Butternut Squash Roasted Red Pepper Soup
A vegetable soup recipe that will surprise you with its incredible flavor, creamy smooth texture and delicious toppings.
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash medium dice
- 2 Red Peppers roasted, skinned and diced
- 1 carrot small dice
- 1 stalk celery medium dice
- 1 large onion medium dice
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound bacon diced
- 1 pound Italian sausage mild or spicy to preference
- 1.5 quarts vegetable stock
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
- Several gratings of fresh nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Several springs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- In large dutch oven or stainless soup pot, slowly render and brown bacon. When just crisp, remove, pour off fat, reserving about 1 Tbsp.
- Add sausage and brown. Remove and pour off any remaining fat.
- Over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of reserved bacon fat back to pan. Add onion, carrot and celery. Cook until onion becomes translucent but not brown.
- Add garlic and cook an additional minute.
- Add roasted red peppers and butternut squash. Season with salt & pepper. Cooked until squash is soft.
- Add stock and half of bacon (reserve other half for garnish), bring to a boil.
- Reduce to high simmer, add chili powder, paprika, nutmeg, cinnamon, thyme and bay leaves. Simmer 30 minutes or longer. Skim off any grease.
- With an immersion blender, process until well blended and smooth.
- Over medium low heat, add sausage. Simmer 20 more minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt and pepper.
- Add additional vegetable stock as needed for consistency.
- Before serving, add lemon juice and vinegar. Stir.
- Serve with crusty bread, coconut milk or cream, crunchy bacon, and fresh cracked pepper.