This is one fabulous soup recipe!
I am a huge soup fan, both winter and summer. But in the winter I tend to make vegetable and broth based soups in place of cream base. So when I first saw this recipe I kept putting off trying it due to the cream.

Looking good in an antique Italian bowl!
Scroll down and you will see there is no onion OR garlic in here! This might be the first time I’ve encountered this kind of recipe and it was another reason I just was not sure.
Fear not. It has A LOT of taste, regardless.
- 4½ tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 1½ cups diced butternut squash, cut into ½" cubes
- 4 oz small Brussel Sprouts, ends cut off, cut lengthwise into ¼" slices
- 4 oz small brown mushrooms, cut into ¼" slices
- ½ cup thinly sliced leeks
- 2½ tbsp flour
- 3 cups chicken broth and extra if needed
- 1½ cups Half and Half
- 1½ tsp crushed dried rosemary
- salt and pepper
- 2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
- In a large, heavy pot set over medium heat, heat 2 tbsp of the butter and the oil. Add the butternut squash and Brussel Sprouts and saute, stirring frequently, 3 minutes.
- Next, add the mushrooms, stir and cook for 3 minutes more.
- Add the leeks, ½ tsp. salt and some pepper.
- Continue to cook, stirring often, until vegetables are lightly browned and just tender, about 2 minutes or more.
- Remove the vegetables from pot and set aside.
- To the same pot add the remaining 2½ tbls. butter and when melted, stir in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, Half and Half, 1½ tsp rosemary, ½ tsp. salt and pepper and whisk until the mixture comes to a good simmer and thickens slightly, 4 minutes or more.
- Return the vegetables to the pot and also add the chicken. Cook until the chicken and vegetables are heated through, 3-4 minutes.
A few notes of my own:
- I do use Half & Half, calories and all. Some people have used milk and while I’m sure that works, I prefer the richness of some cream. Hey, if you’re going to have a cream based soup you might as well go all the way, no?
- I cut the squash in very small pieces. And yes, I buy the precut in a plastic box in the produce section.
- I’m not a leek fan, but these are delicious!
- To freeze: leave out the cream entirely. Freeze the soup, then after it has defrosted, add the cream as you heat the soup. You CAN freeze with cream, but it will tend to curdle or separate or become thicker as you warm it (and the slower you reheat, the better.) I just tried this yesterday and it works: defrost and/or heat up the cream-less soup very slowly (do not microwave.) Try not to disturb the frozen chunk more than necessary. Then add your cream. The final product is not as thick and creamy as the original, but it works!

Out of the freezer, into the pot, and very slowly heating up.
This entire recipe is thanks to Betty Rosbottom at www.bettyrosbottom.com
Betty is actually a friend of a friend, and is also a Francophile (!), and a cookbook author, teacher and TV personality. Read all about her on her blog. But I want to thank her for permission to reprint this recipe here.
Her new book “Soup Nights” will be out in October 2016, published by Rizzoli.
Let us know if you try this, if you like it, and any other comments. I cannot recommend it highly enough!
This soup looks yummy, wish I had the ingredients on hand. I’m making my favorite bean soup today while I work at home. Fingers crossed for a calm, quiet and productive Monday, because the week goes nuts starting tomorrow.
Marian St.Clair recently posted…Flashback Friday–Jan. 8, 2016
Good luck this week, Marian! Yes, the ingredients for this are sort of tricky to remember to buy..
I am a huge soup fan too! And I will definitely try this one!
Libby I love this soup but I do use whole milk instead of the creAm and I freeze the complete recipe and it has turned out well.
Julie: But does it come out with a thinner “cream” when you defrost and reheat? It seems that the sort of “roux” in the original is what makes it so creamy. Still tastes just as good, for sure. And thank you so much for the introduction!!
Looks delicious. I can’t seem to get enough butternut squash this winter–love it.
Susie recently posted…In A Vase On Monday—Winter Greens
Sounds delicious. Soup satisfies in so many ways, light and healthy yet filling. I always ask what the soup of the day is before considering other menu choices at a restaurant. Milk does not add the right texture and taste to cream soups, in my opinion. I love leeks, brussels sprouts and butternut squash so I will make this when we get back to the mountains. Husband not a fan of mushrooms, which I love.
Well, maybe these mushrooms are “hidden” enough for your husband? My husband doesn’t like nuts in anything cooked; he will eat them raw/plain, but not mixed in. Well, I think they absolutely make brownies and cookies! So I end up doing half and half… Guess I am lucky that he isn’t picky about more foods!
Yes, please! I’ll bring a loaf of rustic bread. And I want that pretty bowl after I’m done :) Looks yum, Libby! I love soup this time of year. xoxo
Yes, soup is perfect in winter. REally, I was so hesitant to try this one and now it’s one of my favorites! Let me know if you do try it.
Your soup looks fantastic! I will try it soon!