If you like a creamy soup with just a touch of spice, Butternut Squash Bisque with Bacon is it! Normally a bisque is very creamy with a natural sweetness but we add just a bit of texture by leaving some small chunks of roasted butternut squash. When the bisque is ready to serve we like to drop a dollop of sour cream on top and then a sprinkle some bacon bits to add a nice salty crunch.

Jump to:
Why you'll like this recipe
- Perfect for a chilly evening when you need something hearty but not heavy.
- Sweet with a velvety texture and a touch of heat.
- Has a bit of zip and fantastic squash flavor.
- Can easily be made into vegan, and dairy-free.
- It's roasted allowing the natural sugars to caramelize.
This butternut squash soup recipe has an earthy flavor that your whole family will love. It's a favorite soup at our house.
Ingredient list
Note: The full list of Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque ingredients with their amounts and options are in the recipe card below.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
- Butternut squash
- Bacon
- Onion
- Carrot
- Garlic cloves
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Chicken broth/chicken stock or vegetable stock
- Dry white wine -- Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, and dry sparkling wine.
- Fresh thyme, rosemary, sage
- Red pepper flakes
- Allspice -- is one spice that combines the flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Half and half
- Sea salt
- Freshly grated blak pepper
- Sour cream
- Roasted pumpkin seeds (optional)
Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Spread the squash, onion, carrot and garlic and herbs onto a baking sheet. Toss them with the olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Roast the vegetables for 40 minutes until the squash is soft.
- Place the vegetables in a large soup pot or Dutch oven.
- Add the broth, wine, allspice and red pepper flakes.
- Simmer for 20-25 minutes
- Remove from heat. If you'd like some texture to your soup, remove some squash chunks with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Puree the soup using a stick blender or in a regular blender.
- If using regular blender do this in batches in pour back into pot.
- Stir in the cream.
- Add in the reserved squash chunks to the soup.
- Taste and adjust seasonings.
- To serve ladle the butternut squash soup into bowls and drizzle a stream of sour cream on top and sprinkle with some bacon bits.
Equipment
The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
In order to make this butternut squash bisque recipe successfully, you’ll need the following items or similar ones.
- Cutting Board
- Sharp knife
- Vegetable peeler
- Baking sheet
- Liquid measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Dutch oven or large soup pot
- Slotted spoon
- Immersion blender, regular blender or food processor
- Ladle
- Soup bowls
Tips
This roasted butternut squash soup recipe abundant with spicy autumn flavors.
These tips are meant to encourage you to try this intensely flavored bisque.
Shopping for a ripe butternut squash
It should be:
- dark in color -- the darker the shade of beige, the better it is.
- matte in appearance -- dull skin is what you're looking for.
- no green patches -- uniform in color and free from blemishes and cuts.
- heavy -- pick the squash that feel like it weighs the most for its size.
- hollow sound -- you want to hear an echo.
How to peel the butternut squash
- Using a very sharp knife, evenly cut off both ends.
- With a good-quality vegetable peeler, scrape off the skin.
- Take the peeled squash and cut it in half.
- Take the two halves and cut them open.
- Scrape out the seeds and throw them away.
If you'd like to soften the skin on the squash before peeling, you'll need to briefly microwave it. First, with a fork or knife, poke holes all over the squash making sure to pierce the skin. Pop the squash in the microwave for 2 minutes at full power.
A quick and easy squash solution
It's very easy to find fresh cubed butternut squash in the produce section of the grocery store. Pick up what you need for any recipe and treat it like the fresh winter squash.
FAQs
Yes. Use coconut milk, vegetable stock and eliminate the sour cream and bacon. For crunch sprinkle some roasted pumpkin seeds on top of the soup.
No. But the flavor is enhanced by roasting. You'll get a sweeter nuttier flavor by roasting.
This recipe makes a slightly sweet, silky, and a touch spicy soup. The bisque is exceptionally rich flavor.
Yes. It freezes very well. Just be sure that you leave room for volume expansion in whatever container you use.
Variations
Using a crockpot or slow cooker:
- Roast your vegetables as given in the recipe instructions. Once the veggies are done, except for the cream, combine all the ingredients together in the slow cooker.
- Cook the butternut squash until tender either on the high or low setting. This will take about 6 hours on low or 3 hours on high. When the soup is done, add the cream in and stir.
- Follow the directions in the recipe card for the immersion blender. If you use a regular blender, transfer the soup to the blender in two batches and puree. Place a towel over the lid and hold it down. If you don't, the top may explode pop off spewing hot liquid everywhere.
- Taste and make sure you like the seasonings. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with your favorite toppings.
Using an Instant Pot
- Add the roasted vegetables, stock, and wine to the Instant pot pressure cooker. Do NOT add the cream or the coconut cream at this time. This will be done at the end.
- Toss to combine and close the lid securely setting the vent to "Sealing".
- Press "Manual", then press "Pressure" until the light on "High Pressure" lights up, then adjust the +/- buttons until the time reads 8 minutes. Cook.
- Then carefully turn the vent to "Venting" for quick release. Wait until all of the steam has released and the valve has dropped. Remove the lid.
- Stir in the cream or coconut milk.
- Using an immersion blender puree the soup until smooth. (You may also use a regular blender follow the directions in the recipe card.)
Vegan roasted butternut squash bisque
The directions will be the same as for the regular squash soup. You will substitute:
- Vegetable stock for the chicken broth.
- Coconut milk for the heavy cream or half and half.
- You will eliminate the sour cream and bacon bits.
Chiacchierata
We look forward to this beautiful pumpkin-colored soup every year. The flavors are perfectly blended. This is the type of soup that looks beautiful as the first course at a holiday dinner.
Cream soups are a staple during the cold winter evenings. Another soup we can't get enough of is our Loaded Potato Soup. Try it and see if you don't agree. Next time try our seafood bisque for a fish chowder experience.
If you want a squash soup with less cream that's a big winner, you must make our Butternut Sausage Orzo Soup With Spinach. It's a tribute to the colors and flavor of autumn. You'll fall in love with this cozy comforting soup.
Tutti a tavola è pronto.
Un caro saluto e alla prossima.
Recipe
Roasting the butternut squash caramelizes it which lends a deeper flavor to the soup. Make this your holiday soup and you family and guests will thank you.
If you love this butternut squash recipe, please consider giving it a 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
The Best Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque With Bacon
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. butternut squash peeled and diced into ¾" pieces
- 3 strips bacon diced, fried and set aside on paper towels
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 medium carrot peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth vegan
- ⅓ cup dry white wine
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons sage finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes more or less according to taste
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ⅓ cup half and half
- sea salt and freshly grated black pepper to taste
- Sour cream garnish
- Bacon bits will be sprinkled on top
- Roasted pumpkin seeds optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Place the diced squash, onion, carrot and garlic in a roasting pan or baking sheet with herbs. Toss with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast 40 minutes until the squash is soft.
- Place vegetables in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Add broth, wine, allspice and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from heat. If you'd like some texture to your soup, remove some squash chunks, about 1 cup, with a slotted spoon and set aside. Puree the soup using a immersion blender or in a regular blender. (If using a regular blender puree the soup in 2 batches. Hot liquid in a regular blender can be dangerous. Using a towel, hold down the lid when you pulse the blender.)
- Pour back into the pot or Dutch oven and stir in the half and half, heavy cream or coconut milk. Add the squash chunks to the soup. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add a dash of cayenne pepper if you like it spicier.
- To serve: ladle soup in bowls drizzle some sour cream around the bowl then sprinkle bacon bits top.
Notes
Shopping for a ripe butternut squash
- dark in color -- the darker the shade of beige, the better it is.
- matte -- the skin should be more dull than shiny.
- no green patches -- uniform in color and free from blemishes and cuts.
- heavy -- pick the squash that feel like it weighs the most for its size.
- sounds hollow -- when you tap on the squash, it should sound hollow.
How to peel the butternut squash
- Using a very sharp knife, evenly cut off both ends.
- With a good-quality vegetable peeler, scrape off the skin.
- Cut the squash in half and then cut open that half.
- Scrape out the seeds and throw them away.
- You can also soften the skin on the squash first before trying to peel. Using a fork or paring knife, poke holes all over the skin of the squash. Then stick the veggie in the microwave for 2 minutes at full power. Using a towel, remove it then proceed with peeling the squash.
A quick and easy squash solution
It's very easy to find fresh cubed butternut squash in the produce section of the grocery store. Pick up what you need for any recipe and treat it like the fresh winter squash.Using a crockpot or slow cooker:
- Roast your vegetables as in the recipe. Then combine all the ingredients minus the cream in a slow cooker.
- Cook the butternut squash until tender, about 6 hours on low or 3 hours on high. Add the cream and stir.
- Follow the directions in the recipe card for the immersion blender. If you use a regular blender, transfer the soup to the blender in two batches and puree. Place a towel over the lid and hold it down. You have to be very careful when blending hot liquids.
- Taste and make sure you like the seasonings. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with your favorite toppings.
Using an Instant Pot
- Add the roasted vegetables, stock, and wine to the Instant pot pressure cooker. Do NOT add the cream or the coconut cream at this time. This will be done at the end.
- Toss to combine and close the lid securely setting the vent to "Sealing".
- Press "Manual", then press "Pressure" until the light on "High Pressure" lights up, then adjust the +/- buttons until the time reads 8 minutes. Cook.
- Then carefully turn the vent to "Venting" for quick release. Wait until all of the steam has released and the valve has dropped. Remove the lid.
- Stir in the cream or coconut milk.
- Use the immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. (You may also use a regular blender doing the pureeing in two batches.
Vegan roasted butternut squash bisque
The directions will be the same as for the regular squash soup. You will substitute the following ingredients:- For the regular chicken stock/broth, use vegetable stock or broth instead.
- Use coconut milk instead of heaving cream or half and half.
- As a garnish use roasted pumpkin seeds instead of bacon bits. Eliminate the sour cream or find a vegan sour cream to drizzle on top.
Nutrition
Sign up for the emails and never miss another recipe!!
We'll never share your email or send you spam. PromiseFirst published November 11, 2015. Last updated September 13, 2021. Updated the post to include more instructions and improve reader experience.
Diana
Question regarding using coconut milk-are you using canned (Thai style) coconut milk or refrigerated in carton coconut milk?
Marisa Stewart
I use the canned coconut milk and if you want it extra creamy use the canned coconut cream.
Jamie
The bacon and red pepper flakes is such a nice touch! It adds so much savory flavor that I can't get enough. Delicious!
Louise
This soup was so rich and creamy!! and yet it has very little half and half in it! The whole family LOVED it. That is 5 kids!
The bacon was definitely a winner with most of us, it added such a great salty edge to the soup.
I served it with some pumpkin damper quick bread...YUM!!
Marisa Franca
I'm so gad you enjoyed it. We love the flavor and the bacon. Oooh! Your pumpkin bread sounds delish.xoxo
adriana
This soup is one of my favorite seasonal options. I love the sweetness of the butternut squash in contrast with the smoky, salty bacon. A true delight! My family loves it.
Julia
I must say, this recipe has made me very excited that it's now squash season. I'm a huge fan of kombocha squash porridge, but this butternut squash bisque takes the cake. The added bacon gives it a nice smokiness.
Katie Crenshaw
This is my new favorite soup for fall!! The fresh thyme and sage really compliment the creamy butternut and the sour cream and bacon topping offer the perfect finish. It is terrific.
Colleen
Adding the bacon and also leaving in a few chunks of squash takes this soup to the next level. Delicious!
Linda
What a creamy bisque! Never thought about adding bacon to butternut squash bisque and now this is my favorite way to do it
Heather
Butternut soup is my favorite! So luscious and flavorful. Thanks for the great tips and easy instant pot recipe!
Allyssa
Highly recommended! Thank you so much for sharing this amazing and super easy to make butternut squash bisque with bacon recipe! Will surely have this again!
veenaazmanov
Unique and flavorful combinations. Perfect Bowl for a quick light Dinner. I love the Bacon Toppings too.
Kathy
Love your comment about Honey's eyes glazing over, so funny! So it's true, technology can be more frustrating than men. At least with men you can leave the room. Marisa, I print all instructions all the time. It saves so much hassle and frustration. Good luck with that!
Marisa Franca
Hi, Kathy! I'm glad someone else prints out the instructions! Have a wonderful day! xoxo
Veena Azmanov
Oh soup season in just getting in now.. I made our first winter soup yesterday. Was so good to start eating soup again. So comforting..Nothing beats a creamy delicious soup like this one.
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
Well comfort food/soup season is just around the corner. This looks and sound delicious. Perfect for a cool fall day, and it would make some might fine leftovers too!! I love cooking in my dutch oven.
Joy @ Joy Love Food
Yum, I love butternut squash soups, bacon is a great addition, this sounds delicious!
Marisa Franca
It is good and you're right - the bacon adds that saltiness and crunch!
Rachel @ Simple Seasonal
This recipe sounds so savory and flavorful! Leaning photo editing is so challenging and it takes so much practice and trial and error! You'll get there! Keep up the good work!
Marisa Franca
Thank you! And I agree that it does take work -- I get so excited for the people who get their photos featured on the sites such as Foodgawker and Tastespotting. Hopefully one day . . .
Neli @ Delicious Meets Healthy
This soup looks lovely! Love all the flavors you have here!! Gorgeous pictures too!
Claudia | Gourmet Project
oh... that crunchy bacon!
Pink Camellias
This sounds so yummy. I have to say I am biased, though - I think everything tastes better with bacon!!!!
Marisa Franca
I am so with you -- also pancetta and prosciutto. 🙂
Camilla
I completely understand your feelings about these programs as I sat in front of one of them and it was so un-user friendly I ran back to Photoscape which I find does a really fab job and was a step up from a basic programme I was using before, probably wrong word but hey I'm not a techy! Love you soup, butternut was made for soup:-)
Marisa Franca
I agree-- butternut squash was made for soup! And I figure that I will eventually learn the programs as well as all of the capabilities of my camera then I'll be ready for a fancy dSLR. Have a great weekend and I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't pick up LR and PS right away.
LydiaF
I am in the same boat as you with regard to photo software, my dear. Luckily we have this gorgeous bisque to console ourselves 🙂
Marisa Franca
You're right!! I think I'll console my self now with a double bowl of soup!! Thank you for commenting.
Choclette
Oh, I feel your pain. There is always so much to learn and it can be so incredible frustrating. Everyone keeps telling me I need to get Lightroom, but I've only just got a proper digital camera and it's hard enough trying to learn that!
I adore squash soup of any kind BTW and your photos look pretty enticing to me.
Marisa Franca
I wish I did have a proper dSLR. Mine can do just about everything a dSLR will do but I can't switch lens 🙁 I figure I can learn all of the ins and outs and then progress, hopefully.And thank you for your kind comment.
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
I would do anything for a bowl of this right now.
Marisa Franca
I wish I could send you one! Next time we make it I'll save some for you 🙂
Chiara
the sour cream on the top is perfect ! Have a good day my dear, un abbraccio
Marisa Franca
Thank you Chiara!! Buona giornata e ti mando un abbraccio.
Ali @ Home & Plate
I think this is the way to make this bisque. I would definitely need the salty of the bacon to cut the sweet. Love the addition of all the herbs. Sounds wonderful.
Marisa Franca
Thank you for commenting! It is a good soup and we like the touch of the red pepper flakes because that also cuts the sweetness. I hate to admit this but I think I could have eaten the whole pot -- the soup in it not the pot 🙂
annie@ciaochowbambina
This is one of my favorite soups! And your pictures are awesome, but believe me - once you conquer the others - you will have some fun! It's a never ending process....I'm still learning and loving it!
Marisa Franca
Thank you Annie!! I know I'll get better -- and I do love learning. Your photos are simply fantastic.
Jovina Coughlin
I think you photos look great, Marisa. I just use the photo capabilities of my website host, Word Press. Works for me.
Most importantly, your bisque looks divine. I love butternut squash in soup and your recipe looks very special, perfect for a Thanksgiving first course.
Marisa Franca
Thank you Jovina. As I mentioned I have a preconceived idea of what I want my photos to look like and I'm not getting it but I'll keep trying. And I do have to admit the bisque was delicious! I wish it would have made a humongous batch -- I'd still be slurping on it.
Sarah
Learning new technology can be SO hard! I know that I can get pretty distracted over things like that. Thankfully it is just case of getting better over time. As for the soup, this sounds delicious and of course I love the bacon in it!
Marisa Franca
Thank you Sarah! Technology and I just don't get along. You know the saying about teaching old dogs new tricks. The soup is good and so very simple. I imagine it would make an elegant first course. Thank you for commenting.
Wendi
I knew if I came and checked this out it would be delish! I bet the bacon is the PERFECT addition! I need to learn Lightroom and Photoshop too - there is so much to do that it is hard to make time to learn something new - especially when you feel pretty confident about using what you have been using. I'm right there with you.
Marisa Franca
Hi Wendi!! It was so very good I wanted the photo to reflect it. One of the photo e-books talks about telling a story with your photo. Well, my story was stuttering and going nowhere so I cried Uncle and called on PicMonkey. But I am not giving up. I will let you know what videos/books helped me the most. That is if I get there 🙂