Butternut Squash Sausage Soup
Butternut squash sausage soup made with roasted squash, sweet roasted garlic, and hot Italian sausage, topped with crispy fried sage leaves.
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This butternut squash sausage soup starts with oven roasted squash and whole garlic cloves, blended silky smooth with sautéed onions, fresh sage, and thyme, then loaded with browned hot Italian sausage. What sets it apart is the finish: every bowl gets a shower of crispy fried sage leaves that crumble like bacon over the top. Most of the cook time is hands-off roasting and simmering, and the recipe makes six hearty servings. This one started years ago as a pull-it-together dinner when a lonely butternut squash had been sitting on my counter a few days too long. I added sausage to keep two meat-loving boys from raiding the pantry at 9 p.m., and they went back for seconds. It has been on our fall rotation ever since.
If you’ve never roasted a squash before, my guide on how to roast butternut squash walks you through it step by step. For the deepest flavor, simmer this soup in a batch of homemade chicken stock. And if you love the fried sage finish as much as I do, try my creamy sweet potato soup with fried sage next.
In This Post
Why You’ll Love this Butternut Squash Sausage Soup
This soup is a warm hug on a chilly night. Roasting brings out the squash’s natural sweetness, and the roasted garlic turns mellow and nutty as it blends into a velvety base. The hot Italian sausage brings heat and savory depth and the fried sage leaves add crunch and an earthy, almost toasty aroma that pulls this delicious soup together.
There are several steps, but the majority of the time is spent waiting on the squash to roast. The finished soup reheats beautifully, so one pot covers dinner tonight and meal prep for days, unless you have a hungry family who likes seconds, like I do. It’s filling enough to serve as a main course with a slice of crusty bread, and pretty enough to start off a holiday meal.
Heather’s Expert Tips for the Best Butternut Squash Sausage Soup
Drawing from 20 years of recipe development and my time co-founding a spice company, here’s what makes this recipe worth making exactly as written.
- Roast cut side down. Placing the squash halves face down on the baking sheet traps steam inside, so the flesh turns soft and creamy while the cut edges caramelize. Roast until the flesh gives easily when you press it.
- Season in layers. After years as co-founder of Spiceology, I can tell you the biggest flavor gains come from seasoning at each stage. Salt the soup after blending, taste again once the sausage goes in, and finish each bowl with fresh cracked black pepper.
- Brown the sausage hard. Break the sausage into bite-sized pieces and leave it alone in the skillet long enough to build a deep brown crust. Those browned edges carry a lot of the soup’s savory flavor.
- Fry the sage in the sausage pan. The rendered sausage fat seasons the sage leaves as they crisp. Pull them as soon as both sides darken, and drain on a paper towel so they stay crunchy.
- Blend before the sausage goes in. Purée the soup completely smooth first, then stir in the sausage. You get a silky base with hearty, meaty bites instead of a grainy soup.
Maillard Reaction
Browning is where this soup gets its depth. When the squash roasts at 375 degrees, the sugars and proteins on its cut surface react in the dry heat of the oven, creating hundreds of new flavor compounds. That’s the Maillard reaction, and it’s why roasted squash tastes richer and nuttier than boiled or steamed squash. The onions get the same treatment on the stovetop, cooking until they pick up golden edges before the stock goes in.
The sausage is the third layer. Cooking it in a hot skillet without crowding lets the surface brown instead of steam, building a savory crust that seasons the soup from the inside once the pieces go back into the pot. The browned bits left in the pan don’t go to waste either, since the sage fries right in them. Each browning step adds its own layer, so take your time with all three.
Equipment Needed
- Large stock pot for sautéing the aromatics and simmering the soup
- Rimmed baking sheet for roasting the squash
- Large skillet for browning the sausage and frying the sage
- Immersion blender for blending right in the pot
- Ladle for serving
Ingredients in Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Butternut squash – you’ll need a 3lb butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise.
- Fresh garlic – unpeeled cloves get roasted under the butternut squash for extra flavor.
- Chicken stock – homemade or store-bought.
- Italian sausage – I prefer spicy Italian sausage, but mild works amazing as well.
- Onions – yellow or sweet onions are best, but shallots are also wonderful in this soup.
- Half & half – adds a creaminess to the soup. Sub heavy cream if you prefer a richer texture.
- Fresh sage & thyme – fresh is always best to boost the earthy flavor. Frying sage leaves quickly adds a herbaceous crunch to the soup. Totally optional.
- Olive oil – for coating the butternut squash before roasting as well as sweating the onions and frying the sage for the topping.
Recipe Variations & Substitutions
- Make it vegetarian: Skip the sausage, use vegetable stock, and fry the sage in olive oil. The roasted garlic keeps it rich and satisfying.
- Turn down the heat: Use mild or sweet Italian sausage for a family-friendly bowl, or try chicken sausage for a lighter version.
- Make it creamier: Stir in about 1/3 cup of half and half or heavy cream after blending.
- Add a cheese topping: Finish each bowl with shaved parmesan, smoked gouda, or crumbled goat cheese for a little extra richness.
- Change the squash: Kabocha or sugar pie pumpkin roast up just as sweet and creamy, and you can use them in place of the butternut.
How to Make Butternut Squash Soup Step-by-Step
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
- Refrigerator: Store cooled soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep the fried sage separate.
- Freezer: Freeze the soup with the sausage for up to 3 months. Leave an inch of headspace in the container for expansion.
- Thawing: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or heat gently from frozen over low heat.
- Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring often. Add a splash of stock if the soup has thickened.
- Sage leaves: Store fried sage in a paper towel lined container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Fry a fresh batch if they lose their crunch.
What to Serve with Butternut Squash Sausage Soup
- Buttermilk Cornbread for a sweet, crumbly side
- Easy No Knead Artisan Bread for dunking
- No Knead Cheese Studded Dinner Rolls for a cheesy bite alongside
- Buttermilk Butter Swim Biscuits when you want something flaky and buttery
- A crisp green salad with French Salad Dressing to balance the richness
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Roasting the squash in halves with the skin on makes peeling unnecessary. Once it’s tender, the flesh scoops right out with a spoon.
Yes. Let the soup cool, then blend it in batches in a countertop blender or food processor. Never fill the blender more than halfway with hot liquid, and vent the lid so steam can escape.
It has a medium kick from the hot Italian sausage. The natural sweetness of the roasted squash balances the heat, and switching to mild sausage makes it gentle enough for kids.
Yes. The flavor actually improves after a day in the fridge. Make the soup up to 3 days ahead, then fry the sage right before serving so it stays crisp.
Absolutely. Served in small cups, it makes a beautiful starter for a holiday table. Browse my 50+ Thanksgiving recipes to build out the rest of the menu.
More Fall Soup Recipes
- Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Roasted Celery Soup
- Creamy Thai Chicken Chowder
- Chilled Pea Soup with Goat Cheese Croutons
- French Onion Soup
Butternut Squash Sausage Soup
Ingredients
- 3 lb butternut squash
- 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- olive oil, for coating the squash
- 2 medium yellow onions, minced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh sage, leaves only, chopped
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, leaves only
- 1 quarts chicken stock, or vegetable stock
- kosher salt, to taste
- ½ cup half and half, or heavy cream
- 1 lb hot Italian sausages, casings removed and divided into bite-sized pieces
- 6 fresh sage leaves, whole, stems removed
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp sour cream, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Roasting Butternut Squash
- Cut the stem end off the butternut squash and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and stringy membrane, as much as possible. Place 3 garlic cloves in each cavity, drizzle with olive oil and flip over so the cut side is down on a baking sheet. Roast for 40-60 minutes or until tender when pressed. Remove and let cool until you are able to handle it.
- Scoop out the flesh and place in a bowl. Peel the roasted garlic and toss in the same bowl.
Soup
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large stock pot and add the onions, chopped sage, and thyme and cook over medium high heat until the onions start to translucent, about 10 minutes.
- Add the squash pulp, roasted garlic, and chicken stock. Bring to a bowl and then turn the heat down to medium low and let simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Season the soup to taste with salt and black pepper. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth and no longer chunky. Add the half and half (or cream) and simmer 5 minutes more.
Browning Sausage & Frying Sage
- Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, brown the sausage until cooked through and no longer pink. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add a tablespoon more of olive oil (if the pan is dry) and fry the whole sage leaves turning to brown both sides. Remove to drain on a paper towel.
Assembly
- Ladle the soup into bowls, top with cooked sausage, sage, and a swirl of sour cream (if desired). Season with fresh cracked pepper and serve.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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Hi! I’m Heather
I’m Heather, a recipe developer and content creator based in Vancouver, Washington. I started Farmgirl Gourmet in 2006 because I believed weeknight dinners shouldn’t be boring and gourmet shouldn’t mean complicated. I’m also the co-founder of Spiceology, so safe to say I think about food for a living. Stick around for recipes that actually make it into your regular rotation.
I really love this recipe and hope you will too!
This looks sooo good Heather! oh and yes I understand about grocery store crack. It’s mine too. I’m already $200 over budget and January is not even over! I once went to Whole Foods for fun. I had breakfast, shopped half the store, then had lunch, shopped the other half, had some tea and finally left as the sun went down.
Yummy, I’m a huge fan of butternut squash soup. I made a butternut squash lasagna with sage and sausage once….yummy yum in a soup I bet. And I’m rolling on the floor with your grocery store confession…had to read it to my husband and say “here’s my soul sister” I buy so many crazy things, I have a salt fetish, pretty into vinegars and mustards too…when we talk budget I’ll always plead “don’t take my groceries from me?! I’ll die if you do the shopping” Sometimes I imagine living out of the pantry and the freezer for one month, then I quickly correct myself and think really, you could do it for a week. I haven’t, I buy marscapone because its on sale and its a huge tub and then wonder what to do with this huge tub of heartattack? So then I’ll buy ladyfingers for a tiramisu and I always have booze and chocolate and whipping cream, but hmm not tia maria, yum there is sweet tea vodka by the tia maria……..ACK! ITS CRACK I’m hearing you Heather, its just crazy fun and it gets a little out of control. Make some salted caramels with your dolce de leche…yum, gotta get me some
Thank you ladies!!! The best part of this soup was my 12 and 9 year olds GOBBLING it up! I was High 5’ing myself. haha! Julie – I understand your pain! I moved from Seattle to a tiny town with only Safeway. They were good about ordering in my requests. The word is that we’re getting a Trader Joes in the next city in 2011 – HEAVEN! 🙂 Thanks to you all for stopping by!! I appreciate it.
This looks yummy….I am thinking I must make this…we love squash in our family.
Thanks for sharing this cozy winter dish…hugs and love for a wonderful preChristmas week. xooxx
Oh this looks delicious.
And I am right there with you on the grocery store addictions. I am about to move from Houston, Texas back to my hometown in Mississippi. The thing that has me the most stressed is the lack of decent grocery stores. I am going to have to drive 90 minutes to Memphis, Tennessee to the nearest Whole Foods location!
Wow, wonderful recipe, thanks for sharing.
farida
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