Recipe - Autumn-Spiced Butternut Squash Soup with Turkey Sausage

Recipe and photo courtesy of Leia Flure/University of Illinois Extension

This recipe comes from Leia Flure. Leia writes: "When I worked with University of Illinois Extension, I did a weekly recipe makeover and this one is still in my regular home rotation. Perfect for fall temperatures, this recipe cuts down significantly on fat and calories by using lower-fat dairy ingredients and subbing turkey sausage for pork."

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound raw turkey breakfast sausage
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 3 pounds cooked and cubed butternut squash (about 6 cups)
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3/4 cup low-fat milk (1%)
  • 3/4 cup fat-free half-and-half
  • 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat oil over medium heat in a large stock pot. Brown turkey sausage until cooked through, using a wooden spoon to break up the sausage into small pieces. Transfer cooked sausage to a bowl and reserve for later.
  2. Add butter and chopped onion to stock pot. Use wooden spoon to scrape brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Saute onion until softened.
  3. Reduce heat to low. Add garlic, squash, and spices. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
  4. Add pumpkin pie spice and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
  5. Stir in milk and half-and-half. Using a blender (traditional or immersion), puree until smooth.
  6. Stir in cooked sausage. Heat through, then season to taste.

Recipe Tips

If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, substitute 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon each ground nutmeg and ground ginger, and ¼ teaspoon of ground allspice or cloves.

To make the recipe vegetarian-friendly, use vegetable stock. Omit turkey sausage or use a vegetarian substitute.

Nutrition Facts (1 cup)

Calories 140, Total Fat 5g (Saturated 1.5g), Cholesterol 35mg, Sodium 480mg, Total Carbohydrate 13g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Protein 10g, Vitamin A 220% DV, Vitamin C 25% DV, Calcium 8% DV, Iron 6% DV

     
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