2000s Recipes + Menus

Farmhouse Butternut Squash Soup

Serves6 (first course)
  • Active time:30 min
  • Start to finish:45 min
February 2009
Green apple and a dash of cider vinegar provide just the right amount of tart balance in this slightly sweet, down-home soup topped with homemade bacon bits. View more of our favorite recipes from this issue.
  • 4 bacon slices
  • 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • 2 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped
  • 1/2 lb carrots, chopped
  • 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
  • 3 thyme sprigs
  • 2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
  • 3 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
  • Cook bacon in a 4- to 6-qt heavy pot over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
  • Add garlic and caraway seeds to fat in pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is pale golden, about 1 minute. Add squash, carrots, apple, thyme, bay leaves, broth, water, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper and boil, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard thyme and bay leaves.
  • Purée about 4 cups soup in a blender, in batches if necessary, until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Return to pot and season with salt, pepper, and vinegar. Serve topped with crumbled bacon.
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