Apple Butternut Squash Soup
Can you believe that Thanksgiving is only ten days away? I’ve been planning my Thanksgiving menu (tune in tomorrow for a free checklist printable!) and clearing out my fridge to fit everything. One of the additions to our menu this year is my Apple Butternut Squash Soup.
It is hard to talk my family into vegetable soups, especially since if it doesn’t have meat in it (i.e. chili), they aren’t having it. Now that the boys are getting older and their tastes are becoming a little less nuggets and fries, I am expanding their world. I recently made this for dinner and they loved it.
With a simple ingredient list, the squash flavor can shine through…and hello, bacon! Most recipes have you roasting the squash. Here, we are cooking first in bacon fat…yes, I said it! No vegan here, so you may want to click away if you are offended by bacon. But made with gluten-free chicken broth, you are in GF heaven.
Apple Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 2 lbs butternut squash 20 oz of fresh or frozen packaged squash or about 1 medium squash, seeded, peeled and cubed
- 1 small Granny Smith apple chopped
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 8 slices bacon
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- milk
- fresh mint leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Cook bacon until crisp. Remove from the pan, drain on a paper towels, then crumble into small bits.
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On medium high heat, add the squash to the pan with the bacon fat and cook until brown, about 10-15 minutes.
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Add chopped apple, sage and salt and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes.
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Transfer contents to a large pot, add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
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Carefully transfer to a blender in batches and puree until smooth. I
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Add sour cream to a squeeze bottle and add a small amount of milk to thin to desired consistency. It takes a little practice to get a nice swirl or design to garnish your soup.
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Divide among 4 bowls, garnish with thinned sour cream and top with crumbled bacon and mint leaves.
Recipe Notes
You can purchase already peeled and cubed squash in the produce section of some grocery stores.
Perfect for all fall long, this is perfect paired with grilled cheese sandwiches or personal-sized chacuterie boards. This super creamy (yet cream-less) butternut squash soup is another great make-ahead option for Thanksgiving. In fact, it tastes even better the next day and is easy to reheat. I love the easy garnishes and the unexpected use of mint gives it a nice zing that pairs with the apple taste.
Want to step up your serving game? How about serving in a bread bowl? Just head to your bakery for mini boules; they are made from sourdough bread with a nice crust. Nothing is soaking through that. We did this for Halloween to serve our chili and it was a big hit!
Be sure and tune in this week for all new Thanksgiving table ideas and check out my other holiday recipes like how to create a pie bar, Sparkling Cranapple Punch, and Pumpkin Spice Almonds.
Linking to Tip Junkie
