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Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon and Crispy Leeks

Shanna
A simple, smoky roasted squash soup topped with crispy leeks. Don't forget the crusty bread.
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • ½ lb thick cut bacon 6-8 slices
  • 3 lb Butternut squash peeled, seeds removed, cut in to 2 inch chunks
  • ½ yellow onion diced ( about half a cup)
  • 2 large leeks
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper or more to taste
  • ½ C white wine
  • 4 C chicken or vegetable broth

Garnish

  • Greek Yogurt
  • bacon
  • crispy leeks

Instructions
 

  • Slice bacon in half lengthwise, then into half inch pieces. Cook in a cast iron dutch oven until crispy, stirring frequently. Remove bacon to paper towel lined plate to drain. Reserve bacon fat, saving one tablespoon for the leeks.
  • Preheat oven to 400 Deg. Spread butternut squash chunks on a baking sheet and sprinkle with 2 tablespoon of bacon fat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring and flipping chunks every 10 min, until starting to turn golden.
  • Prepare the leeks. Trim off ends and any tough outer leaves. Trim off dark green tops so only white and light green remain. Cut in half lengthwise and rinse well. Cut one into 4 lengthwise sections then into smaller quarter moon pieces, set aside. Cut the other in half widthwise then trim into thin strips - about 3-4 inches in length set aside.
  • While the squash is roasting, cook the onion and diced leek in the dutch oven in the remaining bacon fat. If there isn't much fat left, add a tablespoon of oil or butter. Once the onion and leek are soft and translucent, about 3-4 min of cooking, add the garlic and stir for one minute. Add in the white wine and stir then add the roasted squash.
  • Add 3 cups of the chicken or vegetable broth to the pan and stir. Bring to a simmer. Transfer
    mixture to a blender and blend until smooth then transfer back to the duct oven. This might
    take two batches. Add in the remaining cup of broth to the blender to clean out any squash
    mixture that might be stuck and add it all back to the dutch oven. Bring to a simmer. Taste
    and season with salt and pepper.
  • Heat a sauté pan with a tablespoon of reserved bacon fat and add the strips of leeks and
    sauté until crispy. Remove to a paper towel to drain slightly.
  • Divide soup into bowls. Top with a tablespoon of yogurt and sprinkle on some of the
    cooked bacon and crispy leeks. Serve with crusty bread.