Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon
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utternut Squash Soup with Bacon is a wonderful autumn soup and is so comforting on cool days. The amazing flavor comes from roasting the butternut squash in the oven and using bacon!
Butternut squash is my favorite squash to use in cooking. We love it in my Butternut Squash and Bacon Risotto, the best Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta, and reader-fav Butternut Squash Lasagna with Spinach! Also, make sure you try my Autumn Squash Soup – a Panera copycat!
Butternut Squash Soup
Comfort Food alert! What better way to enjoy cooler weather than with a an easy butternut squash soup recipe that’s on the healthier side?
While food is my love language, soup is my cool-weather love language if that’s a thing. When fall weather comes, or even a little earlier (cuz TEXAS), I’m making all the soups.
Following a recipe is a good thing when you are susceptible to making soup for 20 instead of four. I mean, if vegetables are good for you, let’s just add more! Which is why creating these soup recipes (thus putting a limit on ingredients) is so important for me so we can avoid eating the same thing five nights in a row. You’re welcome, family. 😀
Three must-dos for the the best soup:
- One, roasting the squash with olive oil and salt & pepper (instead of boiling the veggies) is KEY.
- Two, using a bit of cream or half and half is another must. A little (just one half of a cup) goes a long way here.
- And three, yup…bacon. I cooked six bacon slices for this recipe and saved a bit for the garnish. And I might have nibbled a bit.
What You’ll Need:
- Butternut Squash – One large squash is required for this recipe.
- Olive Oil – Used to roast the squash and sauté the other veggies.
- Other Soup Veggies – Yellow onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. How I start many of my soup recipes!
- Seasonings – Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon.
- Bacon – I used six slices of bacon, but you could use less or more. Extra bacon is always a good thing.
- Broth – I almost always use lower sodium chicken broth (or chicken stock).
- Half and Half – Used to add some creaminess and sweetness to this soup. You could use heavy cream or coconut milk here as well.
How to roast a butternut squash:
- Cut off both ends and peel the squash.
- Slice in in half both ways and remove seeds.
- Chop in bite sized pieces, place on a large baking sheet (or two) and season with olive oil, s&p.
- Bake until fork tender.
How to make this soup recipe
Step 1
Roast squash. Peel and chop squash, removing all seeds. Spread on a two baking sheets lined with parchment paper and roast in a preheated oven until fork tender. This will take approximately 30 minutes.
Step 2
Fry bacon. In a medium stock pot (I use a dutch oven) over medium-high heat, add diced bacon, and cook until done. Remove the bacon from the soup pot and set it on a plate lined with paper towel. If you’re using the bacon grease, you’re all set to sauté the veggies.
Step 3
Sauté veggies. Use the bacon fat (or remove it and use olive oil or butter) to sauté the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until slightly softened, approximately 6-7 minutes.
Step 4
Add garlic and seasonings. Then add the garlic and seasonings (salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon) and stir for 30 seconds or so.
Step 5
Add broth. Then add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the roasted squash. (Reserve a few chunks for serving the soup, if desired.) Cook until all veggies are tender.
Step 6
Puree soup. Remove the stockpot from the heat and puree until smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a regular blender but in that case, make sure to cool the soup slightly first.
Step 7
Add half and half. Place the pot back on the stove, add the half and half and most of the bacon, and heat for a few more minutes.
Step 8
Serve. Ladle soup into serving bowls with chunks of reserved squash (optional), the reserved crispy bacon, and some extra black pepper.
Store LEFTOVERS in an airtight container in your refrigerator. The cooked soup will last for several days. We like to store it in individual serving containers and meal prep for lunches. It tastes even better the next day!
What to serve with Roasted Butternut Squash Soup:
- We like this as a side dish to a Smoked Spatchcock Chicken with Blackened Seasoning, some Cast Iron Tilapia, or Oven Blackened Salmon.
- Soup and Salad is always a great idea. Try this delicious soup with a Classic Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing, my favorite Summer Panzanella Salad, or a Fall Harvest Salad.
- You gotta have a crusty bread dipper, right? We love a simple Chewy French Bread or some Garlic Sourdough Bread and dip away!
Recipe FAQs
The truth is that you do not. The peeling is safe to eat as long as it is clean and in good shape. However, I prefer to peel it for this creamy soup.
Butternut squash is loaded with good things like Vitamins A and C, Magnesium and Potassium. It’s also filled with antioxidants and helps to prevent inflammation.
Flour and cornstarch are normally used in soups to thicken them. However, when making my version, the soup is thickened when you puree it. Make sure you don’t add too much broth or it will not be as creamy.
A butternut squash has a mild taste similar to a sweet potato. When adding other ingredients to it, the flavor is enhanced and you can taste the natural sweetness.
Other Soup Recipes:
I’ve got quite the assortment of soup recipes for you to enjoy. Creamy ones, spicy soups, healthier versions, and the list goes on. Here are a few of my favorites.
Kitchen Tools used for this recipe:
Try this soup next: Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
xoxo ~Sue
Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash – peeled, cubed, & seeds removed
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- 1 medium onion – chopped
- 6 slices bacon – chopped
- 4 large carrots – peeled and cubed
- 3 stalks celery – diced
- 3 cloves garlic – minced
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper – use more if you are going for extra spicy
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup half and half
- extra half and half and black pepper – to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Peel and chop the butternut squash, removing the seeds. Place on baking sheets and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake until fork tender, approximately 30 minutes. Set aside.
- Dice bacon and fry in medium stock pan, until crisp. Remove bacon, and either use the bacon grease or olive oil. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, and saute until slightly softened, approximately 6-7 minutes.
- Add garlic and seasonings (salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon) and stir for another 30 seconds or so.
- Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to a simmer and add the roasted squash, cooking about 10 more minutes, or until the veggies are tender.
- Remove the stockpot from the heat, and use an immersion blender (or pour into a blender) to puree until mostly smooth. It's ok to have a few small chunks remaining.
- Place the pot back on the stove and add the half and half and most of the bacon – cook until heated through. You'll need to use a low temp here and stir constantly (to avoid the pureed soup from splatting).
- To serve, add the soup to individual bowls Top with some reserved squash and bacon – and another swirl of half and half.
Another top notch comfort food that is easy to make. I think I hit it a little hard with the cayenne (didn’t measure) which was perfect for me but a little spicy for my wife. Love the touch of cinnamon too. I served it up with a loaf of French bread from Sue’s blog.
Thanks Big Papa! 🙂
I’m making this for company right now and I can’t see when to put the bacon back in—eek! I don’t think it will do well in the immersion blender, so I’ll try adding it after, although then it won’t be very smooth. I’m sure it will still taste great!
Sorry about that, Ginger! I’ll fix the recipe now!
I ❤️ fall and this soup! For me, the bacon is the key ingredient,
Yes, bacon IS key!! ????
This soup was excellent, again, especially using precut squash as I did. Loved the spice and of course bacon makes everything better!!
I’m glad you tried it Shari! 🙂
Totally making this Sue! I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Yay!! I hope you love it. Let me know if you have any questions!