Butternut Squash Soup
This rich, creamy butternut squash soup is the ultimate comfort food for a chilly winter's night.
This rich, creamy soup is Greg Cosby's idea of comfort food. The Photo Services staffer says, "I've managed to make my mom's recipe easier by using frozen butternut squash. It's very simple for the novice cook."
How to Make It
Step 1
Cook bacon slices in a Dutch oven until crisp. Remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings. Crumble bacon, and set aside.
Step 2
Sauté onion and carrots in hot bacon drippings in Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add celery and apple, and sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic, and sauté 30 seconds. Add butternut squash and chicken broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until carrots are tender.
Step 3
Process squash mixture, in batches, in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Step 4
Return to Dutch oven. Add lime juice and next 7 ingredients. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until thickened. Top with crumbled bacon. Garnish, if desired.
Step 5
*3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped may be substituted for frozen butternut squash.
Step 6
Note: For testing purposes only, we used McKenzie's Southland Frozen Butternut Squash.
sunbum's Review
Tasty soup- a little peppery but that could be due to the red pepper I used which is imported from the Caribbean and packs a BIG punch. Also I misread the directions and I blended the spices in with my immersion blender instead of adding after blending first as directed and then adding the spices. We loved the soup, but the little ones in my house said it was too spicy. Like other reviewers, I also modified the recipe a bit. I sautéed the veggies in a small amount of olive oil & skipped the bacon drippings. I did add "real bacon bits" at the end, but the kind from the salad aisle as they are less fat & at that I only added about 1.5 ounces plus added about a 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground ginger & substituted the fat free half & half for the cream. I would make it again.
jdyste68's Review
Great recipe and easy to make.
JLMCooks's Review
This is so delicious. I use my immersion blender and it turns out silky smooth....and easy! I also like to add a little chopped green onions on top along with the bacon. Serve with crostini....a great soup!
GayleLessmann's Review
This soup is healthful AND delicious. While I love "heat," I would take it easy on the pepper. If you're concerned about fat, substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream, and keep the bacon. Enjoy!
HomechefAna's Review
This is fantastic! I will be adding this in rotation of go-to recipes, as well as making it for guests.
I modified it quite a bit to make it healthy. No bacon. Roasted squash first. Simmered the onion, garlic, and carrot in the chicken stock until softening, then added the celery, apple, and squash. I added ginger to the spices and substituted fat-free half-and-half for the heavy cream. So I ended up not adding any fat to the dish, and there was no way you could tell from the mouth feel and satiety! The end result was rich, creamy, and filling!
meganhalv's Review
This soup was wonderful. It packs a punch of flavor. I did like the bacon with the soup. I also tripled the amount of honey, and added a bit of extra nutmeg after tasting it. Delicious! I served the dish with a grilled ham and cheese sandwich.
edriver's Review
This was great, BUT I would cut the bacon in half next time. And this comes from a bacon lover.
MikosChef's Review
Yum!!!
CRAmanda's Review
Really great soup! Thick, creamy, and excellent flavor. My husband loves it so much, he frequently requests it! I leave the bacon out, to cut down on the fat, but otherwise follow the directions to the t. I always use fresh squash and have found it helpful to cut it in half lengthwise then roast it in the oven for 20ish minutes to soften it up--makes cutting a lot easier. And, be sure to let the soup cool down a bit before putting it in the blender!!!
Perfect as is