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Winter Squash and Pear Soup

Back when we all first started staying at home as much as possible, and not knowing how things would go as far as food shopping was concerned, we bought a few vegetables that would last, such as carrots and winter squash, and some frozen vegetables as well.

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We really haven’t had any difficulty getting produce, and as a result one butternut squash was still sitting there, along with a pear from my Misfits Market box. So before the weather gets too warm, I decided to make a soup. Any variety of winter squash would work fine in this recipe.

Even though I prefer to roast the squash first to concentrate the flavors, it’s still a really easy recipe. In addition, it can easily be vegan if you use vegetable broth. This soup has a tendency to get thick, especially if refrigerated, but you can just add water until it reaches your desired consistency.

Winter Squash and Pear Soup

Makes 3-4 cups 

  • 1 whole butternut or other winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into large cubes (yielding about 12-16 ounces of useable squash)

  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

  • ⅛ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

  • 1 small onion, sliced

  • 1½ cups chicken or vegetable broth

  • 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, pulled from the stem

  • 1 pear, peeled and cubed

  • Pinch ground nutmeg

  • Pinch ground ginger

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Place the pieces of squash in a baking dish, drizzle with half the olive oil, and sprinkle with half the salt. Roast for 30 minutes until easily pierced with a knife.

In a medium saucepan, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering and fragrant. Add the onion, the remaining salt, and the pepper, and sauté until the onions begin to color.

Add the roasted squash pieces, thyme leaves, and broth, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to simmer for 5 minutes.

Allow to cool briefly and then place the squash, onions, and broth into a blender or food processor. Add the pear, nutmeg, and ginger, and blend or process until fully puréed. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and sprigs of thyme for garnish.

My RecipesElizabeth Baer