Million Dollar Soup Is The Best Soup Of The Season

Million Dollar Soup Is The Best Soup Of The Season

from southernliving.com
60 min
6 servings

For million dollar soup, beans, vegetables, and sausage are easily accessible and relatively inexpensive ingredients, but the final result is something that feels deeply special.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash,
  • 1 (11 oz.) pkg. chicken sausage, sliced
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
  • 1 1/2 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper, divided
  • 10 sprigs fresh thyme, divided
  • 5 slices center cut bacon, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1 small white onion, chopped
  • 3 ribs celery, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 5 cups chicken stock
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 (15.5 oz.) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
  • 1 lemon, zested and
  • 1 bunch dinosaur kale, ribs removed and roughly torn (about 2 cups)

Directions

  1. 1

    Prepare oven and baking sheet: Heat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

  2. 2

    Roast squash and sausage: In a medium bowl, toss together squash, sausage, 1/2 teaspoon. salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 2 sprigs of thyme. Spread onto prepared baking sheet. Roast until squash is softened and sausage has begun to brown, 25 minutes.

  3. 3

    Cook bacon: Meanwhile, add cut bacon to the bottom of a cold Dutch oven or large 4 quart soup pot. Heat to medium and cook bacon until crisp, 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. 

  4. 4

    Remove bacon from pan: Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, reserving fat in pan.

  5. 5

    Cook garlic, onion, and celery: Add butter to pot, swirling to combine. Add onion, garlic, and celery and cook 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

  6. 6

    Make roux: Add flour to create a light roux, stirring constantly. When mixture has thickened, add white wine, stir and cook for 1 minute.

  7. 7

    Add stock: Add stock, remaining salt and pepper, thyme sprigs and beans. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.

  8. 8

    Blend some of the soup mixture: Remove 3 cups from mixture and transfer to a blender. Secure lid on blender, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape.  Blend until smooth and  stir blended mixture back into soup pot. Return to a simmer. Stir in heavy cream and lemon zest.

  9. 9

    Stir in squash and kale: Add cooked butternut squash mixture and torn kale to pot, and cook until kale is bright green and lightly wilted, 3-5 minutes.

  10. 10

    Garnish and serve: Top individual servings with extra thyme leaves and bacon.