On a cold snowy day, we all want a warm inviting bowl of soup. This soup starts with savory breakfast sausage and grows healthier with a base of acorn squash and tomatoes. The blended squash adds creaminess to the soup, without the addition of dairy!

I promise, your whole family can enjoy this hearty soup.

Creamy Squash Soup with Sausage-Dairy-free

serves 4

Ingredients

1 lb breakfast sausage, pork or turkey
1 qt chicken stock
1 medium acorn squash, peeled and diced
1 14.5 oz. can tomatoes, diced or whole
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds, lightly crushed in mortar and pestle

Directions

In a stock pot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and bring to medium high heat. Add whole garlic cloves and saute until browned. Add sausage and cook through. Remove sausage to a bowl and place covered in the fridge, reserve garlic cloves.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and acorn squash and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Saute for 10 minutes. Add crushed fennel seeds. Cook for 1-2 more minutes. Add canned tomatoes, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, pepper, chicken stock, and reserved garlic cloves. Bring to a simmer, drop the heat to low, or medium-low (still simmering) and cook for 45 minutes.

With an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth. Add the sausage and bring the soup back to a simmer. Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly.

A little cooked pasta or rice would be a welcome addition for this soup. My son loved the fusilli I added to his bowl!