To make creamy butternut squash soup with crispy Brussels sprouts and bacon, sauté an onion with garlic powder, nutmeg and smoked paprika, then simmer cubed butternut squash, a sweet potato, 2 apples and 2 cups of broth for 20–30 minutes until tender. Stir in a can of coconut milk and blend until smooth. Meanwhile, roast finely chopped Brussels sprouts with maple, salt and pepper under bacon on a rack at 420°F for 12–15 minutes, stir, then roast 10–12 minutes more and spoon them on top. It’s creamy without any cream, and it serves 4.
This butternut squash soup recipe delivers the traditional comfort, soothing warmth, creamy and smooth texture of butternut squash with the additional smokiness and hearty flavors from crispy brussels and bacon. It truly is the perfect melody of fall in each and every spoonful.
I don’t know what it is about butternut squash soup. It always brings me a serious level of comfort and warmth. I remember feeling so fancy the first time we hosted Thanksgiving at our new home in North Carolina and this dish was a hit.
At the time, I had not discovered the serious impact and altitude that adding brussel sprouts brings to a dish – but I will always remember the coziness and gratitude that I felt from this butternut squash soup recipe that was a complete crowd pleaser.
My favorite butternut squash soup is Panera’s Autumn Squash Soup and this recipe right here is a copycat of that, but with a twist: crispy maple bacon Brussel sprouts are added on top of this velvety goodness.
The best part about this butternut squash soup is that it is naturally very healthy. Don’t let all the creaminess of this soup fool you! This beautiful texture comes from the natural velvety creaminess of butternut squash and coconut milk- there’s no cream or dairy in this! It’s jam packed with healthy ingredients and the cooking method is foolproof; you simply can’t go wrong with this butternut squash soup recipe!
Ingredients for butternut squash soup with crispy brussels and bacon
To make this creamy butternut squash soup with crispy Brussels and bacon, you’ll need a few ingredients that you can get at almost any grocery store or even online!
Here’s what we are working with:
For the butternut squash soup
- olive oil
- onion
- garlic powder
- nutmeg
- smoked paprika
- butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes
- sweet potato, peeled and cubed
- honey crisp apples
- broth
- coconut milk
For the crispy brussel sprouts and bacon
- brussel sprouts, finely chopped
- thick-cut bacon
- sugar free maple syrup
How do I make crispy brussel sprouts?
Let’s talk Brussels! I get that they can be downright awful. Soggy, boiled and steamed sprouts are not for me either. For the crispiest, most perfect Brussels the secret is chopping them finely. To do this you can simply put them in a food processor for quicker results.
Then we are simply adding over the bacon and coating with sugar free maple sweetener.
These crispy brussel sprouts with bacon are completely optional in this butternut squash soup recipe. If you haven’t tried brussel sprouts like this before, I would highly recommend these crispy brussel sprouts with bacon being your first experience. I’ve been hooked ever since I first tried brussel sprouts this way!
When roasting your brussels, we are not adding olive oil or butter. We are simply roasting them alongside their BFF (BACON) and coating with a sugar free maple sweetener, salt and pepper. I highly suggest a baking and cooling rack for the bacon to place on top of the Brussels. This will allow both the bacon and Brussels sprouts to roast and create an intense partnership of crispiness and flavor! Here they are in their bonded state:
So, have I convinced you to give these crispy brussel sprouts and bacon a try?
How to make butternut squash soup
You’ll find the exact amounts and printable steps in the recipe card below. Here’s what each step looks like, plus the little things that make it work.
make the soup
1. Sauté the onion and spices. In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and fragrant, then add the garlic powder, nutmeg and smoked paprika and sauté for about 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the squash, sweet potato and apples. Add the peeled butternut squash cubes to the pot, followed by the chopped apples, sweet potato cubes, broth, salt and pepper. Cutting everything into similar-size cubes helps it all turn tender at the same time.
3. Simmer until tender. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. This is the perfect time to get the Brussels sprouts and bacon into the oven.
4. Add the coconut milk. Stir in the can of coconut milk. It gives the soup its velvety, creamy texture with no cream or dairy.
5. Blend until smooth. Let the soup cool slightly, then pour it into a blender, working in batches if necessary, and blend until smooth. Don’t fill the blender more than halfway with hot soup, and vent the lid so steam can escape.
6. Season to taste. Return the soup to the pot, then taste and adjust the seasonings as desired.
make the crispy Brussels sprouts and bacon
7. Chop and season the sprouts. Cut the bottoms off the Brussels sprouts and finely chop them; a food processor makes this easy. Spread them on a baking sheet and drizzle with the maple syrup (or sugar-free maple sweetener), salt and pepper.
8. Add the rack and bacon. Cover the Brussels sprouts with a baking and cooling rack and lay the bacon on top. As it roasts, the bacon drips onto the sprouts, so there’s no need for any oil or butter.
9. Roast until crispy. Roast at 420°F for 12–15 minutes. Take out the pan, give the Brussels sprouts a quick stir and flip the bacon, then roast another 10–12 minutes to your desired crispiness.
10. Top and serve. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the crispy Brussels sprouts and bacon.
I promise you, this recipe delivers! Whether using it for a weekend meal, weeknight comfort dish, or a side for your Thanksgiving feast, I hope the comfort of this butternut squash with crispy brussel sprouts and bacon soup finds a quick place in your home. This recipe is certainly a staple in ours!
butternut squash soup for Thanksgiving
This soup was a hit the very first time we hosted Thanksgiving, and it’s still one of my favorite ways to start a holiday meal. Serve it in small cups as a first course while the turkey rests, or set out a pot with the crispy Brussels and bacon on the side so everyone can top their own.
can you make butternut squash soup ahead?
Yes, the soup is a great make-ahead. Make it up to 3 days ahead, cool it, refrigerate it within 2 hours and gently reheat it on the stove. Roast the Brussels sprouts and bacon fresh right before serving so they stay crispy.
how to store and reheat leftovers
Refrigerate leftover soup in an airtight container within 2 hours and enjoy it within 3–4 days. Store the Brussels and bacon topping separately. Reheat the soup on the stovetop, stirring, until it’s steaming hot (165°F), and re-crisp the topping in the oven.
That’s all I’ve got for the butternut squash soup with crispy brussel sprouts and bacon recipe!
I hope you enjoy this delicious butternut squash soup recipe as much as our little tribe has time and time again. Please leave us a star review and comment if you make this easy fall soup recipe.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. I answer every single question as quickly as I can.
Happy cooking! And thanks for being part of our tribe, The Tasteful Tribe!
recipe video
butternut squash soup FAQs
Yes. The creaminess comes from the butternut squash and coconut milk; there’s no cream or dairy in this soup.
Use vegetable broth and skip the bacon. You can still roast the Brussels sprouts with maple, salt and pepper for a crunchy topping.
Yes. I like a sugar-free maple sweetener on the Brussels sprouts, but pure maple syrup works too.
Yes. Make the soup up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it, then roast the Brussels sprouts and bacon fresh just before serving.
Refrigerate it within 2 hours and enjoy it within 3–4 days. Reheat until steaming hot (165°F).
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Butternut Squash Soup With Crispy Brussel Sprouts and Bacon
- DFDairy-Free
- GFGluten-Free
Ingredients
For the butternut squash soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
- 2 small apples, we recommend Honeycrisp!
- 2 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
For the brussels and bacon
- 1 pound brussels sprouts, finely chopped
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon , cut into cubes
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, or sugar-free maple sweetener
- salt and pepper , to taste
Instructions
For the butternut squash soup
- In a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and fragrant; add in the spices and sauté about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Place the prepared, peeled butternut squash cubes into the dutch oven.
- To the pot, add the chopped apples, sweet potato cubes, broth, salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Add in the can of coconut milk.
- Let cool slightly and pour the soup into a blender, working in batches if necessary, and blend until smooth.
- Return the soup to the pot once complete. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
- Top with crispy brussel sprouts and bacon over the soup.
For the brussels and bacon
- Preheat the oven to 420°F.
- Finely chop brussel sprouts; cut the bottoms and use a food processor to make it easier. Place finely chopped brussel sprouts on a baking sheet and drizzle over maple sweetener, salt and pepper.
- Cover the brussel sprouts with a baking and cooling rack and place the bacon on top.
- Roast for 12-15 minutes in the oven. Take out the pan, give the brussel sprouts a quick stir and flip the bacon then place back in the oven to roast another 10-12 minutes to your desired crispiness.
Equipment
- cooling rack
Nutrition
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