Bacon Butternut Squash Soup
This is a velvety, comforting soup garnished with bacon, crispy fried sage leaves and roasted, salted pumpkin seeds. It is perfect for fall or winter. Serve it in tiny bowls as a first course, or in bigger portions as an entrée.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
- 6 slices bacon coarsely chopped (about 1½ cups)
- 3 carrots chopped (about 1½ cups)
- 2 shallots minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1½ pounds 1-inch cubes of fresh or frozen butternut squash about 6 cups
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- ¼ cup roasted salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- Fried Sage Leaves
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a large soup pot over medium heat until almost crisp, about 6 minutes.
- Transfer to paper towels, reserving rendered bacon fat in the pot.
- Cook the carrots, shallots, and garlic in the reserved bacon fat until soft and golden, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the salt and pepper.
- Add the chopped herbs, bay leaf, squash cubes, stock, and half of the cooked bacon to the soup pot.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, 20-25 minutes.
- Remove and discard the bay leaf.
- Blend the soup to a smooth puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a traditional blender.
- Season with vinegar and nutmeg.
- Keep the soup warm until it is ready to serve.
Notes & Wine Advice
Ladle the soup into warm bowls and garnish with reserved bacon, pepitas, and Fried Sage Leaves.