Butternut Squash Pasta Soup

A close up cropped image of a bowl of butternut squash and pasta soup on a wooden background.

5 from 1 vote

A cosy and comforting pasta soup made with butternut squash, rosemary, sage and crispy pancetta. This soup is super easy to make and is bursting with Fall flavours, perfect for a cosy night in.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Modern Italian

Servings: - 6 servings

Author: Emily Wyper

Ingredients

2 lbs (900g) Butternut squash
7 oz (200g) Pancetta cut into cubes or strips
1 ½ cups (210g) Ditalini pasta (can use any small pasta shape)
6 and 1/4 cups (1.5 litres) low-sodium chicken stock (can also use vegetable stock)
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 sprigs Rosemary roughly chopped
5-6 sage leaves roughly chopped
Parmigiano Reggiano for serving
Olive oil if needed
salt

Instructions

Trim the skin from the squash and cut it into 2cm (¾ inch) sized cubes. Finely chop the garlic and roughly chop both the rosemary and sage. Set it all aside.
Heat a large pan on a medium heat and add the pancetta. Fry until just browned and crispy then remove it with a slotted spoon and set it aside.
Add the cubed squash to the pancetta fat (add olive oil if needed) and saute the squash for 1 minute. Add the garlic and herbs and saute everything together for 1-2 minutes.
Next, add the stock and bring to a simmer. Let the squash cook in the stock, uncovered until soft (about 10-15 minutes). When the squash is soft you can use the back of a wooden spoon to break some of it up for a creamier consistency. Taste the soup just before adding the pasta and add salt if needed.
When the squash is ready, add the pasta and cook until al dente. When the pasta is ready, add half of the pancetta back into the soup and serve in bowls.
Top each bowl with more crispy pancetta and a grating of Parmigiano Reggiano.

Notes

Consistency - depending on the pasta and type of squash you use the soup can end up on the thicker side. You can choose to serve it like this (we love it this way) or add more stock/water to loosen it.
Creaminess - when the squash is soft we like to mash some of it using the back of a wooden spoon for a thicker, creamier consistency. You can also choose to blitz the whole soup with an immersion blender (make sure to do this before adding the pasta).
Leftovers - leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 1 day (any longer and the pasta is too soft).
How to reheat - add the soup/pasta to a pan and heat up on the stovetop. Add a splash of water if needed to loosen. Serve piping hot with more Parmigiano Reggiano on top.

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