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Comforting autumn butternut squash pureed with apple, leeks, fresh sage leaves, and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Finished with cheddar cheese and topped with crispy bacon. Made in only one pot and ready in 45 minutes. Clean eating friendly.
ALL ABOUT THIS BUTTERNUT SQUASH CHEDDAR APPLE LEEK SOUP:
In addition to its cozy goodness, I also love this recipe because it is:
- Easy: Simple ingredients, simple recipe, and one-pot = less cleanup.
- Healthy: Packed with healthy ingredients like butternut squash, onion, leeks, apple, and fresh herbs.
- Meal-Prep Friendly: This meal is totally meal-prep friendly! I prep mine in these reusable glass containers. Make it for dinner one night and bring the leftovers for lunch the next day! Or, prep it for the week. It’ll keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container like the one I linked above.
- Freezer-Friendly: It’s also freezer friendly! Use the same reusable glass containers, and stick in the freezer for weeks! Thaw in the fridge for about 24 hours before heating.
- Enjoyed by everyone! It’s so delicious, everyone will enjoy this meal!
WHAT YOU WILL YOU NEED:
- Butternut Squash: The spotlight of this recipe is the hardy butternut squash. So comforting and incredibly healthy. Butternut squash is loaded with antioxidants and vitamin A.
- Leeks: Fresh leeks bring so much flavor to homemade soups. So good!
- Apple: I love to use a granny smith or honeycrisp apple in this recipe.
- Onion and Garlic: A good soup always has a base of onion and garlic. If you’re a garlic person, go all out.
- Fresh Herbs: Cozy herbs like fresh sage leaves and a few sprigs of fresh thyme go really well in this soup. I also like to top this soup with fresh chives.
- Bacon: To keep it clean, I recommend going for organically grown bacon without the added nitrates. I like this bacon from Applegate.
- Broth: For a major gut and immune boost, load up on the chicken bone broth.
- Cheddar Cheese: A delicious pasture-raised raw cheddar cheese from Organic Valley. I love it.
- Cream: I prefer pasture-raised heavy cream, but coconut cream is great as well!
- Seasonings: Sea salt, and black pepper.
NEED GROCERY DELIVERY?
Consider Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods Market for fresh dairy and produce, Thrive Market for pantry essentials, and ButcherBox for high-quality organic and pasture-raised meat selections.
TIPS FOR THIS RECIPE:
HOW LONG TO KEEP LEFTOVERS?
You can keep the leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days or in the freezer for weeks in an airtight container like these reusable glass containers.
MY FAVORITE KITCHEN TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE:
- Chef’s Knife: This Victorinox Pro Chef’s Knife is THE BEST and sharpest Chef’s Knife under $50 I have found. I love mine and use it every single day.
- Cutting Board: A Bamboo Cutting Board is a great kitchen tool for every single meal!
- Lodge Dutch Oven: Here’s the dutch oven that I used to make this soup in. It’s my fave.
- Vitamix Blender: I’ve had my Vitamix blender for over 5 years and I use it all the time!
- Glass Containers: If you have leftovers or decide to meal prep this recipe, always opt for reusable glass containers.
MORE RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:
- Smoky Honey Barbecue Chicken Wings (Clean Eating, Sugar-Free)
- Teriyaki Salmon Bowls with Pineapple Avocado Salsa
- Greek Turkey Burgers with Feta Cheese and Tzatziki
- Creamy Herb Tomato and Cucumber Salad
- Loaded Baked Potato Bites with Crispy Bacon and Cherry Tomatoes
WANT TO TRY THIS RECIPE?
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PinDescription
Comforting autumn butternut squash pureed with apple, leeks, fresh sage leaves, and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Finished with cheddar cheese and topped with crispy bacon. Made in only one pot and ready in 45 minutes. Clean eating friendly.
Ingredients
- 4 slices uncooked bacon, preferably organic, sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 leeks (white and light green parts only), chopped
- 1 granny smith apple, cored and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 4 fresh sage leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed (4–5 cups cubed)
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 4 cups chicken bone broth or vegetable broth, plus more if needed
- 1 cup pasture-raised mild cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup grass-fed heavy cream or coconut cream, plus more for serving
- Fresh chives, for topping
Instructions
- Add the bacon to a large pot and place over medium heat. Cook until crispy, then remove the bacon and set aside, reserving the bacon grease.
- Add the yellow onion, leeks, and granny smith apple to the pot with the bacon grease. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Then, add in the garlic, whole sage leaves, and thyme sprigs. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add in the butternut squash, then season with sea salt and black pepper. Pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid. Cook until the butternut squash is soft, about 20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Fish out the sprigs of thyme. Remove the leaves and place the thyme leaves back in. Puree the soup in a blender or use an immersion blender.
- Return the pureed soup to the pot and place over low heat. Stir in the cream and cheddar cheese until melted and creamy. Taste to adjust seasoning.
- To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with crispy bacon, fresh chives, and additional cream if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
If you decide to skip out on the bacon, you will need to start off with 2 tablespoons of olive oil or avocado oil.
To make this dairy-free, you can use coconut cream and leave out the cheese. It will still be delicious.
I encourage everyone to opt for certified organic ingredients as much as possible to avoid toxic pesticides like glyphosate. I’ve linked to some of my favorite brands in the blog post above.
Keywords: butternut squash, soup, soups, cheddar, cheese, leek, apple, one pot, main course, fall, autumn, bacon
