I love this soup so much that I included it in my new cookbook, “Kevin’s Kitchen: 100 Recipes for Delicious Living” (click here to order). It’s a beautiful brew of caramelized butternut squash, smoky bacon, savory thyme, and smooth sherry. Serve the soup at Thanksgiving or Christmas, and everyone will think you’re a genius.
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Love ya!
K.
Here’s the printable:
Kevin's Caramelized Butternut Squash Soup
My favorite first-course soup for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. The soup can be made at least 3 days ahead of time.
Ingredients
- 1 large (3 1/2 - 4lb) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and roughly cut into 1-inch pieces
- Olive oil
- 8 slices bacon, roughly sliced into thin lardons
- 2 large yellow or white onions, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and grinds of black pepper to taste
- A generous 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 5 cups low- or no-sodium chicken stock
- 1/2 cup medium-dry sherry
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- Garnish: a drizzle of heavy cream
Instructions
- Center the oven rack, and preheat the oven to 375°F. Put the squash pieces on a large baking sheet, drizzle them with olive oil, toss until all pieces are coated with oil, and roast them in the oven until tender and slightly colored -- 50-60 minutes.
- While the squash is roasting, put the chopped bacon into a heavy 5-quart pot or Dutch oven. Cook over low heat until fat is rendered -- about 8 minutes. Stir in the onion, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cover the pot, and cook gently just until the onion is soft but not colored -- about 20 minutes.
- Tip the bacon mixture and one cup of the chicken stock into a blender, and blend until perfectly smooth -- about 30 seconds. Quickly wash out and dry the soup pot. Return the pureed bacon mixture to the pot.
- Pour the cooked squash and one cup of chicken stock into the blender, and blend until smooth. Pour the pureed squash into the soup pot, along with the remaining stock, the sherry, and the cream. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Copyright 2015 by Kevin Lee Jacobs
Jerry Miller says
I’m trying this soup. I love squash and I love sherry; I’ve never thought of the two together but it looks like a perfect match.
I have 4 butternut squashed stored in a cool place (my garage). I bought them in a small town, Hagerman, Idaho, that’s about 55 miles from here. It’s a very scenic drive and the town has quite a few family farms that sell their produce roadside.
The roadside stand that I’m partial to is a self-service stand. It consists of a small, flat trailer, parked off the side of the road, a price board and a lockbox with a slot. You choose what you want and drop the money into the lockbox.
I’ve purchased red potatoes, onions, cantaloup, watermelon, acorn squash, butternut squash, bell pepper and cucumbers, as they come into season. The prices are crazy cheap and the produce is grown in the adjacent field and tastes noticeably fresh. Large butternut squash and bags of potatoes are a buck each.
I’ve probably drove there ten times this summer. Unfortunately, I drove by last week and the trailer was gone. I’ll have to wait until next summer to enjoy the great produce again.
Jerry Miller says
P.S. Congratulations of your book. I finally got a chance to thumb through the pages last night. The photographs are mouth watering and the recipes look delicious. I’ve made some of your recipes before and I look forward to trying some new ones. congratulations
Again, congratulations and much success.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Thank you, Jerry!
Tressa Rhodes says
Can an immersion blender be used instead of a blender?
Tricia says
Nice video. Yes, this soup IS awesome. Note: in the video, you are adding “one heaping teaspoon” of thyme leaves – but in the written recipe/directions, it is indicated to use “a generous 1/2 teaspoon”. Which is correct?
Love your recipes – and other blog posts. Congratulations on publication of your cookbook.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Tricia – The printable recipe is correct. The extra thyme I used in the video-version resulted in an extra-herbal soup. ‘Twas delicious!
Judy says
I can’t wait to try this! A volunteer mystery plant sprouted last summer in my compost pile. I let it grow because it was so pretty and spread out for many feet all along a rock retaining wall. I was excited to finally see fruits developing and positively thrilled when I realized they were butternut squash! I’m down to about 15 more of them (stored in a cool place in my utility room). I’ve given several away but am still eating about 1 a week so I am looking for new ways to cook it and this soup looks excellent. Not bad for an unplanned compost pile accident, huh?!? PS – love your weekly blog!
Mary W says
I adore butternut squash soup. I make a huge batch and freeze portions for use over a couple months. I will definitely try your recipe for the next batch. Can’t wait to get my copy of your cookbook. Can you tell me the name and brand of sherry that you used. I tried once and what I selected just ruined by recipe so need a reliable source for this wonderful enhancement.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Mary W – I use Savory and James’ “Amontillado.” It’s a medium-dry sherry imported from Spain. Hopefully available in your local liquor store!
Karen says
I love watching your videos .
For some reason you have a calming affect on me !
Joanne in Zone 6b says
Thanks for your step-by-step squash prep in the video; the recipe is terrific, too. My copies of your beautiful book arrived yesterday! It is wonderful, just as wonderful as the website and the videos. The pictures are terrific, and your encouraging, amusing, uplifting voice comes through in the text. It’s fun to read whether you want to cook or not! Congratulations, again!
Phyllis says
Love you and love the soup recipe. Can’t get your cookbook until the beginning of December from Barns & Nobels (can’t wait)
Janet Metzger says
Kevin,
THANK YOU! the step by step on cleaning the squash was helpful. The soup sounds marvelous!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Janet
Janis says
Dear Kevin
First off, here is wishing a very Happy Thanksgiving to you and all you love. I am not ‘doing’ the dinner this year at our house. My sister is hosting. So I was charged with a couple of ‘old reliable favorites’ and to bring a winter soup. Then I luckily saw your ‘must have’ email and headed straight to the store. I just finished the butternut squash soup. Magnifique! This will be the showstopper at Thanksgiving this year. What wonderful flavors. Thank you so much!
I also ruined my husband’s Christmas surprise. When I went online to order your cookbook he had to tell me he already ordered me a copy. Your fame has spread far and wide!
Thanks so much for being such a friendly source of humor, recipes, tips gardening encouragement, and compassion to all of us. You are a dear friend to so many. With much love and gratitude on Thanksgiving. ❤️
Melissa Landon says
Hello Kevin & family!
I will be spending this Thanksgiving preparing & serving dinner for 12. Family is a blessing and I am blessed abundantly. After gobbling until we are wobbling, we will be playing board games in our annual”Kids vs. Adults” showdown. After which, we will attempt to finish off the homemade pies and send home plenty of leftovers to charge the batteries of our Black Friday shoppers. All this with plenty of stories, conversations, love and laughter.
I hope you and your spouse and your 4-legged-fur babies have a beautiful holiday. Happy Thanksgiving
Bette says
I made this soup and it is absolutely fantastic. In fact, I doubled the recipea and am so glad I did. I am making it again next week to serve to my book group!