Butternut Squash & Bacon Soup
- Preparing Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Served Person: 6
- 1 lb maple-cured bacon chopped
- 1 large white onion chopped
- 1 leek chopped (white bits only)
- 0.5 tsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp chicken soup base (better than bouillon, in this case)
- 2 large butternut squash or 3 small, all seeded, peeled and cut into uniform pieces
- 1 cup water or chicken soup stock or enough to cover squash
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 0.5 tsp hungarian paprika
- 0.5 tsp pumpkin pie seasoning
- Carbohydrate 79.4266090902778 g
- Cholesterol 51.9733333333333 mg
- Fat 34.8617048611111 g
- Fiber 13.0809361195975 g
- Protein 16.3551086111111 g
- Saturated Fat 11.4831314138889 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (764g)
- Sodium 709.228061805556 mg
- Sugar 66.3456729706803 g
- Trans Fat 3.9512798888889 g
- Calories 657 calories
As a busy housewife, I'm always looking for ways to make delicious and satisfying meals for my family without spending hours in the kitchen. This butternut squash and bacon soup is one of my go-to recipes because it's easy to make, packed with flavor, and perfect for a cold winter night.
The combination of sweet butternut squash, smoky bacon, and aromatic spices is simply irresistible. The soup is creamy and velvety, with a hint of sweetness from the maple syrup. It's the perfect comfort food for a chilly evening, and it's also a great way to use up leftover squash. I love to serve it with a dollop of sour cream and a slice of crusty bread. My family always asks for seconds, and it's a dish that I'm proud to serve to guests. It's also a great make-ahead meal, as it reheats well and tastes even better the next day.
Step-by-step
- Chop the bacon, onion, leek and garlic. Saute them in a soup pot on medium heat until the bacon is done and the leek and onion are starting to caramelize.
- Add the maple syrup and spices and stir well.
- Now add the butternut squash--just dump it in and spread it around a bit to level it off.
- Now add water (or stock--your choice) to just cover the squash.
- Add the soup base and stir it all up until the soup base is dissolved. (If you like thicker soup, add less liquid, or prepare to let it cook down later.)
- Now, crank up the heat to high and let it come to a boil. Then turn the heat down to something below medium--maybe medium/low--and let it simmer until the squash is tender enough to mash. (You can add a can of pumpkin puree at this point, if you want your soup thicker and less bacon-y. Just stir it in and let it cook for a few more minutes.)
- You can use a potato masher or potato ricer to smush the squash. If you want it really smooth, break out the food processor or hand blender.
- Puree the entire thing, add about 1/2 cup of heavy cream, stir *very* briefly, just to swirl in the cream a bit, and serve.
