Can I make this soup with a regular blender?

Yes! Be sure to remove the top cap in order to let steam escape (cover the hole with a tea towel just when starting and ending blending to prevent spattering), and don't fill the blender more than halfway full when blending hot liquids. You'll likely need to work in batches if you use a regular countertop blender. (You can see a hot blender soup in action in our Roasted Tomato Soup recipe and how-to video!)

Can I make this recipe vegetarian?

Yes! Omit the bacon, use a bit of butter or olive oil in place of the bacon fat to sauté the garlic and onion, and use vegetable stock instead of chicken broth.

How do you make soup less gritty?

If you find that the final texture of your autumn squash soup isn't as smooth as you'd like, it's often because 1) you didn't blend the soup long enough, or your immersion blender wasn't powerful enough or 2) the ingredients needed to cook a bit longer in order to dissolve more evenly into the soup. The good news is, no matter what the reason, it's an easy fix! To make soup smoother, run the final soup through a mesh colander or a food mill to remove any lingering texture. This will give you an almost impossibly creamy squash soup: While we don't typically feel the need to add this step at home, it's a popular technique in the professional kitchens we've worked in. If you don't want to run the soup through a strainer or food mill, you can let it simmer a bit longer to soften up any big pieces, then add an extra dash of cream and blend it again to smooth it out more. Heavy cream is especially useful in blended soups, because it adds a rich, creamy texture that balances out any grittiness. If you have omitted the heavy cream in this recipe, you may notice the soup feels like it has a bit more texture. You may also need to blend the soup longer than you think you do: We recommend blending for one full minute after the soup already appears quite smooth for the best texture.

Can I freeze butternut squash soup?

Yes! This soup freezes quite well: Let it cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then reheat in a small saucepan on the stovetop. You may want to add a splash of heavy cream or chicken broth and blend reheated soup with an immersion blender for a few moments to restore its rich, creamy consistency after freezing.

Goat Cheese Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon

Description

This creamy roasted butternut squash soup is perfect for fall! With crispy, smokey bacon and tangy goat cheese.

Ingredients

Scale

1 small butternut squash (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt, to taste
3 strips thick cut bacon, diced
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
4 ounces goat cheese, plus extra for garnish
fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup heavy cream

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Instructions

Roast the Butternut Squash:

Heat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the butternut squash in half lengthwise; use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.
Drizzle the inside of each half with olive oil and add a generous pinch of kosher salt.
Place squash cut side-down on the baking sheet. Bake at 400° F for 45-60 minutes, until a fork easily pierces the squash. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes, until it's cool enough to handle.
Use a spoon to scoop out as much of the roasted squash as you can; compost or discard the skins. Set squash aside while you prep the soup.

Cook the Bacon:

Add diced bacon to a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook until bacon is crispy and fat has rendered, about 5-7 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to remove cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside. Leave the bacon fat in the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low: We'll use this to cook our aromatics in the next step!

Build the Soup:

Add chopped onion and garlic to pot. Sauté, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and begins to brown, about 2-4 minutes. Note: The pot will be HOT at this point! Work quickly and carefully, stir often, and reduce the heat if needed to prevent burning.
Add roasted butternut squash to pot along with a pinch of salt; stir until the squash has soaked up any remaining bacon fat and the ingredients are well incorporated into a thick mixture.
Add a splash of chicken broth to the pan to deglaze, using a wooden spoon or stiff spatula to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan (this is where a ton of flavor is!) Stir in the rest of the broth, add a pinch of salt, then bring the mixture to a simmer.
Add goat cheese and a few turns of cracked black pepper to the soup. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes, until the goat cheese has mostly melted.
Turn off the heat and carefully blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Pro Tip: To avoid splatters, make sure the head of the immersion blender is always fully submerged in the soup!
Add heavy cream; stir to combine. If the soup isn't quite as smooth as you'd like, blend it again with the immersion blender. Taste and add salt as needed.
Ladle soup into bowls. Top with a sprinkle of goat cheese and a handful of crispy bacon pieces.

Notes

Additions and Substitutions. Use pumpkin instead of butternut squash here if you like. Swap the heavy cream for half and half or crème fraîche. Add fresh rosemary, sage, or thyme for extra flavor if you like. For a vegetarian soup, omit the bacon and use butter or olive oil in place of the rendered bacon fat.

Use a powerful immersion blender for best results. A great immersion blender is the key to a smooth soup. If your immersion blender doesn't always get soups or sauces as creamy as you'd like, you may want to use a regular blender instead. For the creamiest soup, keep blending for a minute or two even after the soup is mostly smooth!

No immersion blender? If you don't have an immersion blender, carefully transfer soup to a regular blender in batches and blend until smooth. Be sure to remove the center cap piece on your blender’s lid before blending to allow steam to escape - otherwise the steam can build up and pop the top off to make a huge mess. Cover the hole in the lid with a clean tea towel for a moment when you begin blending and again when you stop the blender to avoid splattering (see this in action in our roasted tomato soup recipe video!) Always follow the care instructions on your equipment and use caution when blending hot soups.

Adjusting the consistency. Once blended, if the soup is too thick, add a splash of broth or heavy cream to thin it out a bit. If the soup is too thin, let it simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the soup reaches your desired consistency.

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. This soup freezes pretty well - you may just need to give it another zap with the immersion blender when reheating to bring it back to a nice, smooth texture.

Safety tip: Make sure the head of your immersion blender is completely submerged in the soup to avoid splashes and burns. Always use caution when blending hot liquids.

This recipe was originally published in 2015. It was updated in 2023 with new photos and additional notes.