Sausage & Squash Soup! Creamy with a hint of spice from ground sausage, this soup is a perfect way to warm up when the temperatures drop! Made with acorn squash, spinach and a handful of pantry staples, this comforting bowl of deliciousness will become a favorite on the fall menu rotation.
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Soup is the perfect, quick weeknight dinner for the cold weather months!
Just a handful of ingredients is all it takes to make this warm and cozy Sausage & Squash Soup. Filled with nourishing ingredients like squash, red bell pepper, spinach and onions, this simple soup can be made with your choice of ground sausage for added heft.
Serve with slices from a crusty artisan loaf or garlic bread, or with a salad on the side for a satisfying meal!
Looking for more soup recipes to enjoy when the mercury drops? Try my Creamy Cabbage & Potato Soup, Moroccan Spiced Vegetable Soup or Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese Soup!
This recipe is naturally gluten-free and can be made vegetarian or vegan. (See Variations & Substitutions area below.)
Ingredients
- Ground sausage. Both chicken and pork sausage work well here!
- Onion. I like yellow onion because it’s a bit sweeter and milder.
- Garlic. Most of my recipes only call for a couple of cloves, but feel free to go wild if you love a good, garlicky kick.
- Squash. Any squash will work in this soup. I used acorn squash, but butternut, honeynut or kabocha would all be great options as well.
- Sage. I used ground sage, but you can also use a few leaves of fresh sage.
- Red pepper flakes. Depending on the type of sausage you use, you may want to increase or decrease the amount of red pepper flakes based on your heat preference.
- Chicken broth. Veggie broth would be fine to use, too!
- Water
- Red bell pepper. I almost always have jarred roasted red peppers in my pantry that I use in a pinch, so feel free to use that instead if you don’t have a fresh bell pepper.
- Half and half. This gives the soup a creamy mouthfeel. For a richer soup, use heavy cream.
- Spinach. I always like to add some greens to my soups! They wilt down a lot, so don’t be afraid to add in quite a bit. Kale is a good alternative for spinach, but I’d sauté it first to help break it down as it is tougher in texture.
Instructions
In a large pot over medium-high heat, add about 2 teaspoons of olive oil; add the ground sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. (Or a potato masher, which I find to be the best tool for this job.)
Cook the sausage until it is mostly browned. Remove the sausage from the pot and place on a separate plate; set aside. (You may need to drain some of the grease if you use pork sausage, which contains more fat.)
Add onion and red bell pepper to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes or until they are softened and fragrant. Add the minced garlic and cook for one more minute.
Stir in the diced squash, ground (or fresh) sage and red pepper flakes; cook for another 5 minutes or so, just to combine the flavors and begin to soften the squash.
Pour in chicken broth and water and give everything a stir. Bring the mixture to a boil and allow it to simmer for about 12-15 minutes or until the squash is very tender and easily pierced with a fork.
Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture until completely smooth. (Or leave some larger pieces if desired.)
If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can pour the mixture into a blender and blend in batches — just be careful as blending hot liquids can cause the lid to pop right off!
Stir in the half and half or cream, cooked sausage and spinach. Heat until the spinach is just wilted.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. (I didn’t add any extra salt because the sausage is salty enough.)
Serve hot with crusty bread or croutons!
Recipe FAQ’s
Sure! Simply make as directed, cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
Soups that contain dairy don’t always hold up well to freezing as the milk solids can separate and cause the soup to have a grainy texture. If you want to attempt freezing this soup, I’d make it without the half and half or heavy cream, then add the cream once you’ve reheated it just before serving.
Cool the soup completely, then store it in the freezer in one of two ways: In a large, freezer-safe zip top bag laid flat on a sheet pan so that it doesn’t take up much space, or frozen in individual freezer-safe containers for convenient portions. For best flavor, use soup within a month or two of freezing.
Variations & Substitutions
Try these variations on Sausage & Squash Soup!
- Add a can of white beans such as cannellini or chickpeas for extra protein.
- Switch up your greens by using kale or swiss chard.
- Make a stick-to-your-ribs version by adding your favorite cooked pasta for a noodly version.
Diet-Specific Substitutions
This recipe is naturally gluten-free.
- Dairy-Free: Substitute the half and half with a plant-based “heavy cream.”
- Vegan: Use a plant based ground sausage in place of regular sausage, and swap chicken broth for vegetable broth. Use a plant-based “heavy cream.”
Sausage & Squash Soup
