Butternut Squash Soup With Apples and Bacon
Rich, creamy butternut squash soup topped with sliced apple and crispy bacon is a perfect cold weather meal that can be made in one big pot, for easy cleanup
Yield
8
Ingredients
6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ pound boiling potatoes
2 medium Granny Smith apples (about ¾ pound total)
1½ pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces (3½ to 4 cups)
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock or broth
2 to 2½ cups water
Sour cream to garnish (optional)
Instructions
Step 1
Cook bacon in a 6-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, then transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, reserving 2 tablespoons fat in pot. (Add vegetable oil if your bacon is very lean and doesn't yield enough fat.)
Step 2
Cook celery, carrot, and onion in fat in pot over low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add cinnamon and cook, uncovered, stirring, 1 minute.
Step 3
While vegetables are cooking, peel potatoes and coarsely chop. Peel and core 1 apple and coarsely chop.
Step 4
Stir squash, potato, chopped apple, stock, 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper into onion mixture, then simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 5
Puree soup in 4 batches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids), then heat in cleaned pot over medium low heat, stirring occasionally. (Add additional ½ cup water to thin, if necessary.)
Step 6
While soup is heating, cut enough of remaining apple into thin matchsticks (about 1½ inches long) to measure about ½ cup.
Step 7
Serve soup topped with sour cream (if using), bacon, and apple matchsticks.
Do Ahead: Soup can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered once cooled. Cooked bacon can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container—reheat in a 375°F oven in a small baking pan.
Editor’s note: This ‘Gourmet’ original recipe was first published in April 2011 as Butternut Squash and Apple Soup. Head this way for more of our best butternut squash recipes →
%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%2Fpotato-and-egg-pie-with-bacon-and-creme-fraiche-XL-RECIPE0918-3bdd4e7df2ea41a69fac60d58f424b2a.jpg&w=640&q=75)
%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%2Fspicy-chicken-curry-FT-RECIPE0321-58f84fdf7b484e7f86894203eb7834e7.jpg&w=640&q=75)
%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%2FFAW-recipes-avgolemono-chicken-soup-rice-step-04-cdc7856117b54fa484302398274663cc.jpg&w=640&q=75)
%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%2F__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__recipes__images__2017__02__20170111-pressure-cooker-beef-barley-soup-vicky-wasik-13-84001c6817584d2cb7d5dd14b12d405d.jpg&w=640&q=75)
