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This butternut squash soup with Italian sausage is a full-flavored, richly textured soup prepared with spicy and bold Italian sausage, tender white beans, tangy diced tomatoes, and a base of pureed butternut squash. It’s SO good!
For the perfect side, try my soft Parmesan dinner rolls or air fryer Red Lobster Biscuits to sop up all that savory goodness!
As the leaves start changing and the air gets that cool, crisp feel, there’s nothing better than cozying up with a warm bowl of my butternut squash soup with Italian sausage. I’ve always had a soft spot for adding sausage or ground beef to soups—they bring richness and tons of flavor, like in my sausage tortellini soup or the famous pasta fagioli!
The fennel-spiced sausage adds just the right amount of warmth, making this soup perfect for those chilly days. It’s a delicious blend of sweet butternut squash and savory sausage that’ll quickly become a go-to in your weekly dinner lineup.
What’s even better? It’s super simple and quick to make. Perfect for those busy weeknights, this comforting soup comes together in about 30 minutes but tastes like it’s been simmering all day.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This easy butternut squash soup recipe uses a few key ingredients, bringing out the squash’s natural sweetness while adding a savory, meaty texture.
- Butter: For sauteing. You can also use your favorite cooking oil.
- Onion: I use a yellow onion here, but you can substitute any type of onion.
- Red Bell Pepper: This adds a sweet and pungent flavor to the finished soup, plus a nice punch of color!
- Italian Sausage: You’ll need about 1 pound of bulk Italian sausage. You can also use ground beef or even Italian sausage links, removing the casings before cooking.
- Fresh Garlic: Mince the garlic or put it through a garlic press. Garlic powder can be used in a pinch.
- Squash: This recipe uses about 2.5 pounds of butternut squash (that’s about one medium squash), peeled, seeded, and chopped into 1-inch cubes.
- Chicken Broth: You’ll need 6 cups of broth. I use low-sodium chicken broth, but you can substitute homemade broth, vegetable broth, or bone broth. Each will have a slightly different flavor profile.
- Bay Leaf: Adds a subtle depth and earthy flavor to soups.
- Northern Beans: 1 can of great northern beans, well rinsed and drained.
- Diced Tomatoes: 1 can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained.
- Salt and Black Pepper: To enhance the flavors of the butternut squash soup.
- Heavy Cream and Chopped Fresh Parsley: For garnish.
How to Make Butternut Squash Soup
You can make this cozy soup on the stovetop in no time, and it still delivers that rich flavor we all love. To make it, follow these easy steps, and you’ll have a warm, hearty meal ready to enjoy in no time.
- Saute the Onions, Peppers, Garlic, and Sausage. In a Dutch oven or stockpot, melt the butter. Add the onions and peppers and cook for about 2 minutes. Then add the sausage and cook through, breaking up the sausage into crumbles. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then remove the sausage mixture from the pot and set aside.
- Simmer the Squash. Add the chopped squash to the pot, stir in the chicken broth, add the bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until butternut squash is tender. Remove from heat and discard the bay leaf.
- Blend the Soup and Add the Remaining Ingredients. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth (you can also blend the soup in a blender and return it to the pot afterward). As the soup continues to cook over medium heat, add the beans, tomatoes, sausage mixture, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through.
Recipe Tips
- Veggie prep tips: Large, firm veggies with thick peels like rutabaga and butternut squash can be difficult to prep. Use a really sharp knife that’s fairly large to avoid accidents caused by flimsier knives that need more muscle behind them. Or, you can grab 2 to 3 bags of already-cut butternut squash – it’s my go-to for these easy roasted vegetables. But I grab a whole one to make spaghetti squash.
- Slow-roasted flavor: If you have a little more time, you can roast the squash instead of simmering it. Cut a whole squash in half, drizzle with a little olive oil, and roast (cut-side up) on a sheet pan for about 30 minutes at 400°F. After you remove the sausage mixture from the pot, add this roasted squash along with the chicken broth and bay leaf to the pot, and just heat through before blending.
- Creamy substitutions: Feel free to substitute creme fraiche, whole milk, or evaporated milk for the heavy cream.
- Make it dairy-free and vegetarian: Replace the butter with oil, use vegetable broth instead of chicken, and omit the sausage to make this soup dairy-free and vegetarian.
Serving Suggestions
Butternut squash soup pairs so well with a creamy side like my quick cream cheese spaghetti—it’s filling and delicious! For added texture and flavor, try serving it alongside a fresh chopped salad, like an avocado tomato salad or the popular Jennifer Aniston salad. Garnish the soup with croutons, fresh herbs, or grated parmesan cheese for a crunchy contrast.
And for dessert, don’t miss out on the yummiest pumpkin cheesecake crescent rolls or a classic and easy tiramisu—perfect sweet endings to this savory meal!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- To refrigerate: Cover the soup tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To freeze: Once cooled, place the butternut squash soup in freezer bags or other airtight freezer containers and freeze it for 1 to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- To reheat: Place the desired portion of soup in a saucepan over medium heat and cook until just heated through.
Easy Soup Recipes To Try
Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 1 pound ground Italian Sausage, (I use Hot Italian Sausage in casings)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2.5 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped into 1-inch cubes
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 can (15.5 ounces) great northern beans, well rinsed and drained
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- heavy cream, for garnish, optional
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter in a Dutch oven or stockpot set over medium heat. Add onions and peppers; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the sausage and cook for 10 minutes or until browned and cooked through, breaking up the sausage into crumbles as it cooks.
- Add garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, remove the sausage mixture from the pot and set aside.
- Melt the remaining butter in the pot set over medium heat; add squash to the pot and cook for 2 minutes. Then, stir in the chicken broth; add bay leaf, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a steady simmer and continue to simmer, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes or until the squash is tender. Start checking around the 10-minute mark. Note: The larger the chunks of butternut squash, the longer it will take for them to soften.
- Remove from heat. Discard the bay leaf. Remove a couple handfuls of butternut squash chunks from the soup and set aside. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. You can also blend the soup in a traditional blender and return the soup back to the stockpot.
- Return the butternut squash chunks back to the pot and set the pot over medium heat. To the soup, add the beans, tomatoes, and previously prepared sausage mixture; cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until heated through.
- Taste for salt and pepper, and adjust accordingly. Drizzle with cream and garnish with parsley. Serve.
Notes
- Veggie Prep: Use a large, sharp knife to cut the butternut squash, or buy pre-cut squash for convenience.
- Roasting Option: For enhanced flavor, roast the squash at 400°F for 30 minutes before adding it to the pot with the chicken broth and bay leaf, then heat it before blending.
- Cream Alternatives: Creme fraiche can be used as a substitute for heavy cream.
- Dairy-Free & Vegetarian: Replace the butter with oil, use veggie broth instead of chicken, and omit the sausage to make this soup dairy-free and vegetarian.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
This calls for one butternut squash in one place 2 to 3 bags of already cut squash in another and 7.5 pounds of squash on the recipe list. 7.5 pounds sounds like a typo. Please clarify- thanks!
Oops! I figured it out! I accidentally pushed the button to multiply the recipe.
This soup is hearty, warming and delicious! I used regular ground Italian sausage, extra tomatoes, and kale. Its definitely going on the favorites list. Thank you Katerina!
I am so glad you enjoyed it, and I love the additions! Thank YOU! 😊
I have made this many times and it’s a favorite. It’s great as written, but my favorite way to make it is to roast the squash then purée all of it with some of the liquid and add it to the rest of the ingredients that have been sautéed and are simmering. I add some celery, use Impossible spicy sausage, half strength Better than Bouillon chicken base, black beans and chopped kale.
Thank you! I am very glad you enjoyed it! I love how you’ve made this recipe your own with those delicious additions and tweaks. 😊
I omit the cream. When I can’t find Impossible spicy sausage in the tube, I have used the Impossible spicy sausage links with casing removed. I usually add a couple of carrots with the onion and red pepper.
Delicious! Added a little sage, paprika and red pepper flakes.I used bone broth in place of chicken broth. My husband love it!!
Thank you! I’m so glad you and your husband loved it! The sage, paprika, and red pepper flakes sound like great additions! 😊
I can’t eat tomatoes. Do you think this soup would be ok leaving out the tomatoes? It looks so delicious!
Hi. This looks amazing. I want to make for a fund raiser dinner. Can I mix the cream in if it will be sitting in a crockpot for hours?