Who doesn’t love a tasty homemade soup? Leek, Fennel, and Squash Soup with Sausage is a hearty, flavorful bowlful that blends sweet, aromatic vegetables with savory, spiced sausage for a comforting and satisfying meal.
This soup starts with sautéed leeks and fennel, which bring a mild onion-like sweetness combined with the subtle anise flavor of fennel. Both vegetables soften and infuse the broth with their delicate aromatics. Of course, using homemade chicken broth adds oodles of flavor and health benefits.
The squash—a winter variety like kabocha or butternut—adds a creamy, naturally sweet, and slightly nutty element once cooked. Its vibrant orange color makes the dish visually appealing as well.
Savory sausage—usually Italian, fennel, or spicy sausage—is browned and crumbled into the soup, infusing it with rich, meaty notes and a bit of spice and seasoning complexity. This soup is perfect for a cozy lunch or dinner, served with crusty bread on the side, if desired.
NOTE: Kabocha squash is worth seeking out in this soup, but if you can’t find it red kuri or butternut squash will also work.
Leek, Fennel, and Squash Soup with Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 lb. hot Italian sausage casing removed
- 1 1/2 lbs. leeks white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, and washed thoroughly
- 1 fennel bulb halved, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and sliced thin
- 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp. table salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 1/2 lbs. winter squash (kabocha, red kuri, or butternut), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 6 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade
- 1 can cannellini beans (15-oz.) rinsed
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Directions
- Cook sausage in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to plate and set aside.
- Add leeks, fennel, garlic, oil, salt, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs to fat left in pot. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and just beginning to brown, about 7 minutes.
- Stir in squash, broth, beans, and reserved sausage, scraping up any browned bits. Cover pot, increase heat to high, and bring soup to vigorous simmer. Reduce heat to medium and vigorously simmer for 20 to 35 minutes, until squash is tender. Remove pot from heat, discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs, and stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Recipe courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen
Accounting for Taste 