This is the secret to making perfect soup at home

Fall cooking means many things: figuring out how to turn those weird gourds you bought into edible food, baking pie from all the apples you picked, and of course, making soup. I wasn’t always a huge fan of fall soups myself—they can be bland, particularly if you don't make them fresh—but that all changed when I invested in our favorite hand blender.

The Breville Control Grip Immersion Blender took first place in our hand blender round-up, but I wasn't convinced of its powers until I saw it all over the “The Great British Bake Off,” where contestants use it to whip and chop and blend on their way to baking glory. When I finally bought mine, I immediately fell in love. It's well-built but lightweight enough to hold without making my arm tired, its attachments never get clogged, and it's easy to clean and store when not in use.

Throughout the year, I've used my Breville to chop vegetables without breaking a sweat, whip up mayonnaise, and blend delicate, smooth pesto. But now that fall is in full swing, I'll be using it blend all sorts of creamy, spicy soups that taste way better than anything I can get at the store (and without having to transfer cooked vegetables into various blending containers).

Already have an immersion blender on hand? Here are some of my favorite fall soup recipes to make with your super-versatile tool.

For when you're tired of the same old squash soup

To mark the beginning of fall, I always like to improve upon tradition and make a pot of curried butternut squash soup. The curry adds a depth of flavor and spice that's missing from most butternut recipes. I also like to steam the butternut squash cubes in a bamboo steamer over a large pot of boiling water, which speeds up the cooking process.

This soup is creamy and lightly seasoned, making it perfect for a gloomy, rainy day in the fall. The addition of coconut milk complements the earthy and savory flavor of pumpkin.

For the adventurous food connoisseur

If you're not afraid of a little more spice, this Thai green curry might fit nicely into your fall soup rotation. I was initially intimidated by the recipe’s long ingredient list, but the food processor attachment on my hand blender made chopping everything up a breeze.

In the past, I used a KitchenAid immersion blender that also came with a food processor attachment, but it always left me with a huge mess to clean up. Comparatively, I’ve been amazed by the attachment on the Breville. This little gadget consistently impresses me regardless of what blending tasks I throw at it.

For those who crave classic comfort

You might be avoiding the onslaught of all things pumpkin this fall, but let's face it—pumpkin soup can still be delicious. This roasted pumpkin soup is incredibly simple and a huge crowd-pleaser. While the recipe calls for the addition of apples, I like to use Asian pears when available, because they add a bit of tang to an otherwise plain soup.

For the one who’s bored of canned tomato soup

Tomato soup with grilled cheese is an all-time classic combo, regardless of the weather. I’ve long advocated for tomato soups made from scratch, not because I’m a food snob, but because of my passion for juicy, fresh fall tomatoes and all the fresh herbs that go into making the soup.

Making tomato soup has historically been a messy, exhausting process, but an immersion blender takes out a lot of that stress and mess. This slow cooker recipe is perfect for beginner cooks who want to try something new. If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can also make this soup in a pot or Dutch oven on the stovetop.

For those who need more veggies

If you're picky about the kind of vegetables you enjoy, this cauliflower soup might change your perspective. Why? It’s surprisingly creamy and rich, reminiscent of a potato-cheddar soup, so you might forget you're eating cauliflower. The roasting process adds a subtly smoky flavor that I adore.

For those who really don't like soup

If you're still not convinced fall soup is for you, you can put your immersion blender to good use this season and make apple sauce. Homemade apple sauce is easy to make and incredibly delicious, and it's lower in sugar and preservatives than the jarred stuff you buy at the store. We love this recipe from Serious Eats that recommends mixing different types of apples to achieve a more complex flavor.