What’s say’s fall better than a delicious butternut squash soup? And I must admit, fall is one of my favourite times of the year. Driving through the country roads along all the dried corn fields, watching the trees slowly shift and change colour, and the pop-up pumpkin patches that feel like pure nostalgia. It all goes by so quickly I feel, before that darn Christmas music starts to hit and I get lost in that fun and magic.

That’s why I try to make this butternut squash soup recipe as early as possible, and definitely more than once. This butternut squash soup recipe is typically inexpensive (thankfully), it goes with just about everything, and I can store in the freezer for months – there are only positives here.

Why You’ll Love This Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Easy recipe with simple ingredients

Perfectly smooth with rich autumn flavours

Freezes well

Crowd Pleaser

Customizable flavours and serving sizes

Low calorie and packed with antioxidants!

What You’ll Need to Make Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash: This recipe calls for 1 medium-large butternut squash which usually weight about 900 grams. If you’re buying pre-cut butternut squash from the grocery store, I’d look for something between 750 – 850 grams.

Bacon: I used 2-3 strips of bacon in this butternut squash soup recipe. I typically will purchase the plain bacon, but if you can purchase smoked bacon, maple bacon, or any type really if you want to introduce a bit more complexity with the flavour. The bacon adds some richness to the soup and it’s also my favourite type of garnish.

Onion: I use 2 small sweet onions in this butternut squash soup recipe, however yellow onions or Spanish onions could be used instead.

Garlic: 3 large cloves of garlic are needed for this recipe.

Ginger: 1 1/2 teaspoons of garlic paste is used with this soup. You can use fresh ginger if it’s available to you, but I would add only 1 teaspoon. I usually don’t use fresh ginger fast enough so I’ve started using the paste and find it works just as well.

Fresh or Dried Rosemary and Sage: I’ve used both fresh and dried herbs in my butternut squash soup. I find the aromatics are much stronger when you use the fresh option, especially when it comes to the garnish. With that said, I’ve made this recipe many times with the dried option and I eat it just as fast.

Vegetable Broth: I like to keep things simple. I use 1 box (900 ml) of Campbells Vegetable broth.

Salt and Pepper: This recipe calls for 1 tsp of salt and pepper, however, being a big pepper fan, I usually add a bit more at the end. When in doubt, taste, taste, taste!

How To Prepare A Butternut Squash

Step 1: Using a large knife, cut the butternut squash in half, and then cut off the stem and butt. I find this makes it much easier to handle, especially while peeling as your hands will get a wet and slippery. Make sure you’re also using a large cutting board that doesn’t slip!

Step 2: Using a vegetable peeler, peel both sections of the butternut squash. Depending on the thickness of the skin, you may need to peel some areas twice.

Step 3: With your knife, cut the top and bottom pieces of squash in half. Then, using a metal spoon, scoop out the seeds and guts from the button – much like you would when carving a pumpkin.

Step 4: Begin by cutting the squash length wise for ease. Then turn these 90 degrees and start to cut them into smaller, more manageable pieces. The size of your “cubes” doesn’t really matter at the end of the day. Smaller pieces will cook faster, but we’re only talking minutes. Don’t over think this step.

Side note: I just recently purchased the Crockpot Artisan 5 Quart Enamelled Cast Iron Dutch Oven and I’m loving it! I’m not sponsored by Crockpot but I’m a big kitchen gadget nerd and wanted to share. This was the first recipe I made in this dutch oven so I’ll be sure to let you know how it holds up!

How to Make This Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Render the Bacon: In a large pot (or new Dutch Oven), over medium high heat, cook 2-3 pieces of bacon until they are nice and crispy. Set the bacon aside to cool but leave the fat and all the bacon-y goodness in the bottom of the pan for flavour.

Sauté the Onions: Add your onions, salt, and pepper to the bacon fat and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes.

Add the Squash: To the pot, add the butternut squash cubes and cook until they begin to soften, stirring frequently. This step could take about 10 minutes depending on the size of the squash cubes. Once softened, add your garlic, ginger, sage, and rosemary.

Add the Stock: After your garlic and ginger has cooked for about 3 minutes, add your vegetable stock to the pot. Cover, and let simmer for 30 minutes or until the butternut squash has soften. You should be able to easily pierce it with a fork before moving onto the next step.

Cool and Blend: Once your butternut squash has softened, remove it from the heat for about 20 minutes until it’s cooled a bit. Next, puree the soup in a large blender until smooth.

Garnish and Serve: Chop and sprinkle your crunchy bacon bits from earlier on top of your butternut squash soup and enjoy! You can totally play around with other garnishes too – I’ve tried a small dollop of heavy cream for a richer butternut squash soup, fresh parmesan cheese for some sharp flavour, or even just an added crack of fresh black pepper!