Updated: by Corina Blum · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 42 Comments
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This smooth butternut squash soup topped with bacon is perfect as a warming light lunch at this time of year. Enjoy with bread or just by itself.
A couple of weeks ago it was the middle of summer but suddenly, along with the children returning to school, autumn seems to have arrived. I'm no longer quite so keen to eat salads for lunch and have begun craving warm comforting soups and stews instead.
I've started to look out for more root vegetables as I'm doing my shopping and I've made my first soup of the season.
This smooth butternut squash and bacon soup is my first soup in a few months and maybe that's why I enjoyed it so much. Or maybe I enjoyed it so much because yes, it is that good.
A soup may seem a simple choice but a well made soup is just the best thing to eat to welcome the change in seasons. This soup made me look forward to autumn cooking and eating. It really is a bowl of comfor food.
Ingredients for this butternut squash soup
This soup is really simple to make and you don't need many ingredients. I used:
- Bacon- I love smoked bacon but feel free to use unsmoked if you prefer it. You can chop up strips of bacon or use lardons. Either will work well. Although you can see I used strips of bacon, using lardons means you can often get even more deliciously crispy bits which are perfect for topping this soup with.
- Aromatics - I used onionand garlic. You can use white or red onion and either fresh garlic or a garlic paste or puree.
- Vegetables - I used butternut squash, carrotand red pepper. Feel free to use a different coloured pepper and although this is butternut squash soup, there's no reason why you can't make it with a different orange squash such as pumpkin.
- Chicken stock - I made mine up using a stock cube but you can use homemade or ready made stock if you want. Also feel free to replace it with vegetable stock if that's what you have.
- Seasoning - I love a generous amount of black pepper. You can add a little salt too, depending on how salty the stock is that you use. Just add a little to taste.
How to make butternut squash and bacon soup
Do follow the instructions in the recipe card further down the page. This butternut squash and bacon soup is really simple to make.
To get extra flavour into the soup I cook the bacon first in the saucepan and then use the same pan to make the soup in. This means all those delicious bacon flavours are not lost and flavour the soup too. However, if you want to make it more quickly you can cook the bacon in another pan at the same time as starting on the soup.
Once you've cooked the bacon, set it aside and add the chopped onion to the pan. Cook it until soft and then add all the other vegetables and stock. Simmer the soup until everything is cooked through and then use a stick blender to blitz it. Or if you don't have a stick blender, you can transfer it to a jug blender.
Serve the soup topped with the bacon and any other soup toppings you like. I've added a little chopped coriander in these pictures.
Can you adapt this butternut squash soup?
Of course you can adapt it. You can alter the vegetables a little. If you don't have a bell pepper just miss it out. If you don't have a butternut squash you can make it with pumpkin or acorn squash instead. In fact, any orange fleshed squash would make a great soup.
I usually use chicken stock but vegetable squash is fine too.
If you are vegetarian you can use a vegetarian bacon substitute instead or just top this smooth and creamy soup with something different. How about Marmite croutons for a bit of umami flavour?
A great recipe for batch cooking!
Whenever I eat soup after not having had it for a while I start to ask myself why I don't make it more often?
It's easy to make, full of nutrients from all the vegetables and the best thing is that soup is just so easy to reheat. That means you can make it whenever you've got time and then just keep it in the fridge or freezer until you want to eat it. It'll keep well for three days in the fridge.
If you have family members eating at different times, everyone can still have a healthy homemade meal.
If you like meals like that then definitely check out my Cook Once Eat Twice recipes collection and get some tasty meal planning inspiration!
How to freeze this soup?
This butternut squash soup is really easy to freeze. Just pop it into individual portions in feezer bags or freezer-proof containers. You can freeze it for up to three months.
To defrost you can take it out of the freezer in advance and let it defrost overnight in the fridge or at room temperature if you need it to defrost more quickly. You can then reheat it in a saucepan or in the microwave.
I often just defrost it in the microwave as it's great for a last minute meal that way.
Recipe
Butternut Bacon Soup
Corina Blum
A smooth butternut squash soup topped with crispy bacon pieces.
5 from 16 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course Soup
Cuisine British
Servings 4 servings
Calories 260 kcal
Ingredients
- 5 strips bacon diced
- 1 onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 400 g butternut squash diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 1 red pepper diced
- 800 ml chicken stock
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
Put the bacon in a saucepan and cook until it begins to turn crispy. Remove it from the pan and leave it on a piece of kitchen roll.
Add a little extra oil if necessary and cook the onion gently for about 5 minutes until softened.
Stir in the crushed garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the vegetables and stock and simmer for 20 minutes until all the vegetables are cooked through.
Transfer to a blender and blitz until smooth.
Season with extra black pepper.
Notes
I used butternut squash but pumpkin or any other squash would work here.
To make this soup vegetarian or vegan, why not top with vegetable crisps instead of the crispy bacon?
Nutritional information is approximate and a guideline only.
Nutrition
Calories: 260kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 10gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 485mgPotassium: 768mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 14110IUVitamin C: 62.8mgCalcium: 68mgIron: 1.5mg
Keyword butternut bacon soup
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More soup recipes
If you like this butternut squash doup then do check out my soup recipes collection or try one of these soups:
- Sausage lentil and vegetable soup
- Sweet potato lentil and tahini soup
- Spiced celeriac soup
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More Soup Recipes
- Quick Tom Yum Soup Recipe with Prawns
- Chinese Hot and Sour Soup with Tofu
- Pizza Soup Recipe - Easy Comfort Food
- Roasted Garlic Beetroot Soup
About Corina Blum
Corina Blum loves easy healthy recipes that taste great and often involve spices. She's a big fan of air frying and loves developping recipes inspired by global flavours. As well as a food content creator shes also a busy mum of two children.
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Comments
Katie Bryson
This is a match made in flavour heaven - just adore butternut squash and bacon - yum! Thanks for entering your lovely recipe into this month's round of Simple and in Season.Reply
Corina
Thanks Katie! I will have to try and remember to join in again this month - thanks for hosting.
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Carolin
Perfect comfort food for the colder seasons. I love butternut squash soup and the addition of bacon makes it sound even better...
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Corina
Oh yes, bacon goes really well in soups and because butternut squash can be quite sweet the bacon offsets it nicely! I think so anyway.
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jane
This sounds lovely and relatively easy to make too. Saved for later! 🙂Reply
Corina
Thanks Jane! It is really easy and I hope you enjoy it!
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Beth
I totally love butternut soup! But adding bacon???? Inspired I say! My husband might even eat itReply
Corina
I hope so!! My husband is also not keen on butternut squash but I didn't get to test this out on him as I made it for lunch.
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Angela / Only Crumbs Remain
I love homemade soups too Corina, and I must say am particularly partial to those with butternut squash in them! It's such a glorious veg! Love the colour the buttersquash has brought to your soup.,
Angela xReply
Corina
Thanks Angela! My little boy loved this soup too so I'm definitely going to be making more soups for me and him for lunch over the next few months. x
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Nicole
I love soup in a thermos for a quick on-the -go kind of meal when I'm rushing around. Great balance of flavours here!
Reply
Corina
Thanks Nicole! I'm looking forward to making more soups now too.
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Petra
I absolutely love the color of this soup! Once I read the ingredients it looks so incredibly good. I love autumn with thicker soups to tuck in to warm you up 🙂
Reply
Corina
Thanks Petra! The red pepper helped give the soup a brighter colour and yes, thick warm soups are just the thing right now.
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Laura
I soooo love it is September, cooler temperature and children at school I can finally eat my own lunch and this soup is very appealing. I will try this week and I might join you for the #CookOnceEatTwiceReply
Corina
Yes, I'm enjoying eating my own lunch too but only one day a week! My youngest one is back home for lunch on the other days. It would be great if you could join in with #CookOnceEatTwice too!
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Catherine Brown
Oh, man! I LOVE butternut squash soup! I bet this would be delicious with smoked tempeh crumbles for those who don't eat bacon. 😉
Reply
Corina
Oh that's a lovely idea! I'm sure smoked tempeh crumbles would be great on here.
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Fred Nonterah
This is definitely a comfort soup, great now at the end of summer. 40 minutes to cook it, is not bad at all that's quite simple.Reply
Corina
It is indeed and most of that time is just for the soup to simmer away while you can get on with something else. The hands-on time is actually very short - just preparing the vegetables and then blending at the end.
Reply
Jen S
I LOVE butternut squash (which means I'm very happy it's fall now). This recipe is perfect for the meal plan I was putting together. Thank you!Reply
Corina
I do hope you enjoy it!
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jenny walters
What a beautiful soup. I absolutely love Butternut Squash Soup, genuinely one of the reasons I look forward to Autumn. I love the idea of Bacon in it too. Delicious.
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Corina
Thanks Jenny! I find some soups can be a little bit too sweet, especially as I always have a huge bowlful, so the bacon helps to balance that out so it's just right!
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Felesha Bell
What a beauty of a soup!!! I am ready to dig in!!Reply
Corina
Aw thank you Felesha!
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Shashi at Savory Spin
I haven't made my first batch of soup for the season - and looking at your creamy and flavorful bowl, makes me yearn for it!
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Corina
I'm sure it won't be long!
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Kristen Chidsey
I am right there with you--2 weeks ago was hot and humid and now everything feels fall. So this soup could not come at a better time. I am craving all things fall and LOVE butternut squash
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Corina
Thanks Kristen. I'm so pleased you like it!
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Amy | The Cook Report
I'm so sad how quickly summer seemed to end! However, at least it means we can eat delicious things like this soup!Reply
Corina
Exactly! Where food's concerned I'm quite happy!
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Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie
This looks so lovely - I do so love butternut squash based soups - and I'm loving the idea of adding bacon into the mix! I am like you, I'll go for ages without making soup and then wonder why I don't do it more often - homemade soup is so delicious AND easy AND healthy! A nobrainer really!! Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare. Eb xReply
Corina
You're welcome Eb! Bacon is just so good in soups like this and if I don't have bacon I would often add some chorizo for a similar boost of flavour, although Nico at Yumsome recently made some lovely looking vegan carrot bacon and I'm thinking something like that would be delicious too x
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prasanna hede
Your recipe is so close to the one I had at my friends place except the bacon part.Looks delish!Reply
Corina
Thanks Prasanna. It's fairly simple but really tasty and the red pepper in it adds to the colour too!
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Rebecca Smith
I just had to click on this recipe I adore butternut squash and am secretly thankful for the change in weather so that I can indulge my love of soups, this is going on the to-do-list xxReply
Corina
I hope you enjoy it! I'm loving all the soups online at the moment too and am so tempted.
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Renee @ MummyTries
That looks and sounds so tasty, right up my street 🙂 #CookBlogShareReply
Corina
Thanks Renee! It is a tasty soup and so easy too which is always a bonus.
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Helen
I love butternut squash soup, and it's one of my favourite soups to cook at home - mainly because the kids love it. Loving the addition of the bacon 😀Reply
Corina
Thanks Helen! The bacon goes so well here and stops the butternut squash from being too sweet.
Reply
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