Butternut Squash Soup

Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter in a Dutch oven or stockpot set over medium heat. Add onions and peppers; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the sausage and cook for 10 minutes or until browned and cooked through, breaking up the sausage into crumbles as it cooks.

Add garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, remove the sausage mixture from the pot and set aside.

Melt the remaining butter in the pot set over medium heat; add squash to the pot and cook for 2 minutes. Then, stir in the chicken broth; add bay leaf, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a steady simmer and continue to simmer, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes or until the squash is tender. Start checking around the 10-minute mark.

Note: The larger the chunks of butternut squash, the longer it will take for them to soften.

Remove from heat. Discard the bay leaf. Remove a couple handfuls of butternut squash chunks from the soup and set aside. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. You can also blend the soup in a traditional blender and return the soup back to the stockpot.

Return the butternut squash chunks back to the pot and set the pot over medium heat. To the soup, add the beans, tomatoes, and previously prepared sausage mixture; cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until heated through.

Taste for salt and pepper, and adjust accordingly. Drizzle with cream and garnish with parsley. Serve.

Notes

Veggie Prep: Use a large, sharp knife to cut the butternut squash, or buy pre-cut squash for convenience.

Roasting Option: For enhanced flavor, roast the squash at 400°F for 30 minutes before adding it to the pot with the chicken broth and bay leaf, then heat it before blending.

Cream Alternatives: Creme fraiche can be used as a substitute for heavy cream.

Dairy-Free & Vegetarian: Replace the butter with oil, use veggie broth instead of chicken, and omit the sausage to make this soup dairy-free and vegetarian.