Italian Sausage Butternut Squash Soup
A rich and comforting soup prepared with spicy and bold Italian sausage, tender white beans, tangy diced tomatoes, and a base of pureed butternut squash.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time40 minutes mins
Total Time50 minutes mins
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: butternut squash recipes, easy soups, homemade soup, italian sausage
Servings: 10
Calories: 322kcal
- 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
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.
- 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.
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 455mg | Potassium: 778mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 10303IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 3mg