Not just for fall, this soup is a perennial favourite in our house, so I usually double the recipe. The apple adds a touch of sweetness, and the bits of bacon on top provide some salty crunch (if you can keep the kids from munching on them as you prepare the soup). It also freezes beautifully.
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Butternut Squash Soup with Apple, Sage and Bacon
Silky smooth squash soup with great depth of flavour.
- Yield: serves 6
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
- 2–1/2 lb. butternut squash (about 1 medium), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 Granny Smith or another tart-sweet apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 1/2 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage leaves
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4 c homemade or low-salt chicken or vegetable broth
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° or 350° convection roast..
- Spread the squash pieces on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, tossing the pieces to coat evenly. Roast in the oven until browned, turning several times (about 20 minutes).
- In a 5-quart or larger stockpot set over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden (8 to 10 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Drain most of the bacon fat from the stockpot. Stir in the apple, sage, salt, and pepper and cook for about 4 minutes (you’ll see more browning occur on the bottom of the pot than on the vegetables). Add the broth, scraping up any browned bits in the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the roasted squash. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook until the squash and apples are very soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool somewhat.
- Puree, using a stand or immersion blender (you will need to work in batches if using a stand blender). Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Reheat the soup and garnish each serving with the bacon.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
