Butternut Squash Soup with Kale & Wild Rice

Well, winter has finally and truly hit! This month I’ve been leaning hard into comforting, warming, and cozy foods. Lots of soups, stews, and yes, creamy pasta dishes have been in rotation. But after a few rounds of my usual standbys like chicken soups, cheesy pastas, and chili, I found myself wanting something a little different. Still filling. Still comforting. Just lighter, brothy, and featuring a different flavor profile.

That craving is what led me to this butternut squash, wild rice, and kale soup.

I didn’t set out to reinvent anything here. This was more about following instinct and seeing where it landed. I wanted to play with sweet, earthy, and slightly bitter elements and see if they could come together in a way that felt balanced and satisfying without being heavy. The butternut squash brings warmth and softness, the wild rice adds body and texture, and the kale keeps things fresh with a subtle bite.

This soup fit in nicely with my January reset vibes. It’s easy, flexible, and fits into winter cooking without asking too much of you. It also works beautifully as a vegetarian option, but I added sweet Italian chicken sausage for a little extra protein and heartiness.

Simple, comforting, and exactly what I was craving.

This is a super easy, simple recipe. You can follow along with the recipe below or watch the step-by-step video.

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Butternut Squash Soup with Kale & Wild Rice

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

This warm, comforting, and delicious butternut squash soup is perfect for chasing the winter blues away. It's easy to make, and encourages you to follow your instinct when making it, so while the base will remain, it's taste will always reflect the mood you are in at that moment.

Ingredients

• 5 cups Butternut Squash
• 1 bunch kale (or as much as you'd like)
• 3/4 cup wild rice
• 2-3 sweet Italian chicken sausage (or your sausage of preference)
• 1/3 cup pepitas
• 2 shallots
• 4 cloves garlic
• 32 oz vegetable broth
• 1 cup water

Spices

• 1 tsp sage
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander

Instructions 

Prework

• Cook the wild rice according to the directions in a rice cooker. Let cook while make the soup.
• Heat some oil in the pot and cook through/ brown the sausage.
• Remove sausage to a plate and set aside. Leave any fat in the pot.
• Add more oil is needed and toast the pepitas for 2-3 mins with salt & a touch of smoked paprika. Set aside.

Building the Soup Base

• If needed, add some olive oil to the pot and sauté shallots until softened- 3-5 mins.
• Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
• Bloom the spices by stirring in the sage, thyme, coriander, and cinnamon, cook 30-45 seconds until fragrant. (add some oil if needed)
• Add the butternut squash, vegetable broth, and water.
• Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes, until the squash is tender.
• Using a spoon or potato masher, gently mash some of the squash against the side of the pot to lightly thicken the broth. Do not fully purée.
• Stir in the cooked wild rice, chopped kale, and browned sausage.
• Simmer for 7 minutes, until the kale is tender and the sausage is heated through.
• Season with salt, black pepper, and earlier used spices to taste.
• Serve hot, topped with toasted pepitas and pickled red onions on the side **optional

Notes

This is a follow-your-gut kind of soup. Use the ingredient amounts and seasonings as a starting point, then adjust based on what you’re craving in the moment. Keep it light and nourishing, or build it into a deeper, more flavorful bowl by adding more spice, greens, or richness.

I leaned toward the lighter side here, but don’t hesitate to tweak as you go. The amount of kale, rice, seasoning, and even protein is completely flexible. Taste as you cook and let the soup reflect your mood.

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Warm & Cozy