on a cold day.

Check out this recipe

The perfect soup recipe to enjoy on a warm spring day as the weather feels a little like summer. This recipe is filled with fresh asparagus and peas that can be enjoyed cold or hot, depending on preference.

Fresh Asparagus and Pea Soup

Like most soups this spring/summer inspired version is really easy to make. Serve it cold on a hot day and your guests will thank you.

Check out this recipe

Carolyne Kauser-Abbott

With her camera and laptop close at hand, Carolyne has traded in her business suits for the world of freelance writing and blogging. Her first airplane ride at six months of age was her introduction to the exciting world of travel.

While in Provence, Carolyne can be found hiking with friends, riding the hills around the Alpilles or tackling Mont Ventoux. Her attachment to the region resonates in Perfectly Provence this digital magazine that she launched in 2014. This website is an opportunity to explore the best of the Mediterranean lifestyle (food & wine, places to stay, expat stories, books on the region, travel tips, real estate tips and more), through our contributors' articles.

Carolyne writes a food and travel blog Ginger and Nutmeg. Carolyne’s freelance articles can be found in Global Living Magazine, Avenue Magazine and City Palate (Published Travel Articles).