This fantastic soup Squash Soup With Parmesan Croutons Recipes is best made with varieties of squash that have dense, orange flesh, such as butternut or onion squash. It’s important to use good chicken stock and season the soup well to bring out the nutty, sweet flavour of the squash.
Once you’ve mastered this recipe, you can take the soup in different ways by adding pearl barley, dried pasta, or some chopped smoked bacon. Even the smallest amount of dried porcini. PS I made this in my pressure cooker the other day, with really great results – it’s so quick!
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Table of Contents
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Put a very large saucepan on a medium heat and pour in a couple of lugs of olive oil. Add the sage leaves and fry for around 30 seconds or until dark green and crisp. Quickly remove them with a slotted spoon to a bowl lined with kitchen paper – you’ll use these for sprinkling over at the end. In the pan you’ll be left with a beautifully flavoured oil, so put it back on the heat and throw in your onion, celery, carrot, garlic, rosemary leaves, chilli and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook gently for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are sweet and soft. Add the squash and the stock to the pan, bring to the boil and simmer for around half an hour.
Squash soup with Parmesan croutons
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb. butternut squash, peeled and diced
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- For the Parmesan croutons:
- 2 cups cubed bread (day-old or stale bread works best)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic and sauté until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Add the diced butternut squash and chicken or vegetable broth to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer until the squash is tender, about 20-25 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and use an immersion blender or transfer the mixture to a blender to purée until smooth. Return the mixture to the pot and stir in the heavy cream. Heat the soup over low heat until warmed through.
- While the soup is heating, make the Parmesan croutons. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the cubed bread with the olive oil, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper until well coated. Spread the bread cubes in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown.
- Serve the soup hot with the Parmesan croutons on top.
Notes
- If you don't have a butternut squash, you can also use other types of winter squash like pumpkin or acorn squash for this recipe.
- For a vegan version, you can use coconut milk or almond milk instead of heavy cream.
- To make the soup more flavorful, you can add spices like cumin, cinnamon, or nutmeg.
- If you prefer a chunkier soup, you can reserve some of the cooked squash and onions before blending and stir them back into the pureed soup before serving.
- To make the croutons crispier, you can broil them for a minute or two at the end of baking.
- You can also use different types of bread for the croutons, like whole wheat or rye bread, depending on your preference.
- If you have leftovers, store the soup and croutons separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat the soup on the stove or in the microwave, and re-crisp the croutons in the oven or toaster.