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Halloween Soup Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Halloween Soup Recipe

I make this Halloween soup every single October, and by now it's become one of those meals my kids actually ask for by name. I love turning ordinary dinner ingredients into something a little spooky, and this witches brew stew does exactly that with carrot "pumpkins" and mushroom "skulls" floating right in the bowl.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil — for sautéing your onion celery, and carrots until soft
  • 1 pound ground turkey — swap for ground beef or ground chicken if that's what you have on hand
  • 2 ribs celery diced — adds a savory backbone flavor to the broth
  • 1 yellow onion diced — builds the aromatic base every good stew needs
  • 2 carrots — cut and carved into little pumpkin shapes for the spooky effect
  • 24 ounces baby potatoes quartered — purple or mixed colors work best for a festive look
  • 4-5 cloves garlic minced — fresh garlic gives a much deeper flavor than the jarred kind
  • 1 teaspoon dried marjoram — brings a warm slightly floral herbal note
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley — adds a mild fresh herb flavor to round things out
  • ½ teaspoon dried dill — a small amount goes a long way for a subtle tang
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste — deepens the broth's color and adds richness
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce — gives the stew a savory slightly tangy backbone
  • 6 cups beef broth — chicken or vegetable broth both work fine as substitutes
  • 8 ounces white mushrooms — sliced and carved into little skull shapes for the Halloween theme

Method
 

  1. Slice your carrots into rounds, then use a small paring knife to notch a tiny stem at the top and cut two small triangles on the sides to form a pumpkin shape. For the mushrooms, slice them in half and score a few lines into the stem, then press a straw into the cap to create eye holes for a skull look.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, then add your diced celery, onion, and carved carrot pumpkins. Let these cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns soft and translucent.
  3. Add the ground turkey to the pot along with a pinch of salt. Use your spoon to break it into small crumbles as it cooks, and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until most of the pink is gone. Drain off any excess liquid before moving on.
  4. Stir in the minced garlic, marjoram, parsley, dill, quartered baby potatoes, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix everything together so the tomato paste coats the vegetables evenly and the herbs start releasing their aroma.
  5. Pour in the beef broth and bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Once it's bubbling, cover the pot, reduce the heat, and let everything simmer for about 10 minutes so the potatoes have time to soften.
  6. Drop in your carved mushroom skulls, cover the pot again, and cook for another 5 minutes. Give the stew a taste and adjust the salt or herbs if needed, then it's ready to ladle into bowls and serve.

Notes

  • I always cut my carrots into short 2 to 3-inch pieces first, which makes carving the pumpkin shapes so much easier than trying to work with a full-length carrot.
  • I like browning the turkey a little longer than the recipe technically calls for, since it gives the broth a deeper, richer flavor.
  • I always taste my broth right before serving, because the seasoning needs can shift depending on which broth brand I use.
  • I keep my mushroom skulls whole instead of over-slicing them, since delicate cuts tend to fall apart once they hit the simmering broth.
  • I like to prep my carved veggies the night before so all I have to do on the day is cook, which saves me a ton of time.