This roasted butternut squash soup is crazy flavorful! It’s silky smooth and topped with a dollop of whipped cream and chunks of candied bacon. Fall has never tasted so good!
I love cooking with squash during the autumn months when it’s in season. This is one of my favorite ways to use up butternut squash, along with Butternut Squash Bisque and Butternut Squash Quinoa Chili.
Flavorful, Sweet & Savory Soup
Guys, it’s been a while since I’ve made butternut squash soup. There’s definitely a reason behind that too. Like I’ve mentioned before, my husband isn’t a huge fan of pumpkin or squash, so I have to get really tricky or inventive when I cook with it. It’s got to be really flavorful and tender. That’s where those gorgeous little gold nuggets below come in.
To enhance the flavor of the squash, I roasted it in the oven along with some onions and garlic. If that didn’t give it an amazing flavor already, I threw in just a bit of apple for a hint of sweetness, and topped it all off with some crispy bacon brushed with the most amazing maple-Dijon glaze.
My husband loved it! We both licked our bowls clean. It’s got the perfect balance of earthy, sweet and salty. If you’re on the hunt for a cozy, flavorful soup, I hope you’ll give this one a try!
Tips for Cooking with Butternut Squash
The main things you want to look for when picking out a good squash are:
- deep beige color with no green spots
- skin should be hard and not glossy
- no deep cuts or bruises (a bit of scratching on the surface is normal)
- no punctures
- a firm stem (it will keep longer with the stem intact)
You might be wondering how to peel and dice your butternut squash before roasting. Here are some step-by-step tips to get you there:
- Rinse the squash before getting started to get rid of any unwanted dirt. If the squash is especially tough or you don’t have a sharp cutting knife, you can soften it by microwaving for 2 minutes.
- Cut the top (near the stem) and bottom off of the squash. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the skin off. Then, cut the squash in half where the thin top half and thick bottom half meet. Cut each half lengthwise.
- Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.
- Cut all the sections into 1″ thick slices, and then dice those sections to make cubes.
How to Make Butternut Squash Soup
Once your squash is all diced up, it’s time to roast!
PREP. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a baking mat.
ROAST. On your prepared sheet pan, toss the cubed butternut squash, diced onion and garlic in the olive oil, paprika, cayenne, pepper, and salt. Place in the oven and roast until the squash is tender, about 20-25 minutes.
BACON. Meanwhile, to make the candied bacon, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and top with a wire rack. In a small mixing bowl whisk together the syrup, brown sugar, mustard, salt, and cayenne pepper. Place slices of bacon on top and brush each side with the mixture.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake until crisp and brown (but not burnt), about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the wire rack. Chop into chunks, set aside.
COOK. In a large dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat add the apple and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, then add the roasted vegetables along with the ginger and thyme. Cook for 10-15 minutes, then remove from the heat.
BLEND & SERVE. Use an immersion blender to blend until silky smooth (or you can use a regular blender and do it in 2-3 batches). Scoop into bowls and garnish with chopped candied bacon and a dollop of whipped cream before serving.
Storage Tips
This soup is just as tasty (if not tastier!) the next day once all the flavors have had a chance to really meld together. Store leftovers (once soup has completely cooled) in an airtight storage container or ziploc bag for 3-5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
Reheat large portions on the stovetop on medium-low heat until heated through. Or, heat individual portions in the microwave. If your soup is frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight, or place container in the sink filled with warm water to thaw before reheating.
For more delicious fall soups, check out:
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon Recipe
Recommended Products
Ingredients
- 1 (3-4 lbs) butternut squash - halved, roasted, diced into 1 inch chunks
- 1/2 medium yellow onion - diced
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 apple - (any sweet variety), grated
- 4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 tsp fresh ginger - minced
- 1/4 tsp fresh thyme
Candied Bacon
- 6 strips bacon
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Whipped Cream
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream - whipped for 2-3 minutes (until stiff peaks form)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius). On a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a baking mat, toss the cubed butternut squash, diced onion, and garlic in the olive oil, paprika, cayenne, pepper, and salt. Place in the oven and roast until the squash is tender, about 20–25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, to make the candied bacon, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and top with a wire rack. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the syrup, brown sugar, mustard, salt, and cayenne pepper. Place the slices of bacon on top and brush each side with the mixture. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius) and bake until crisp and golden brown (but not burnt), about 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the wire rack. Chop into chunks, and set aside.
- In a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat, add the apple and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, then add the roasted vegetables along with the ginger and thyme. Cook for 10–15 minutes, then remove from the heat and immersion blend until silky smooth (use a blender and do it in 2–3 batches). Garnish with chopped candied bacon and a dollop of whipped cream.
This soup is delicious! I followed the recipe exactly. It’s the ultimate comforting and hearty dish—TOTALLY worth making!
I found this recipe a few years ago after I had tasted a butternut squash in a restaurant and loved it. This is the best butternut squash soup ever! My whole family looks forward to eating this every Thanksgiving! We always make a double batch. This year, I took out a very small bowl for myself, so that I can eat it later.
So, just so I understand correctly, first I roast the squash, then it gets cubed, then roasted again?
You’ll cube the raw squash and then roast it 🙂
This looks amazing! Yummy!