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Home » American Recipes » Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

By Hank Shaw on December 9, 2019, Updated August 2, 2022 - 33 Comments

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5 from 28 votes
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This spicy butternut squash soup is a ritual meal in our home, mostly as a byproduct of growing the Three Sisters: Corn, beans, and squash. Hell, I even have a “three sisters” stew I make with whatever leftover meat I happen to have handy.

I know, there are many, many versions of squash soup on the internet, but my rendition of spicy butternut squash soup has one thing few others do: Cayenne, of course, but also bacon. Yep, bacon. In the soup itself.

A bowl of spicy butternut squash soup, garnished with squash seeds.
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

Lots of recipes add crumbled bacon as a garnish, and I always support that — especially if you make your own bacon. (I have lots of homemade bacon recipes here.) But I took a tip from a minestrone soup I read about in Saveur magazine about 15 years ago to puree the bacon in the soup itself.

Yeah, I hear ya: pureed meat? Ew! Except it’s not “ew,” because you only notice the flavor when you are eating this soup. It’s still predominantly a butternut squash soup, but you get extra body, richness and smokiness from the bacon. Trust me on this one.

And yes, you can skip the bacon to make this vegetarian. But I wouldn’t.

I grow butternut squashes, typically old Native American varieties that are drought tolerant, big and which will keep for many, many months. I like them because of the characteristics I just mentioned, but also because they are bright in color and are reasonably dry; I find most pumpkins watery.

That said, this squash soup can easily become a pumpkin soup if that’s what you have. The color may be slightly different, and pumpkins are more watery, but it’ll work. Kabocha or Hubbard squashes would be my next best alternatives, though.

The bay leaves matter here, and if you can use more than two, do it. I actually add like six, but I have lots and lots of bay leaves handy. They add a beautiful floral aroma to the soup that works well with the bacon and squash.

Finally, your garnishes should add something to the party, too. Squash or pumpkin seeds are a must. A variety of seeds, like both of those plus sunflower kernels, would be cool, too. Black pepper is nice, as is any paprika, but especially Spanish smoked paprika. Fresh chopped herbs like chives are a nice touch, and of course, so is chopped crispy bacon.

Once made, your spicy butternut squash soup will keep a week or so in the fridge. It doesn’t freeze that well, though.

And if you like this recipe, you will love my butternut squash curry, which is a bit different from most versions of that dish.

Bacon butternut squash in a bowl
Print Recipe
5 from 28 votes

Spicy Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon

I recommend butternut squash for this recipe, but other winter squashes and pumpkins work, too - except spaghetti squash, which you can't use. Many other squashes are more watery than butternut squash, so factor that in. Obviously if you want to make this vegetarian, skip the bacon and use vegetable stock.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time1 hr 20 mins
Total Time1 hr 35 mins
Course: Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 160kcal
Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

  • 1 yellow or white onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/3 to 1/2 pound bacon or salt pork, diced (use less if it's really smoky)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (or more to taste)
  • 1 quart turkey, chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
  • Salt
  • 2 heaping tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream (optional)
  • Smoked paprika (optional)

Instructions

  • In a large pot, heat the butter over medium-high heat and add the onions and bacon. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent. You don't want them browning. Pour in the stock, add the cayenne, squash, bay leaves and a healthy pinch of salt. You might need a little water to completely submerge the squash. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low, cover and simmer gently for an hour. Stir it once or twice in that time.
  • Uncover the pot, remove the bay leaves and puree the soup, either with an immersion blender, by moving the soup to a blender or a food processor, or by pushing it through a food mill. An immersion blender will give you a slightly chunky soup, a blender the smoothest. Return the soup to the pot, put the bay leaves back in and simmer gently, uncovered, for another 15 minutes. Stir frequently to keep it from sticking on the bottom.
  • Add salt to taste. Right before you serve, whisk in the sour cream or creme fraiche. Adjust the thickness of the soup - you want it to look like melted ice cream. Serve garnished with pumpkin or squash seeds and smoked paprika.

Nutrition

Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 273mg | Potassium: 632mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 13404IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 1mg
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Filed Under: American Recipes, Appetizers and Snacks, Featured, Recipe

Avatar for Hank Shaw

Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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Comments

  1. Avatar for ChristelChristel says

    November 28, 2022 at 5:55 am

    Ich liebe ihre Rezepte, Danke

    Reply
  2. Avatar for GG says

    October 24, 2022 at 10:44 am

    Would this freeze acceptably if you leave out the creme fraiche?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      October 24, 2022 at 11:44 am

      G: Probably, but I have not tried it.

      Reply
      • Avatar for Cleve DixonCleve Dixon says

        October 27, 2022 at 6:49 pm

        I preroasted the squash. Cut the simmer to 45 minutes (30 would likely have worked?). Added the creme fraiche as it was served so I could freeze about half.
        Delicious. Will definitely do this again@

  3. Avatar for GavinGavin says

    October 19, 2022 at 6:47 am

    holy smokes another great recipe from Mr Shaw. thank you.

    question about squash. how come you peel it and add it? would there be any downside to roasting and then adding?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      October 19, 2022 at 4:43 pm

      Gavin: None whatsoever! Great idea.

      Reply
  4. Avatar for FrenchiemamaFrenchiemama says

    September 24, 2022 at 12:30 pm

    I made this using butternut squash from my garden. So delicious! The bacon is such a great flavor addition. I will definately make again.

    Reply
  5. Avatar for Matt N.Matt N. says

    January 14, 2022 at 8:09 am

    Made this using a sugar pie pumpkin the Wife grew this summer and the last pack of bacon from a pig a good friend raised. Raising pigs is like having a compost pile you can add meat and diary to that magically turns into bacon! If you have the space, raise pigs.

    Back to the soup, which is delicious and simple recipe that I will make again. The hardest part was waiting an hour for the squash to simmer. This soup utilizes the basic ingredients of many Lithuanian dishes such as Kugelis and bacon buns: bacon, onions, butter and sour cream. The cayenne pepper gives it a nice hidden hotness at the end of a slurp. Thanks for another great recipe Shank Shaw/Mr. Tibs!

    Reply
  6. Avatar for Jacob PickettJacob Pickett says

    January 11, 2022 at 6:46 pm

    Great soup! Dare I say hank should come out with a NorCal gardening/vegetable cook book (not vegetarian)?

    Reply
  7. Avatar for ValVal says

    November 26, 2021 at 6:02 am

    Have made this more times than I can count for people I love. The flavors work so well together. I’m a soup girl and this has been my number #1 second to none. Thanks Hank!

    Reply
  8. Avatar for Rebekah BartlettRebekah Bartlett says

    May 11, 2021 at 3:04 pm

    This soup is absolutely delicious. It was so easy to make, it’s now a household favourite!

    Reply
  9. Avatar for Emily JulinEmily Julin says

    November 19, 2020 at 7:04 pm

    Delicious and easy to make! Another Hank Shaw winner!

    Reply
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Hi, my name is Hank Shaw; I’m a James Beard Award-winning author and chef. I started this site back in 2007 to help you get the most out of all things wild: fish, game, edible wild plants and mushrooms. I also write cookbooks, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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