Spicy Honeynut Squash Soup with Buttered Popcorn.

My honeynut squash soup is sweet and spicy, starting off with chipotle caramelized bacon and ending with buttered popcorn! It’s savory, rich, and satisfying all with a crunchy topping. Super fun to serve as shooters too!

Honeynut is here!

This honeynut squash soup is creamy and silky, starting with chipotle candied bacon and ending with buttered popcorn. It’s super smooth and satisfying and all the crunchy toppings just make it fabulous. 

I adore all squash but honeynut is definitely up at the top of the list. It’s like a mini butternut squash, but it’s sweeter. It’s almost savorier too, if that can even be a word. It’s like all the flavor of a butternut squash but compacted into a smaller package. Condensed and even richer, if that’s even possible.

We usually roast honeynut squash just like we do butternut to enjoy it. I figured why not turn it into a silky, dreamy soup too?

If you’ve been following me for a million years, you might remember that in my very FIRST book – Seriously Delish – I have a squash soup recipe with buttered popcorn. It makes me embarrassingly happy because it’s super flavorful with a crunchy topping. And that is just what I love!

This also has one of my classic, signature spicy flavor bombs: crispy chipotle candied bacon. 

!!!!!

I love it so much and it adds a ridiculously rich, spicy and decadent flavor to whatever recipe it visits. 

The soup starts with diced bacon that is cooked until crispy. Next, I stir in some honey to help candy it along with chipotle chili powder for some heat. And it’s DELISH. Smells like heaven!

I remove the bacon and throw it on a dish, then use the same pot to cook up the onions, garlic and squash. My goal is to get some color on the onions and squash too. I want them a little caramelly. I also want them to have a slightly spicy flavor. This is the place where you can add more chipotle chili powder if you want it spicier. 

Next, I add stock and simmer until the squash is tender. Then I blend it up!

Finally, I pour it back into the pot. Add a touch of cream for richness. Taste and season more as needed. Heat through and serve. 

The toppings are the BEST. A big bowl topped with the crunchy chipotle bacon, buttered popcorn and green onions… oh my word. So, so, so good. 

I originally served this recipe as little soup shooters years ago. That’s fun and cute! But a big bowl of it is usually how we do things now. Hello 2024. 

I mean, the crunch?! Look at that!

It would be an excellent addition to your turkey day menu too! Or add a few slices of butter-slathered sourdough. Can’t go wrong. 

Spicy Honeynut Squash Soup

Spicy Honeynut Squash Soup with Buttered Popcorn

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 35 minutes mins

Total Time: 45 minutes mins

My honeynut squash soup is sweet and spicy, starting off with chipotle caramelized bacon and ending with buttered popcorn! It's savory, rich, and satisfying all with a crunchy topping. Super fun to serve as shooters too!

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Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• kosher salt and pepper
• 4 to 5 cups honeynut squash cubes
• 3 cups chicken stock
• ⅔ cup cream

for topping

• buttered popcorn
• sliced green onions

Instructions 

• Heat the bacon in a large stock pot over medium heat. Cook until almost crispy and all the fat is rendered. Stir in the honey and chipotle chili powder and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place it on a plate.
• There should be enough bacon fat in the skillet, but if there isn’t, you can add a drizzle of olive oil.
• Add the onions and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper to the pot. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the squash cubes with another pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the squash and onions are browned and get some color.
• Add the stock. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce it to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the squash is completely tender. As a note, this is when I will pop some popcorn and drizzle it with butter!
• Carefully transfer it to a blender and puree until smooth. Pour it back into the pot. Stir in the cream. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and even chili powder as needed.
• Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with the popcorn, chipotle bacon and sliced green onions. Serve!

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Author: How Sweet Eats

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