Butternut Squash Soup With Cheddar Bacon Crostini
This cozy butternut squash soup is creamy, comforting, and packed with sweet roasted squash flavor. The squash is roasted until tender before being simmered with onion, carrots, garlic, and a touch of cinnamon, then blended until perfectly smooth. Paired with crispy, cheesy crostini topped with smokey bacon.
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This butternut squash soup is incredibly creamy with or without the addition of cream for flavoring. This bowl of butternut squash soup will get you in the fall mood instantly!
And then you have these cheddar bacon crostini that are made for dunking. Crispy baguette slices are topped with melted cheddar and little pieces of bacon for a salty, cheesy bite that pairs so well with the sweetness of the soup.
This is one of those easy fall dinners that feels a little special without requiring much work.
Why You Will Love This Creamy Squash Soup & Crostini
The squash is roasted first. Roasting the butternut squash brings out its natural sweetness and gives the soup a deeper flavor than simply simmering raw squash. This is the step where I skip the peeling and dicing and roast the whole squash to save me a ton of effort and I almost always do this a day in advance if I can. When it comes out of the oven, it’s like a purée and I just scoop it out and throw it into the soup. But, if you’d like to skip the oven and stick to the pot, simply peel, seed, and dice the squash and throw it in with the broth, then simmer for 20-ish minutes until it’s fully cooked through.
It’s creamy without being heavy. A little heavy cream stirred in at the end gives the soup a silky texture.
The crostini make it extra special. Crispy bread, melted cheddar, and bacon add texture and savory flavor to every bite. Dip one right into the soup and you’ll see why they belong together.
It’s perfect for a cozy night in or a rainy day. This soup is warm, comforting, and easy enough for a weeknight, but it’s also a great starter or first course for a fall dinner.
Ingredient Notes
Butternut squash: Look for a squash that’s about 2½ to 3 pounds. Roasting it cut-side up makes it easy to scoop out the tender flesh once it’s cool enough to handle.
Olive oil: You’ll use some for roasting the squash and the rest for sautéing the vegetables.
Onion and carrots: These create the savory base of the soup.
Garlic: A few cloves add just enough savory flavor.
Cinnamon: Don’t skip the little pinch. You won’t necessarily taste cinnamon in the finished soup, but it brings out the warm, naturally sweet flavor of the squash.
Chicken broth: This gives the soup enough liquid to blend into a smooth, creamy consistency. Vegetable broth can also be used.
Heavy cream: Just a quarter cup is enough to make the soup creamy and smooth. Add a little extra when serving if you like.
Baguette, cheddar, and bacon: This trio makes the crostini. The bread gets crisp around the edges, the cheddar melts over the top, and the bacon adds the salty, savory finish.
Tips For Making The Best Squash Soup
Give the squash enough time to roast. Depending on the size of your squash, it can take anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes. It should be very tender and easy to pierce with a fork before you take it out to put into the soup.
Let the squash cool slightly. You don’t need it to be completely cold, but letting it sit for about 10 minutes makes it much easier to scoop the flesh from the skin without burning your fingers.
Blend until completely smooth. An immersion blender makes this especially easy because you can blend the soup right in the pot. If you’re using a regular blender, work in batches and be careful because hot soup can splatter and burn your skin.
Don’t rush the vegetables. Give the onion and carrots a good 5 to 6 minutes to soften before adding the garlic. This builds a better flavor base for the soup.
Storage Tips
- Soup: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: I do not recommend freezing the soup because of the cream. If you omit the cream, then you may freeze it up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally.
- Crostini: Store separately in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
- Best results: Make the crostini fresh or reheat them in the oven to crisp them up again.
If you love this comfort food recipe, be sure to check out a few of my favorite!
- Coconut Thai Curry Beef Broth Bowls
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Ham And Cheese Croissant Bake
- Roasted Tomato Soup With Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
- Zuppa Toscana Soup
If you make this Butternut Squash Soup, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I’d love to hear what you think about it, or better yet, see what you’re cooking! Tag me @fettysfoodblog with your creation.
Butternut Squash Soup With Cheddar Bacon Crostini
Ingredients
- 1 (2½-3 pound) butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, divided
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- pinch of cinnamon
- 4 cups chicken broth (1 carton)
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream, plus more for drizzling
- 1 baguette, cut into 1-inch slices
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 5 slices of bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
- chives, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place squash onto the baking sheet, skin side down. Drizzle the squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and season with ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Place into the oven and bake for 45-60 minutes until squash is cooked though and fork pierces through easily. Set aside for 10 minutes to let cool. Once it's slightly cooled down, scoop out the flesh and discard the skin.
- Heat remaining olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and carrots. Sauté the until soft, about 5-6 mins. Add garlic and cook for 30 more seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the cooked squash, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, pinch of cinnamon, and chicken broth. Stir until well combined. Bring to a gentle boil. Place lid on top and simmer for 20 minutes on low heat.
- Remove pot from heat. Use an immersion blender and blend until creamy. Or let the soup slightly cool and transfer soup into a standing blender. Blend until it's creamy and you may need to blend it in 2-3 separate batches. Be careful when opening the lid of a standing blender, it will be very hot and can splatter. Stir in cream until well incorporated.
- Line another baking sheet with parchment paper. Assemble baguette slices onto baking sheet. Sprinkle cheddar cheese onto baguette slices. Top each slice with 2-3 pieces of bacon. Bake for 8-12 minutes, until cheese is melted and bacon is cooked.
- Serve butternut squash soup warm with cheddar bacon crostini, garnished with chives and drizzled with cream.
