Bacon Infused Butternut Squash Soup Recipes

BACON BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400º. On a baking sheet, drizzle squash with olive oil and rub all over until coated. Place a slice of butter in each and season generously with salt and pepper.
• Bake until squash is tender, 1 hour.
• About 10 minutes before squash is finished baking, start soup: In a large pot over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes. Drain half the fat and reserve some bacon for garnish.
• Add onion and cook until softened, then stir in garlic and thyme until fragrant.
• Once cool enough to handle, scoop squash from skin and transfer to soup pot. Pour over chicken broth and season with more pepper. Simmer 15 minutes.
• Place an immersion blender into soup pot and blend until squash is smooth and no chunks remain. (Alternatively, you can transfer soup in batches to a blender.)
• Ladle soup into bowls and top with reserved bacon and more thyme.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH APPLES AND BACON

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place squash in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil; mix to coat; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread squash into a single layer on a baking pan. Roast the squash in the preheated oven, turning once, until fork-tender and caramelized; 30 to 40 minutes.
• Place the bacon in a Dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon slices to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the drippings in the pan.
• Place the onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf, curry powder, thyme, and salt and pepper in the Dutch oven; cook in reserved bacon drippings until the carrots and celery are soft. Mix in the apples and cooked squash and cook another 5 minutes. Stir the garlic into the mixture and cook another 1 minute. Pour the apple cider over the mixture; reduce heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer; allow to reduce to about half its original volume. Stir in the chicken stock; simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes.
• Puree the soup in small batches in a blender, or use an immersion blender. If using a blender, don't fill the blender more than half-way. Always remove the center lid piece of a stand blender when blending hot liquids so the steam can escape. Cover the hole with a dish towel while blending. Stir the nutmeg into the soup. Garnish each bowl with 1 tablespoon of sour cream and some of the bacon pieces to serve.

BACON-INFUSED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Cook bacon slices in large pot until crisp.
• Remove bacon and drain.
• Reserve 2 tbsp drippings in pan.
• Crumble bacon and set aside.
• Saute onion and carrots in bacon drippings over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes (until onion is tender).
• Add celery and apple to pan and saute 5 minutes.
• And garlic and saute 1 minute.
• Add squash and chicken broth.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until carrots are tender.
• Process mixture, in batches, in a blender or food processor until smooth.
• (Hot mixtures will erupt out of blender if too full- believe me I know).
• Return mixture to pot.
• Stir in lime juice and next 7 ingredients.
• Simmer for 7-10 minutes or until thickened.
• Top soup with crumbled bacon and garnish with sour cream and red pepper.