Sweet Dumpling Squash Soup
This Sweet Dumpling Squash Soup is the perfect way to celebrate one of autumn’s most unique squash varieties. As easy as roasting, blending, and topping with crispy bacon!
![Two small white bowls filled with sweet dumpling squash soup garnished with chopped bacon and sage leaves, with a green napkin, two spoons and a whole dumpling squash nearby.](jpg/sweet-dumpling-squash-soup-2-728x1087.jpg)
If there’s one thing in my kitchen that I kind of, sort of regret buying, it’s my very expensive, very fancy blender.
To be fair, I didn’t really buy it out of pocket, but used Williams-Sonoma gift cards that I had received for many birthdays and Christmases to purchase it. But still, it was a big purchase, and I’m not sure I use it enough for it to have been worth it.
Aside from the occasional lemon smoothie or blended lemon margarita, my fancy blender sadly doesn’t get a lot of love most of the year.
With one exception. Every fall, without fail, I make some sort of blended squash soup. While I like butternut squash noodles, roasted acorn squash slices for my famous Thanksgiving salad, and roasted delicata squash, for soup, I love sweet dumpling squash.
If you’re not familiar with this variety, this post will explain what sweet dumpling squash is, how to cook it, and why Sweet Dumpling Squash Soup is the best kind of squash soup.
![Two dumpling squashes on a dark surface, one whole and one cut in half exposing the flesh and seeds.](jpg/sweet-dumpling-squash-soup-728x487.jpg)
What is sweet dumpling squash?
Sweet dumpling squash is a small winter squash that weighs about about one to two pounds (it’s about the size of a grapefruit). It’s available during the fall and winter, at farmer’s markets and some grocery stores.
Dumpling squash has hard, speckled green and white skin, and ridges like a pumpkin.
It has pale orangish-yellow flesh and stringy pulp. Just like pumpkins, the seeds of sweet dumpling squash can be roasted and snacked on (use any recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds for squash seeds, too). I also like the roasted seeds sprinkled over a cottage cheese breakfast bowl.
What does sweet dumpling squash taste like?
The orange flesh of a dumpling squash is very sweet, as the name implies. It also has a nutty flavor that makes it ideal for savory cooking (just like pumpkin can be used for pies AND savory pumpkin dip).
The flesh is on the drier side, which means it caramelizes very well when roasted (and gets even sweeter), and becomes smooth and creamy when pureed.
The taste is comparable to a mild pumpkin flavor, with a little bit of sweet potato also.
![A small white bowl filled with a bright orange pureed soup, topped with crispy bacon pieces and fresh sage leaves.](jpg/sweet-dumpling-squash-soup-6-728x1088.jpg)
What you’ll need for this sweet dumpling squash recipe:
- dumpling squash – you’ll need 2-1/2 pounds of dumpling squash for this recipe, which is about 2 medium dumpling squashes, usually. A little bit more or less is just fine.
- garlic – you’ll need 2 cloves of garlic, and you can leave their skins on!
- onion – I like the sweetness of a yellow onion for this recipe, but white onion works, too.
- olive oil – for roasting the squash, garlic and onion.
- salt and pepper – savory seasonings to balance the sweetness of the squash.
- sage – fresh sage leaves provide the best flavor, but a pinch of dried sage works in well, a pinch. Dried sage is the key ingredient in Jeff’s grandma’s classic stuffing recipe, also.
- broth – I like the flavor that chicken broth adds to this sweet dumpling squash soup, but vegetable broth is great, too!
- spices – a combination of cumin, paprika and turmeric enhances the sweet and savory notes of the squash and provides deep depth of flavor. Turmeric also enhances my slow cooker carrot soup, and cumin is one of my favorite spices for kafta.
- half and half – finish the soup with a dash of half and half or cream to make it extra delicious.
- bacon – I like to cook a few slices of bacon in the oven and crumble them over the soup. If turkey bacon is more your speed, check out my tutorials on how to cook turkey bacon in the oven and turkey bacon in an air fryer! Save your bacon grease for a batch of my bacon gravy recipe if you’re inclined.
How to cook sweet dumpling squash:
Sweet dumpling squash can be steamed or microwaved, but the best way to cook it is to roast it (I feel the same way about cauliflower, ala roasted cauliflower pizza).
First, you’ll want to cut each squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place the halves on a baking pan, drizzle them with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.
Transfer the squash to a 375 degree F oven and roast one hour or until the squash is very tender.
![A small bowl of bright orange soup garnished with bacon and a sage leaf, on a dark table next to a whole dumpling squash.](jpg/sweet-dumpling-squash-soup-5-728x487.jpg)
How to make the soup:
You’ll start this sweet dumpling squash recipe by roasting the squash, garlic and onion, which will take about an hour in total.
Once the squash is tender, let it cool slightly and then scoop out the flesh and discard the skins. Put the squash flesh into a blender or food processor, along with the onion and garlic cloves (remove and discard the garlic skins).
Add the sage, broth, a bit of water and the spices and blend until everything is nice and smooth. Then, you’ll be transferring the mixture to a pot on the stove and cooking it for a few minutes until it’s warmed through.
Stir in the half and half, and adjust the consistency of the soup by adding additional water or broth if needed. Taste the soup and season with additional salt if it needs it.
Garnish with bacon and serve this sweet dumpling squash soup hot!
Can you eat the skin of a sweet dumpling squash?
That’s one of the unique things about this variety of squash – you can eat the skin! Unlike other varieties of autumn squash where the skin is thick and too tough to chew, the skin of dumpling squash is very thin and entirely edible.
For this sweet dumpling squash recipe, I chose to use just the flesh of the squash so my soup had a brilliant orange color, but if you’d like to also puree the skin into the soup, you’re welcome to do that.
![Two small white bowls filled with sweet dumpling squash soup garnished with chopped bacon and sage leaves, with a green napkin, two spoons and a whole dumpling squash nearby.](jpg/sweet-dumpling-squash-soup-4-728x1088.jpg)
Can you freeze squash soup?
Yes, just like my homemade gravy and lamb bolognese, this sweet dumpling squash soup freezes very well. Simply thaw and reheat before serving. Give it a good stir, as it might separate a little bit, but will come back together with stirring.
What to serve with sweet dumpling squash soup:
If you’d like to serve this soup (or my old fashioned ham and bean soup) with a salad, I’d recommend a simple green salad dressed with citrus salad dressing or creamy feta dressing.
If soup and a sandwich is your ideal combo, a prosciutto sandwich or salmon BLT would pair well with this dumpling squash soup.
I’ve even been known to pair this soup with a batch of corned beef egg rolls!
![A small white bowl filled with sweet dumpling squash soup garnished with chopped bacon and sage leaves, on a dark surface.](jpg/sweet-dumpling-squash-soup-3-720x720.jpg)
Sweet Dumpling Squash Soup
This Sweet Dumpling Squash Soup is the perfect way to celebrate one of autumn's most unique squash varieties. As easy as roasting, blending, and topping with crispy bacon!
Ingredients
- 2 medium dumpling squashes (2-1/2 pounds total)
- 2 garlic cloves (in their skins)
- 1/2 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 fresh sage leaves
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup water, plus additional if needed
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 4 slices oven bacon, crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Halve squashes and scoop out seeds. Place squash halves, cut sides up on one rimmed baking pan, and garlic and onion on another rimmed baking pan. Drizzle everything with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Transfer both pans to oven. Roast garlic and onion 30 minutes or until onion is golden brown. Remove garlic and onion from oven.
- Turn squash over and roast 30 minutes longer or until very tender. Let squash cool 10 minutes.
- Scoop squash flesh out of skins and transfer flesh to blender. Remove garlic from skins and add garlic to blender. Add sage, broth, water, cumin, paprika, turmeric and roasted onion to blender. Blend until smooth.
- Transfer squash mixture to large pot on stove and cook over medium heat 4 to 6 minutes or until warmed through, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in half-and-half. If thinner consistency is desired, add additional water or broth in 2 tablespoon increments until desired consistency is achieved. Taste soup and season with additional salt if needed.
- Serve soup garnished with bacon.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 291Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 768mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 10gSugar: 2gProtein: 8g
This website provides estimated nutrition information as a courtesy only. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
I like to make smoothies and milkshakes in a blender. 🙂 Thank you.
I like to make strawberry smoothies.
I love love love smoothies and all types of soup!! myamurphy@mail.com
I think Strawberry smoothies is my favorite thing to make in a blender. That and milk shakes, coffee, chocolate, strawberry, and orange sherbet ones.
OMG… I just learned about the vitamix earlier this year. My co-worker LOVES hers! I make this awesome carrot soup which is a recipe from my aunt and a yummy pesto that I found on pinterest. I love butternut squash soup but have never made my own so that would be a definite must try. This squash soup looks pretty delicious as well 🙂
We like making chocolate shakes in the blender.
Homemade coleslaw, and strawberry daiquiris!
I like making fruity drinks or chocolate and coffee combos.
Strawberry banana smoothies
I haven’t ever had a blender but when I’ve stayed with friends, I’ve made smoothies.
Banana smoothies.
smoothies are our fav – regnod(at)yahoo(d0t)com
My favourite dish to make in a blender is a vegan pumpkin square filling. My next favourite is a good old-fashioned comforting soup like this Squash Soup.
I love to make granola, apple, greek yoghurt smoohies.
I love making mixed berry smoothies and homemade salsa in a blender.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
I would love to make a pineapple and berry smoothie.
I love strawberry banana smoothies.
SMOOTHIES!
Healthy soups!
Oh this looks delicious!
I make a lot of smoothies
I too have no shame I want this to make everything in the receipe box
We love to make milkshakes in the blender! I like vanilla – the hubby likes peanut butter
My favorite is a chocolate milkshake
I love making mixed berry smoothies.
Tara Woods
my favorite meal by far to make in a blender is gazpacho!
I love to make loaded baked potato soup!
We like making strawberry banana smoothies in the blender
I love making green smoothies and dessert creams… the Vitamix would be so perfect!
l like the blueberry kale coconut water avocado smoothie from Doctor Oz
I like to finish off my homemade marinara sauce in the blender!
I like to make protein shakes in my blender.
Susan Chester
I love to make green smoothies.
i love to make oreo milkshakes for dessert sometimes, or strawberry banana smoothies in the morning!
green smoothies!
My son loves smoothies and I love pureed soup. I’ve been wanting a Vitamix for a year or so and I tried to convince my mom to give me hers, but she said no! Fingers crossed for winning this one. Thanks for the opportunity.
i like making smoothies in a blender
I love autumn soups ~ apple rutabaga is my current favorite sweetened w/maple syrup but spiced w/a touch of cayenne pepper
Blueberry Vodka Smoothie is my favorite drink to mix in the blender.
I love to make berry smoothies
I make a drink with frozen mangoes, blueberries, yogurt, orange juice, chia seeds, flax and old cold cooked oatmeal (don’t laugh it makes it really creamy) that is pretty great.
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{in the contest I am Margot Core on the Rafflecopter}
If I had a blender I would make the best milkshakes ever. The cheap blender I have won’t even make a smoothie.
I love making a smoothie for my kids with mangoes, bananas, french vanilla organic yogurt, and a splash of orange juice. 🙂 Unfortunately our old blender can’t handle anything remotely hard!
Oh squash! i am so looking forward to soups this fall/winter.
Soups are my favorite for the blender.
I like to make smoothies which is all I can pull off on my old blender. I’d love to make soup but the motor would burn out first.
Love making smoothies. Current favorite is a pumpkin smoothie.
I’ve been blending batches of Tomato Bisque made from our heirloom tomato harvest this summer.
I love mango smoothies :3
My kids love for me to make Ice cream shakes in our blender!
My favorite things to make in a blender are soups and smoothies. But milkshakes are pretty high up on the list as well!
I make smoothies with my blender. I’d love to make more stuff with a vitamix though!
My dad has badder and prostate cancer. He makes “smoothies” out of kale and spinach. He goes through a lot of blenders.
My kids use the blender to make milkshakes
I have wanted a vitamix blender for so long. I would make some fall soups in it.
I have a killer margarita recipe!
I love making fruit smoothies for my guest in my blender.
I make a lot of smoothies and would love to have a Vitamix to make them in.
Hummus, and all kinds of smoothies!
I like to make banana and peanut butter smoothies with my blender
I like to make hummus for one thing. Lots of other things too.
That vitamix looks awesome. I imagine lots of soups this winter!
I love to make pina colodas if my sister is over we make Margaritas
my favorite is lime margaritas~!
Making smoothies in my blender is how I use it most! Would love a better quality one so that I could try more stuff out!
I love a good PB and banana milkshake!
I love making real fruit smoothies my favorite is a strawberry banana
This squash soup sounds absolutely delicious. I’m not a big soup eater, generally, but every so often one will get me hooked.
My favorite thing to make with a blender is smoothies.
I love making protein shakes!
I like margaritas!
abfantom at yahoo dot com
I like to make fruit smoothies before going out the door In the morning. A vitamix would sure speed up the process. If I am running late I tend to skip it due to the time it takes to make it.
I love that this has the capability to make food hot, how cool is that! WOW. I love homemade soups and sauces. Your soup looks great, thank you.
I make smoothies but with a vitamix I could make soup so much quicker & easier!! The possibilities are endless
I’ll be honest and tell you my favorite is a rich, vanilla milkshake.
Favorite thing to make in a blender: Margaritas! Though, the avocado cream sauce I made the other day was a close second.
well, my favorite good-for-you food is hummus or smoothies… my favorite all-time is a double-chocolate milk shake.
Bacon and a Vitamix giveaway in the same post!!! It’s just too much! 😉 My favorite thing to make in a blender is a banana oat smoothie I have for breakfast several times a week.
As for my fave thing to make in a blender. A frozen margarita! Not even a close runner-up.
Squash + bacon. Yes! I am on board.
I am a big fan of smoothies! A vitamix will last a lot longer than my current magic bullet. Don’t judge me 🙂
I love to make broccoli cheddar soup!
Can not wait to try some of theses recipes!!
I make a yummy green smoothie in my blender! I also love juicing. My mom had a vitamix when I was growing up (actually, she still does!) and man do I wish I had one!
strawberry banana yogurt smoothies
tvollowitz at aol dot com
love green smoothies
I would make my chocolate and banana smoothies
I like to make smoothies
I had a vitamixer at work but I’ve since relocated and I am missing it! I used it daily for green morning smoothies and homemade nut butters. I’ve been saving up to buy one too- but I couldn’t resist entering a giveaway. Your soup looks beautiful. The addition of dumplings is a great one.
Smoothies
I make a really great vegan pumpkin soup– and I’d LOVE to have a better blender!
I make potato soup with my mixer,but I have always wanted a vitamix!!!
Big fan of making Squash soups but also roasted califlower soups in a blender!
My favorite drink in a blender is a chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie.
I don’t even own a blender, but my sister had a Vitamix she was lucky enough to get in a thirft shop and used it every single day until it broke. She made vegetable drinks and smoothies, mostly. I don’t know if she’ll find another in a thrift shop, but I’d give this this her. She could make me some squash soup as a thank you. 🙂
All my friends love their Vitamix – I would use it for smoothies for sure!
We love super smooth soups, so that’s what we’ll do doing! Our current blender just doesn’t cut it!
lori, i have no shame. i want this, badly… nic and i make a pureed soup at least once a week during the fall and winter, and a vitamix would be money.
just so i don’t feel this is a complete steal, i’ll share what i’d probably make first, which is one of my most favorite cold-weather meals of all time:
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/carrot-ginger-soup-with-coconut-roasted-shrimp
my only adjustments are that i use about half the pb they suggest, and i also make a quick veggie broth that’s heavy on the carrots, mushrooms, and onions in place of chicken broth.
There are too many delicious things that come out of my blender to pick just one favorite (though Dutch Baby pancakes are pretty high up on the list…) And I’m sure they’d all be even tastier if I had a shiny new Vitamix to make them in 😀
I’m seriously mystified by the way the Vitamix can make soup and make it hot. I need to experience this myself. The fact that it’s American-made? That’s the best of all.
I have a feeling the Squash Soup will be my favorite dish. I am just now starting to eat healthy or trying and would love to start drinking some smoothies and just all around healthier meals. In the past I would say my favorite drink would be Peanut Butter Fudge Shake or a Bushwacker. A habit I will break!