This Sausage & Squash Soup makes a warming fall meal that won’t break the bank. There are good deals for squash of all sorts around this time of year, so stock up, break it down and freeze for future use.
Heat about 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet and add sausage. Cook until browned. Drain if necessary, and set aside. In a large pot, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and cook until onions are softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add diced squash, sage and red pepper flakes and cook for another 5 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and water and stir. Bring to boil and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes or until the squash is very tender and easily pierced with a fork.
Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture until completely smooth. Alternatively, 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! {Not that it's ever happened to me or anything...}
Add diced red bell pepper and simmer until the pepper is tender, about 4-6 minutes. {You can skip the simmering if you're using a roasted red pepper as it is already soft.}
Stir in half and half {or milk alternative}, spinach and cooked sausage and 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.}