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If you peeked into my kitchen at this time of year (or any time over the next 6 months) you'd probably agree that I'm a bonafide "soup girl".
I usually have some kind of soup stashed away, as it makes a quick, healthy and delicious meal on the run.
And it might sound strange, but if there's leftover soup in the fridge, you'll even find me enjoying it for breakfast!
My husband, Scott? Not such much...
It's not that he doesn't like soup. He's just not as crazy about it, like I am. Well, at least not until now. I've served this Butternut Bisque with Brown Butter-Sage Pine Nuts several times over the past week, as it makes a fairly large batch. Every time, he's said, "This is really good soup!" or "Wow, this is so... good!" or something similar - almost as if he was shocked that soup could be that good.
It's a healthy soup, that you can feel good about serving to family and friends.
So, maybe he should be the one telling you how delicious this soup is. However, there are two things that I'm quite qualified to tell you (being The Café chief cook and bottle washer). First of all, it's a healthy soup, that you can feel good about serving to family and friends. The ingredients list is basically just veggies and chicken broth. There's a splash of olive oil for sautéing the veggies and scoop of Greek yogurt that adds a silky smooth, creaminess.
Second, this soup is super simple to put together. There's no peeling or dicing the butternut squash. It's just cut in half and popped in the oven, where the hard-as-a-rock squash is roasted till it's creamy soft and slightly caramelized. This takes anywhere from 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the squash.
The rest is just as easy; onions are roughly chopped and sautéed for 4-5 minutes along with a few cloves of garlic. Then comes a simmer in chicken broth while the squash is cooling and finally everything is swirled together in a blender with fresh herbs and a bit of Greek yogurt.
The result? Really good.
But you know what? I think what (literally) what takes it over the top is the Brown Butter Sage Pine Nut topping. It sounds a bit fancy and gourmet-ish, but it only takes 5 minutes to put together. If you're not familiar with brown butter, it's simply melted butter that is cooked a bit longer, till it turns golden and nutty and transforms anything it's combined with into crazy-delicious! I like to throw a little sage and sea salt in the butter, just as it's beginning to brown, then add pine nuts and stir until they're golden, crisp and scrumptious.
So, if you're in the mood for a really good soup, pick up a big butternut squash and a little packet of pine nuts next time you're at the market. You won't be disappointed!
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Butternut Bisque with Brown Butter-Sage Pine Nuts
Ingredients
- For the soup:
- 1 large butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium sweet yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth to make it vegetarian
- 2 medium bay leaf
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon fine chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon finely ground fresh sage
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- For the pine nuts:
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- 2 teaspoons finely ground fresh sage
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- tiny sage sprigs and/or finely chopped rosemary and sage, for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line a sheet pan with foil.
- Cut butternut squash* in half and scoop out seeds. Rub each half all over with olive oil and place, cut side down, on the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until tender and easily pierced with a small sharp knife. Set aside to cool.
- While the squash is cooling, heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a medium-large pot over medium heat. When butter is melted, add onion and salute for 4-5 minutes or until onion is softened and translucent. Add garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.
- Add chicken broth and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce to a steady simmer and cook, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove bay leaves.
- Carefully scoop out roasted squash and add to the pot along with the Greek yogurt, rosemary, sage, salt and pepper. Using and immersion blender**, or a regular blender, blend until silky smooth.
- For the pine nuts, melt butter in a small saute pan. Continue cooking until butter starts to foam and turn golden. Swirl pan occasionally to prevent burning. When butter starts to turn pale golden brown, add sage, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine, add pine nuts and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously until pine nuts turn golden brown. Transfer to a plate lined with several thicknesses of paper towels to cool.
- Ladle hot soup into serving bowls. Top with a small dollop of Greek yogurt. Swirl yogurt slightly with a toothpick or the pointed end of a skewer and scatter with a small spoonful of the pine nuts. Garnish with small sage sprigs and more finely chopped herbs, if desired.
Notes
** I love using an immersion blender. They're fairly inexpensive and make putting together a pot of soup, so much easier and quicker. This one from KitchenAid is a beauty and also works really well as a mini food processor.
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Hello Chris, I am a huge fan of your website and recipes, they are my new "go to"" when planning a party or a makining a potluck dish to share for my co- workers. I am currently planning a large family holiday gathering and I will be making several of your soups. My sister in law is gluten free, any suggestions on which soup recipe she may be able to enjoy with that dietary restriction ? Thanks for your time and your dedication to your amazing talents of creating delicious recipes!
Hello Renne!
Thanks so much for your kind and encouraging comment. As far as the soups go, almost all of them are gluten free as I don't use flour to thicken but rather vegetables. The only one I can think of that has flour is the Beef Bourguignon. Soup would be a wonderful option for a gluten-free meal!
I have all the ingredients save and except for the fresh sage. Can I substitute dried and if so, what would be the amount? Love your recipes. Keep them coming.
It should work fine Jackie, probably about a teaspoon full. Dried is usually much less than fresh.
I loved the tip about cutting the squash and roasting it as you recommended made this so quick and easy. Do you know if this freezes well?
Karen, I know it will keep for four to five days in the refrigerator, but I haven't tried freezing it.
That's so sweet Glenda! Thank you and enjoy!
Hi Chris,
This soup looks absolutely delicious. I just bought a butternut squash the other day! What about making this in a slow cooker? Just bought one recently so I am trying different things out in it,
Hi Caroline! Thanks for stopping by the Café I haven't tried it that way, but it would probably work just fine.
It is definitely getting to be soup time of year! Thanks for the tip on cutting the squash and I look forward to making this.
Thanks Sandra!
Hi Chris, I can see why your husband loves this soup, looks and sounds delicious. Love that it is so healthy too!
Healthy, warm and smooth!
I am exactly the same with soup Chris, and my husband, not so much! These flavors are really some of my favorites for the fall and winter. It makes me want to go hunt down some winter squash right now. Beautiful to boot!
Thanks Toni! It's a great time of the year!
I can't believe I didn't comment on this. I know I looked at it. I've been crazy busy with all sorts of things going on lately that I didn't even post last week. I'm so bad these days!
Anyway, butternut squash soup is a favorite of mine and yours looks so rich and delicious! I'd have this for breakfast too, especially on a very cold morning.
Hope you're doing well. Fall feels like it's here, so I too will be making lots of soup.
It's such a comforting time, isn't it Vicki? We just love to see the beginnings of fall and the cooler breaks in the weather down here in NC at this time. Enjoy!
Chris, well then we are on the same wavelength yet again - I am also a soup person, I love to serve a bit of soup before dinner, sometimes just a small portion , other days we eat just soup. Your butternut squash version has a gorgeous color and an incredible velvety look and your recipe sounds wonderful!
Andrea
Andrea, thanks for your comment! It is an amazingly delicious soup. Scott thinks it's one of the best soups he ever put into his mouth!
I just roasted and froze about 8 cups of butternut squash yesterday. I still have about 5 lbs. more to do something with. Glad you posted this!
That's so cool Debra! Have at it!
I was shocked when Bill had his first bowl of butternut squash soup and loved it! The picky guy does surprise me every now and again 🙂 And with a little sage and your gorgeous garnish, your version is definitely over the top delicious!!
That's great Liz. But then again, what's there not to like about butternut squash soup 🙂
This looks like the fist soup I need to make this month!! Beautiful and delicious!
Thanks so much Sophia!
I definitely need to try this! I've made Butternut Squash Soup before but love the idea of the pine nuts!
Thanks Susan. They add a wonderful crunch and a little burst of flavor, combined with all the rich, creaminess of the soup.
Chris, this soup looks fabulous and I am certainly going to try it. I have tried a couple of your recipes now, the Poppyseed Citrus Tea Cake, delish!!! and the Peach Raspberry Jam, delicious as well. Thank you for your web site. very enjoyable and better yet when the recipes are as good as they look.
Thank you for the kind works Brenda! I'm so happy you're enjoying the recipes!
Butternut squash soup is my absolute favourite this time of year and I'm loving your version! Those pine nuts sounds delicious.
Thanks Jennifer! It's ours too!
I've been dreaming about butternut squash soup and love your recipe! Love the garnish too - so pretty. I was just craving soup for dinner tonight - wish I had this leftover in the fridge!
Wish we could share a bowl together Tricia!
This not only looks glorious, I have no doubt it must taste incredible. I do like soup and it is getting to be soup weather. I can't wait to add this t my repertoire! Personally, I just love butter fried sage leaves!
Oooh, I love those butter fried sage leaves too Susan, they would be a great addition to this soup!
Perfect time of year to buy butternut squash..I just bought 4 acorn ones for favorite recipes..
I can make a meal out of a salad OR a soup..that's just the Primi for J..
But look how well he photos it?:)
I still have sage in the garden..not as petite as yours..but I will make do~
Thanks Monique, love those acorn squash too!
I have to add this bisque to my fall recipe list - love the brown butter-sage pine nut topping!
I love that there are so many ways to make soup from the same main ingredient. You are the brown butter queen Laura so I know that you know how good that topping is 🙂
You'd find soup in my kitchen for most of the year! I love most soups and I love the added topping. Thank you for sharing this with us.
You're welcome Beverly, although I love summer, I'm so happy that we're back to soup season!
Thank you soon much for sharing!!! I have 2 LARGE butternut squash on my counter ready for use, I know what I will be making with them now!
Let me know how you like it, Darlene!
This is so DELICIOUS! I am still not quite used to have sage in my soups, but your soup looks so good that I must give it another chance too. Thanks for sharing ,Chris.
Thanks Angie, I think you'll love the sage. It's not real strong in this soup.