Italian Sausage Butternut Squash Soup

A full-flavored, richly textured meal, this Italian Sausage Butternut Squash Soup has it all: spicy and bold Italian sausage, tender white beans, tangy diced tomatoes, and a base of pureed butternut squash. It’s SO good!

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe With Italian Sausage

As the leaves begin to change and the air turns crisp, there’s no better way to embrace the season than with a warm, hearty bowl of my Butternut Squash Soup with Italian Sausage. Including fennel-spiced Italian sausage not only adds flavor but also invites a sense of warmth and coziness. This soup delivers the perfect blend of the sweetness of butternut squash and the savory essence of Italian sausage, creating a soup that will make its way to your weekly rotation.

What makes this dish even more appealing is its simplicity and speed. Perfect for busy weeknights, this soul-soothing butternut squash soup comes together in just about half an hour yet offers a depth of flavor that feels like it simmered all day.

Ingredients For Butternut Squash Soup

• 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 Italian sausage links, removing the casings before cooking.
• Fresh Garlic: Mince the garlic or put it through a garlic press.
• 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
• Northern Beans: 1 can of great northern beans, well rinsed and drained.
• Diced Tomatoes: 1 can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained.
• Salt and Pepper
• Heavy Cream and Chopped Fresh Parsley: For garnish.

How to Make Butternut Squash Soup

This soup comes together pretty quickly on the stovetop without sacrificing any of that “simmered all day” flavor that’s the hallmark of comfort food. Here’s how to make it:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

Tips To make The Perfect Soup

• 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.
• 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 for the heavy cream.
• Dairy-Free & Vegetarian: Replace the butter with oil, use vegetable broth instead of chicken, and omit the sausage to make this soup dairy-free and vegetarian.

What To Serve with Soup

• Creamy Pasta: I think this soup goes nicely with a simple but creamy side, like my Quick Cream Cheese Spaghetti. It’s filling and delicious!
• Salad: You’re in for an avalanche of texture and flavor if you pair this soup with a chopped salad. Try an Avocado Tomato Salad; it’s amazing!
• Garnish: From croutons to fresh herbs or grated parmesan cheese – any garnish can provide a flavorful and crunchy contrast to the soup.
• Dessert: Don’t miss any opportunity to serve these delightful little rolls: Pumpkin Cheesecake Crescent Rolls for the win!

How to Store and Reheat Leftover Soup

• To refrigerate: Cover the soup tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• To reheat: Place the desired portion of soup in a saucepan over medium heat and cook until just heated through.

Can You Freeze Butternut Squash Soup?

• Yes, you can! To freeze this soup, place it in freezer bags or other airtight freezer containers, with as little air as possible inside once sealed. This soup keeps frozen for up to one month.