Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

butternut squash soup made with roasted squash

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup is a rich and comforting soup recipe topped with welcomed texture and flavor. Best of all? You don't need to peel the squash to make it!

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1 10

Total Time 1 40

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy free, gluten free

Method Stovetop

Servings

Calories 339kcal

Ingredients

2 small butternut squash ~4lbs total
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
15 oz can garbanzo beans
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika divided
6 slices bacon chopped
2 large or 3 small leeks white and light green parts only, chopped in half then thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 - 2 Tablespoons maple syrup depending on how sweet you want your soup
3 cups chicken broth

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pierce bulb ends of butternut squash with a sharp knife then microwave for 1-1/2 minutes to make them easier to cut. Cut in half lengthwise with a sharp knife then remove seeds with a spoon and place cut-side up on a nonstick sprayed half sheet pan. Brush or mist with extra virgin olive oil then season liberally with salt and pepper.
Drain chickpeas then rinse and pat dry with a kitchen towel (the dryer the better.) Pour onto a baking sheet then add extra virgin olive oil and 1-1/4 teaspoons smoked paprika, and then toss with your hands to coat.
Place baking sheets into the oven. Roast butternut squash for 45-60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the thickest part of the squash goes in easily. If squash starts burning before it’s tender, place a piece of foil on top. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Roast chickpeas for 25-30 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan every 10 minutes, or until crisp (beans will continue crisping as they cool.) Sprinkle with salt then set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, crisp bacon in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat then remove to a paper towel lined plate to train. Remove all but 2 Tablespoons bacon grease from pot then add leeks and season with salt and pepper. Saute for 7-10 minutes, or until leeks are golden brown and tender, then add garlic and saute for one more minute. Remove pot from heat then transfer leek/garlic mixture into a blender. Add maple syrup and remaining 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika to blender.
Scoop butternut squash flesh out of the skin with a spoon then add to the blender with 2 cups chicken broth (may need to do this in two batches.) Blend until very smooth — being sure to crack the lid of the blender, or the top portion of the lid if removable, to allow steam to escape — then pour back into soup pot and turn heat to low. Stir in remaining cup chicken broth then simmer on low for 10 minutes. Taste then add remaining tablespoon maple syrup, salt, and pepper if desired. Serve topped with cooked bacon and crunchy roasted chickpeas.

Notes

To freeze: Cool soup then scoop into a freezer bag and freeze flat. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then reheat on the stove (may need to add more chicken broth to thin out a bit.)

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