Chunky Butternut Squash Sausage Soup

Butternut squash sausage kale soup in white bowl with spoon.

4.67 from 6 votes

Chunky Butternut Squash Sausage Soup

This chunky Butternut Squash Sausage Soup recipe is hearty, savory, and perfect for fall! It's made with kale and Italian chicken sausages.

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: squash and sausage soup, butternut squash soup with sausage, chunky butternut squash soup

Servings:

Calories: 189kcal

Author: Christine Rooney

Equipment

Dutch Oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot

Ingredients

6 cloves garlic
1 onion any color
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 12 oz. package mild Italian chicken sausages can use spicy Italian chicken sausage or any sausage of choice
1 large butternut squash yields 6-7 heaping cups butternut squash chunks
3 packed cups kale chopped
4 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. honey or sweetener of choice
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. pepper adjust to taste
½ cup Parmesan cheese optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Peel and Cut the Butternut Squash:

Remove the top and bottom of a butternut squash with a sharp knife and discard in the compost bin or trash bin. This creates a flat surface with which to peel and cut the squash, which is much safer.
Cut the butternut squash in half. Place each half, flat side down, on the cutting board.
Carefully run the knife down the outer surface of each half of squash. Discard the skins in the compost or trash bin.
Cut each half of the squash in half again. Scoop out the seeds and membranes from the bottom portion of the squash with a large spoon. Discard the seeds and membranes.
Cut each half of the squash into slices and then cut those slices into chunks. It's important that the squash chunks are relatively the same size to ensure that they cook evenly.
See copy above for more detailed instructions and photos.

For The Soup:

Mince 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color).
Roughly chop 3 packed cups of kale, making sure to remove the tough stems. You can sub any hearty greens you like in place of kale.
Cut 1 12 oz. package of mild Italian chicken sausages into slices. (You can use spicy Italian chicken sausages, pork sausages, smoked turkey sausages, andouille, Cajun, country, or Kielbasa if you prefer).
Make sure that the sausage used has been smoked (do not use raw sausage) and opt for sausage links and not ground sausage.
Place a cast iron Dutch oven or heavy bottomed soup pot on the stove top and heat to medium high. Once heated, add 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Place the sliced sausages in the pot. The sausages should sizzle as they hit the oil.
Sauté the sliced sausages for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the sausages from the heat and set aside.
Add the minced garlic and onions. Sauté the garlic and onions for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the butternut squash chunks to the pot, along with 1 tsp. smoked paprika, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, and ½ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper. Sauté the butternut squash on medium high heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Once all of the ingredients are sautéed, add 4 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil. Once it has reached a boil, reduce the heat to a low boil. Cover the soup and cook for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, add the packed 3 cups of chopped kale, the sautéed sausages, 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar and 1 Tbsp. honey (you can sub sweetener of choice or leave it out altogether). Stir all of these ingredients until combined.
Cover and cook for another 5 minutes on a low boil. The soup is finished when the butternut squash is fork tender, but not mushy, and the greens wilted.
To Serve: Serve with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan, Asiago, or Pecorino Romano cheese (optional).

Notes

Nutrition information includes Parmesan cheese.

Feel free to sub any kind of sausage you like in place of chicken sausage. Make sure that the sausage used is gluten free if gluten is an issue for you.

Any hearty greens of choice may be used instead of kale.

This recipe was originally created to be made in a slow cooker, but has been updated to be made on the stove top.

Nutrition