Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon
Posted: 09/28/2016
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Warm and soothing, this squash soup with bacon is easy to make and perfect year-round. You’ll love the crispy bacon on top!
I have been sitting on this savory squash soup with bacon recipe since probably May. I love squash soup year-round but I’m not sure if everyone does. It seems I can’t stop posting squash soup recipes, but I did hold myself back from posting it in May, so there’s that, a little bit of self control.
Now it’s nearly the end of September, the weather is turning cooler, and soup recipes are beginning to sound tempting again. Winter squash is making an appearance in the markets so I think it’s time for you to try this squash soup.
If this squash soup doesn’t seem like your cup of tea, you might want to try my Panera copycat squash soup or this butternut squash soup with smoked paprika. Still not satisfied? I have squash soup that is ready in under 20 minutes or this butternut squash soup that I completely forgot I had on my site. Oh, and there’s creamy kabocha squash soup which has apples in it for a sweet and tangy flavor. So good!
And of course, you don’t have to have soup that is JUST squash, you can also try my chicken soup with butternut squash or vegetarian Moroccan stew with butternut squash and chickpeas.
I’d say you’re armed and ready to survive fall and winter now, wouldn’t you?
Out of all the squash soup recipes on Rachel Cooks, this is probably the one I’ve made the most often. I love the savory flavors with just enough spice from the cumin, pepper, and chili powder to keep this soup from being boring. The touch of apple cider vinegar and brown sugar at the end gives it great balance (hat tip to my mom for those additions) and the bacon gives a nice salty crunch.
If you use a light hand with the bacon, you’re enjoying a really healthy soup, only 190 calories per serving. Eliminate a lot of the sodium by using homemade chicken broth or chicken broth with no salt added. This squash soup is naturally lactose and gluten free. If you’re a turkey bacon fan, that’s a great option here too. Or you could try coconut bacon for a vegan option. I’ve never had it…have you?
You could also make this soup vegetarian by substituting a different topping for the bacon. Try roasted pepitas, a swirl of spiced yogurt or sour cream, chopped fresh herbs, or homemade whole grain croutons.
I’m ready to cozy up in a sweater with a bowl of this squash soup with bacon…how about you?
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
servings
Warm and soothing, this squash soup with bacon is easy to make and perfect year-round. You won’t be able to resist the crispy bacon on top!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and diced
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 4 cups chicken broth (use low sodium, or no salt added)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- water to thin as desired
- cooked bacon for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss squash with one teaspoon of olive oil and roast in oven for 15 minutes. Stir and roast 10-15 minutes longer or until squash is tender.
- In a large pot, heat remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and celery and cook, stirring, until onions are translucent and softened. Add spices and cook, stirring, for 1 minutes. Add broth and squash. Simmer 10 minutes.
- Purée using an immersion blender or in a traditional blender in batches. Be very careful! Serve topped with crumbled bacon.
Notes
- This recipe can easily be made vegetarian. Instead of topping with bacon, top with roasted pepitas, a swirl of spiced yogurt, freshly chopped herbs, or homemade croutons.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1of 4, Calories: 190kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 14mg, Sodium: 1369mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 9g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Husband’s take: He loves this soup too. Maybe it’s the bacon.
Changes I would make: None are necessary.
Difficulty: Easy.
Karen says
Best Butternut Squash Soup ever! I’ve tried many kinds of butternut squash soup and this is the absolute best. I roasted the squash to avoid peeling it raw. Subbed roasted pepitas for bacon.
Rachel Gurk says
So glad you liked it! This made my day!
kory feick says
I like almost everything, this wasn’t so great.
Rachel Gurk says
I’d love to hear what you didn’t like about it! This is one of my favorites and other people have raved about it, too. Could it be you missed an ingredient or mismeasured something?