Butternut Squash & Apple Soup with Pancetta & Goat Cheese
Pureed roasted butternut squash, apples, onions and herbs come together in this luscious soup that gets topped with creamy goat cheese crumbles, toasted pumpkin seeds, crispy pancetta and rich balsamic glaze.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr
Total Time1 hourhr20 minutesmins
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Ingredients
24ouncesbutternut squashcubed
2tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2cupsapplespeeled, cored and diced
2tablespoonsfresh sagechopped
1small white oniondiced
2teaspoonsgarlicminced
15ouncescanned pumpkin pureenot pumpkin pie filling
1/8teaspoonground nutmeg
1/2teaspoonfresh gingerminced
1teaspoonmaple syrup
1cupheavy cream
4cupschicken or vegetable brothlow sodium
Garnish
4ouncesgoat cheese
4ouncespancetta or diced bacon
1/4cuproasted pumpkin seedsaka pepitas
2teaspoonsTrader Joe's Balsamic Glazeoptional
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, prepare the butternut squash by cutting in half and removing the seeds. Next, cut into slices and trim away the skin before dicing into 1-inch cubes (or just use fresh pre-cut squash).Place squash onto a large roasting pan and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with dried thyme. Place into preheated oven and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until squash is tender and edges have started turning golden. Remove from oven, set aside.Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, cook pancetta (or diced bacon) until crispy. Remove from pan and let drain on a paper towel lined plate. Set aside.Next, in a large stockpot over medium heat, drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil and begin to saute diced onion and garlic. Cook 4-5 minutes, or until onions have become translucent and garlic is fragrant.Now, add the diced apples, fresh sage, nutmeg and ginger. Cook until apples have softened and onions have begun to caramelize—about 5 minutes.Then, add 1 can of pumpkin, maple syrup, and roasted butternut squash. stir until combined and then add 4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 20-30 minutes to let the flavors meld together.After 20 minutes, remove soup from heat and using an immersion blender puree until soup is smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can also carefully transfer the soup, using a ladle, into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.Once soup is pureed, return to low heat and stir in 1 cup of heavy cream. Let simmer for a few more minutes and then spoon into bowls.Garnish each bowl of soup with cooked pancetta, goat cheese crumbles, roasted pumpkin seeds, and a few small drops (3-4) of Trader Joe's balsamic glaze.Serve with some crusty bread and enjoy.