Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Apples and Sausage Crumbles
Recipe: https://recipestripper.com/recipes/007672f6-8b14-4ea6-8ac3-e968b61298ce
Original source: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/16746-creamy-butternut-squash-soup-with-apples-and-sausage-crumbles?queryID=ef3acf5c05a8fe3a81eddfa178bc946c&indexName=everest_search_cortado_production

This warm, autumnal soup has sweetness, crunch, and a savory meaty topping.
Yield: Serves 4
Total time: PT1H

Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- 3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces (8 cups)
- 1 leek, white and light green parts only, quartered lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1½ cups water
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 1 apple, cored and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks
- Sherry vinegar

Instructions
1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat into pieces no larger than ½ inch, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to bowl; cover to keep warm and set aside.
2. Add squash and leek to fat left in saucepan, and cook over medium heat until leek is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, water, thyme, and salt and bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover; and cook until squash is very tender, about 25 minutes.
3. Discard thyme sprigs. Working in batches, process soup in blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Return soup to clean saucepan and bring to brief simmer, adjusting consistency with hot water as needed and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top each soup portion with reserved sausage and apple and drizzle with vinegar and extra oil. Serve.