Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Sage & Pancetta
A silky roasted butternut squash soup lifted by crispy fried sage and pancetta, delivering warming autumn flavour with far less saturated fat than a cream-laden version.
Nutrition per serving
In the clinic
Butternut squash soup this version
Compared to Butternut squash soup (BBC Good Food)
Classic versions rely on double cream stirred through the blended soup and often a generous knob of butter to finish, significantly raising saturated fat and overall calories.
| Per serving | Butternut squash soup | This recipe | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 264 kcal | 210 kcal | −20% |
| Carbs | 28g | 22g | −21% |
| Fat | 15g | 10g | −33% |
| Saturated fat | 7g | 3g | −57% |
| Sugar | 17g | 9g | −47% |
| Sodium | 244mg | 480mg | +97% |
| Fibre | 6g | 5g | −17% |
| Protein | 5g | 8g | +60% |
What changed
-
Double cream No cream: roasted squash blended with stock alone
Roasting concentrates the squash's natural sugars so the soup tastes rich without any cream, cutting most of the saturated fat
-
Butter for frying aromatics Olive oil
Swaps saturated fat for heart-friendlier monounsaturated fat with no loss of flavour
-
Croutons or bread as topping Crispy sage leaves
Delivers crunch and a burst of antioxidant plant compounds instead of refined carbohydrates
-
Streaky bacon lardons Pancetta cubetti (used sparingly as a garnish only)
A small amount used as a finishing garnish rather than cooked through the soup keeps sodium and saturated fat in check while preserving the savoury hit
Per serving. Our figures are estimates; the comparison's are the published nutrition of the BBC Good Food recipe.
Nick shared this gorgeous bowl in the family chat and it’s easy to see why: a velvety, golden squash soup crowned with crackling sage leaves and salty pancetta bits. It looks every bit as cosy as it tastes.
Ingredients
- 1 kg Butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 3 cm chunks
- 1 Medium onion, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic, unpeeled
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tsp Ground cumin
- 0.5 tsp Ground coriander
- 1 litre Low-salt vegetable stock, hot
- 100 g Pancetta cubetti
- 16 Fresh sage leaves, dried thoroughly on kitchen paper
- 1 tbsp Olive oil, for frying sage and pancetta
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Flaked sea salt, to taste
Compared to Butternut squash soup (BBC Good Food)
20% fewer calories60% more protein21% less carbs47% less sugar33% less fat Full comparison ↑Instructions
Preheat your oven to 200 °C / 180 °C fan / Gas 6.
Spread the squash chunks and chopped onion across a large roasting tray. Tuck in the unpeeled garlic cloves, drizzle over 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and season well with salt and black pepper. Toss everything to coat.
Roast for 35–40 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the squash is tender and caramelised at the edges.
While the squash roasts, place a small frying pan over a medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the pancetta cubetti and fry for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper, leaving the fat in the pan.
In the same pan over a medium-high heat, fry the dried sage leaves in batches for 20–30 seconds each side until dark, crisp and fragrant. They colour quickly, so keep a close eye. Drain on kitchen paper and season lightly with flaked salt.
Once the squash is done, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and discard the papery husks.
Transfer the roasted squash, onion and garlic to a blender (or use a large saucepan and a stick blender). Add the hot stock and blitz until completely smooth. Adjust the consistency with a splash more stock if needed.
Taste and correct the seasoning with salt and black pepper.
Ladle into warmed bowls and top each serving with a quarter of the crispy pancetta and four sage leaves. Serve immediately.