Butternut Squash Soup
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This Butternut Squash Soup brings together the best of autumn’s bounty in one pot, marrying the richness of butternut squash with a medley of spices and a hint of apple sweetness. It’s the perfect way to savor the season, with each spoonful promising a burst of comforting flavors!
Curried Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
This Butternut Squash Soup recipe is a culinary masterpiece, seamlessly blending the natural sweetness of butternut squash and apples with a tantalizing array of spices. Every spoonful offers a symphony of flavors, balancing comfort and excitement in one delightful dish. Topped with crispy bacon and a swirl of creamy heavy cream, it’s a soup that promises to warm your soul and tantalize your taste buds on any chilly evening.
Why You’ll Love This Butternut Squash Soup
- Easy to Make: One of the biggest charms of this Butternut Squash Soup is its simplicity. With straightforward steps and common ingredients, even novice cooks can whip up this delicious soup without any hassle.
- Versatile Ingredients: This recipe uses ingredients that are easy to find in any grocery store. The flexibility to use either fresh or pre-cubed butternut squash, along with common spices and pantry staples, means you can put this soup together without a special shopping trip.
- Comfort in a Bowl: There’s something deeply comforting about a bowl of warm, homemade soup. The combination of butternut squash, apple, and cream in this recipe creates a creamy, hearty soup that’s perfect for cozy nights in.
- Bacon: Adds a rich, savory flavor and a delightful crunch. If you prefer a vegetarian option, you can omit it or use smoked paprika for a similar smoky flavor.
- Onion and Garlic: These are the aromatic base of the soup, providing depth and a foundational flavor. Shallots can be a good substitute for onions if preferred.
- Spices (Curry Powder, Turmeric, Cardamom, Cumin, Coriander): This blend of spices gives the soup its unique and warming flavor profile. You can adjust the types and amounts based on your taste preferences or availability.
- Salt and Pepper: Essential for seasoning and enhancing all the other flavors in the soup.
- Chicken Broth: Serves as the liquid base of the soup, contributing to its richness and depth of flavor. You can also use vegetable broth.
- Butternut Squash: The star ingredient, it provides the soup’s creamy texture and sweet taste. Pumpkin or sweet potato can be used as alternatives.
- Apple: Adds a hint of sweetness and complements the squash. Pears are a good substitute if apples aren’t available.
- Heavy Cream: Brings richness and a velvety texture to the soup. For a lighter version, milk or a dairy-free alternative like coconut milk can be used.
- Fresh Oregano: Adds a touch of herbaceous freshness. Dried oregano or other herbs like thyme or sage can be used if fresh oregano isn’t available.
- Optional Goat Cheese: Offers a tangy contrast and creamy addition. Feta cheese or a dollop of sour cream could work as substitutes.
- Optional Maple Syrup: Can enhance the soup’s natural sweetness. Honey or brown sugar are suitable alternatives if maple syrup isn’t on hand.
To whip up this scrumptious Butternut Squash Soup, start by frying bacon in a large pot until it’s crispy, then set it aside. In the remaining bacon fat, cook chopped onion until translucent, then add minced garlic and a blend of spices like curry, turmeric, and cardamom for a fragrant kick. Next, pour in chicken broth, add cubed butternut squash and apple, and let it simmer until everything is tender.
Once the squash is soft, blend the mixture until it’s smooth and creamy, either using an immersion blender right in the pot or by transferring to a regular blender. Finally, stir in heavy cream for richness, adjust seasoning to taste, and serve the soup garnished with fresh oregano, crispy bacon, and optionally, some crumbled goat cheese for an extra layer of flavor.
This soup is a delightful mix of sweet and savory, with a luxurious texture that makes it a perfect comfort dish.
Serve With This
Easy Garlic Bread
Quiche Lorraine
Caesar Salad Recipe
Apple Orange Salad
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this soup vegetarian or vegan?
Absolutely! For a vegetarian version, simply use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and skip the bacon or use a plant-based alternative. For a vegan version, substitute the heavy cream with a plant-based cream or coconut milk, and omit the bacon and goat cheese, or use vegan substitutes.
Is this soup freezer-friendly?
Yes, this soup freezes well. Let it cool completely, then store it in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Can I use pre-cut butternut squash?
Definitely. Pre-cut butternut squash is a great time-saver and works just as well as fresh squash. Just make sure the pieces are roughly the same size for even cooking.
What if I don’t have an immersion blender?
No problem! You can use a regular blender to puree the soup. Just be careful when blending hot liquids – do it in batches and don’t fill the blender too full. Open the lid’s vent and cover it with a kitchen towel to prevent any hot soup from splashing out.
Expert Tips
- Roast the Squash for Extra Flavor: If you have extra time, try roasting the butternut squash before adding it to the soup. Roasting caramelizes the natural sugars in the squash, adding a depth of flavor that simmering alone won’t achieve.
- Garnish with Toasted Seeds: Don’t discard the seeds from the butternut squash. Clean, season, and toast them in the oven for a crunchy, nutritious garnish that adds a delightful texture contrast to the creamy soup.
- Balance the Sweetness: If you find the soup too sweet, a splash of acidity can balance it out. Try adding a bit of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to enhance the other flavors and cut through the sweetness.
- Use Fresh Herbs for Garnish: While the recipe calls for oregano, don’t hesitate to experiment with other fresh herbs like thyme, sage, or parsley for garnishing. Each herb can offer a unique flavor profile to the dish.
Storage
The soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s hot throughout. If it’s too thick, you can thin it with a bit of broth or water.
Discover More Delicious Soups
- Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
- Chicken and Dumplings
- Red Lentil and Chicken Soup
- Lasagna Soup
- Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Zucchini Soup
- Pumpkin Soup
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Butternut Squash Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 6 strips bacon (chopped)
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¼ teaspoon curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
- 4 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
- 1 pound large butternut squash (about 1 cubed)
- 1 large apple (pealed, cored and cut into cubes)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano (chopped)
Optional
- ½ cup goat cheese (crumbled)
- maple syrup
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- In a large soup pot add the bacon and fry it until crispy over medium-high. Remove the bacon from the pot and set aside. Leave the bacon fat in the pot.
- Add the chopped onion and cook for about 3 minutes until it softens and becomes translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add all the spices: curry, turmeric, cardamom, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper and stir.
- Stir in all the chicken broth then add the cubed butternut squash and apple. Turn the heat down to a medium and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the butternut squash is fork tender.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the soup on high until creamy and smooth. Alternatively you can transfer the soup to a blender and puree it that way.
- Stir in the heavy cream and bring to a boil. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust as necessary.
- Garnish with fresh oregano and serve as is or top with goat cheese and crispy fried bacon.
Notes
- Spice Adjustments: Feel free to adjust the spice levels to suit your taste. If you’re sensitive to heat, start with less and add more as needed.
- Butternut Squash Prep: Peeling and cutting a whole butternut squash can be a bit of a task. For convenience, you might opt for pre-cut squash, but make sure the pieces are uniform in size for even cooking.
- Apple Choice: Use a sweeter variety of apple like Honeycrisp or Gala for a nice balance of sweetness. If you prefer a more tart flavor, Granny Smith apples are a great option.
- Cream Substitutes: For a lighter version, you can replace the heavy cream with half-and-half or even whole milk. For a dairy-free version, coconut milk or almond milk can be used.
- Storage and Reheating: This soup stores well in the fridge for up to 4 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stove over medium heat, adding a little extra broth or water to thin it if necessary.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve this soup as a starter or as the main dish with a side of crusty bread or a light salad. It’s hearty enough to stand alone but also pairs beautifully with sandwiches or roasted meats.
- Vegan/Vegetarian Adaptations: Easily make this soup vegan or vegetarian by omitting the bacon, using vegetable broth, and substituting the cream with a plant-based alternative.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Another DELICIOUS Jo recipe ! I doubled the spices and added about 2 tbsp of fresh finely chopped ginger when I added the garlic. I also did not have an apple so substituted with a pear. Flavours were just wonderful. Even better the next day when it had time to meld. This recipe if definitely a keeper !
So glad you enjoyed it, Kath!
Best butternut squash soup I’ve had. Making it for a second time this month. My 6, 4 and 1 year old nearly licked their bowls clean.
That’s fantastic to hear! It’s always a win when a recipe becomes a favorite, especially with little ones. Thanks for sharing your success with the soup.
Delicious! I used coconut milk instead of cream
Did you use light or full fat coconut milk. I want to make this vegan.
If I made this recipe in the instant pot on soup setting, what would the cook time be please?
Thank you
I haven’t tried it but it would probably take about 5 minutes.
I’m teaching my son how to cook using your blog. Really good stuff.
Love it! Thank you 🙂
Delicioasa! Multumim de reteta 🙂
Cu placere!
Simple to make and really delicious. I doubled the spices for a stronger flavour to balance the sweetness of the butternut and left out the bacon.
Just made this and it is delicious. I left out the bacon and added one carrot and one small potato. I think it is one of the best butternut squash soups I have ever made. I love the spices as it adds so much flavour to it. I will certainly make this again. Thank you.
My pleasure!
Made this for lunch today! Was quick, easy and the perfect “comfort soup” for a rainy West Coast winter day! I truly don’t mean to sound like a recipe hacker, but because my daughter is dairy free and vegetarian and because I wanted to make THIS soup recipe, I adapted the recipe by skipping the bacon, used coconut oil to saute veg., used veg stock instead of chicken stock and used coconut milk instead of heavy cream! We didn’t miss the bacon, although I am sure it would be superb WITH bacon! Was still a delicious vegetarian version!! Thank you for the inspiration!
I just made this soup today and it is, in fact, delicious. I think I might add a little bit more of the spices the next time, as the flavours are a little too subtle for my taste but it really is delicious as it is. Thank you for the recipe 🙂
Glad you liked it!
Making this for Thanksgiving dinner (Canadian this weekend). Made it ahead and had a sample and good gosh not sure it will make it to tomorrow when my kids show…This has been added to my recipe collection!
I guess you could always make some more. 🙂 So glad you like it and happy Thanksgiving!
Well this was certainly a hit for my meal. Went over so well my daughter took your recipe with her!
Well that has to feel good. We are so glad you enjoyed it. We really liked it when we made it and definitely will have it again soon. Thanks for letting us know, we love hearing comments