Put on your chef's cap as we venture into a fall-focused twist on a timelessly favored bowl of warmth – the leek soup. This recreation trades traditional potatoes for the autumnal goodness of butternut squash. It's not just any squash – this one is oven-roasted, blended till velvety, and gets its character from the touch of thyme thrown in.

The presentation is a beauty too, with the bowl hinting at the heartiness of a baked potato, thanks to toppings of sour cream, crispy bacon bits, and a smattering of chives. You can put this at the top of your Thanksgiving menu as a smashing appetizer, or relish a cupful to beat the chills on an afternoon in fall.

While the skin of the butternut squash is typically edible, for this soup, complete removal is recommended to avoid a gritty texture. Fret not about peeling, though, because roasting the halved butternut squash in the oven does the trick. Once the roasted squash is cool enough, the seeds can be scooped out, and the flesh can be easily scraped out.

Simultaneously roast the squash and sauté the leeks to shave off some prep time – both steps take approximately 40 minutes.

The recipe is designed for a yield of 8 servings, with standard quantum of ingredients. The procedure stays the same, though ancillary cooking times and steps may be adjusted with changing yield.

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 pounds butternut squash, halved lengthwise.
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter.
• 4 large leeks, white and tender green parts, coarsely chopped.
• 7 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried thyme.
• 5 cups chicken stock or unsalted canned broth.
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt.
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
• 1/2 cup sour cream.
• 3 tablespoons chopped chives.
• 8 slices of bacon, fried crisp and crumbled.

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the halved butternut squash on a baking sheet until tender, taking about 40 minutes.
2. Simultaneously, sauté leeks and thyme in a heavy saucepan with melted butter over low heat until softened and browned.
3. Once the roasted squash is cool enough, remove seeds using a spoon. Scrape out the flesh from the skin.
4. Add in the stock to the leek and thyme mixture in the saucepan, simmer over moderate heat for 20 minutes. Blend the soup till it turns smooth, return to the pan, and season.
5. Serve the soup garnished with whichever toppings you prefer, including sour cream, chives, and crispy, crumbled bacon bits.

This fall-inspired recipe was initially put together by the Food & Wine Test Kitchen and has been communicated by Hannah Walhout. If you're not serving the soup immediately, it can be prepared until the third step, and then reheated before serving.