Deeply flavorful roasted fennel and acorn squash are the best soup pairing in this rich and velvety fennel acorn squash soup.
Fall is finally in the air and I am once again back on my soup kick.
A mess of roasted fennel + acorn squash are cordially invited to this wild soup party and all is right in the world of soup.
I mean, my goodness, the fragrant smells alone while the fennel and acorn squash roast is enough to almost convince me to ditch my soup plans and just eat this magic straight off the sheet pan.
The key word is almost. Turns out they’re even better blended up into impossibly creamy soup form.
This Soup features…
- Deeply flavorful roasted acorn squash and fennel bulb
- A silky, creamy texture
- Ready in an hour and the perfect accompaniment to grilled cheese
Making the Acorn Squash Soup
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Fennel
- Acorn squash
- Olive oil
- Thyme
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Sage
- Chicken broth
- Heavy whipping cream
How to Prep Fennel
To prep the fennel for roasting, wash the bulbs well and trim off root and leafy stalks on both ends. Cut each bulb in half lengthwise and then cut into 2-inch pieces for roasting.
Tips for Perfect Acorn Squash Soup
- Roast fennel and squash at 400F – the fennel and squash are done when a fork can be inserted without any resistance.
- Puree soup – you can use either an immersion blender straight in the pot or transfer the soup in batches to a standing blender.
- Thin soup with additional broth after blending – add up to 1-1/2 cups reserved chicken broth as needed to thin soup.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this soup.
- Make it dairy-free – use full-fat coconut milk in place of the heavy whipping cream.
- Make it vegetarian – replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
- Use another herb – try fresh rosemary or sage in place of the thyme.
- Add cheese – fold 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, cheddar, or asiago into soup after simmering.
Storing and Freezing Soup
This soup stores well in refrigerator up to 6 days. Reheat leftovers in individual servings in microwave 2-3 minutes or over medium heat on stovetop for larger portions.
To freeze soup, allow to cool completely then store in a freezer-safe container, leaving about an inch of open air on top, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw completely in refrigerator before reheating or reheat from frozen over low heat on stovetop.
I’d bathe in this soup if I could but for now I’ll settle for it being the only thing I’ll consume with a grilled cheese.
The roasted fennel gives this soup the most incredible background of subtle licorice flavor that pairs so dang well with all that creamy acorn squash business. You’ve just found a new soup keeper!
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Try these other creamy fall soups next!
Roasted Fennel Acorn Squash Soup
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Ingredients
- 2 medium bulbs fennel, ends trimmed, bulb cut in half length-wise and then cut into 2-inch wedges
- 2 medium acorn squash, cut in half and seeds scooped out
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- 3 cups plus 1-1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, divided
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- Additional cream, fresh minced thyme, and pepitas for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F and lightly grease a large sheet pan. Arrange fennel wedges and acorn squash halves on sheet pan and rub all over with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Arrange acorn squash cut-side down on sheet pan and top with thyme sprigs.
- Roast vegetables at 400F 35-40 minutes until fennel and acorn squash are very soft when pierced with a fork. Allow to cool slightly then use a paring knife to remove skin from squash and remove leaves from thyme sprigs.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large high-walled skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute 3-5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and sage and cook 1 additional minute until fragrant. Pour 3 cups chicken broth into pot and bring to a low simmer, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add fennel, squash, and thyme to pot.
- Ladle or carefully pour soup into a high-speed blender (or use an immersion blender) and blend on high until smooth.
- Pour blended soup back into pot and stir in heavy cream and up to 1-1/2 cups remaining chicken broth as needed to thin soup. Bring soup to a low simmer over medium-high heat, cooking until heated through.
- Season soup with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm with additional cream, fresh minced thyme, and pepitas on top. Enjoy!
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