This Roasted Butternut Squash & Pear soup is the perfect companion to a cold day. Combined with creamy coconut milk and subtle spices, these flavours are a match made in heaven.
You know by now I LOVE cooking with butternut squash. I’ve had a few kicking around on my counter (staring me in the face) begging to be used. I was craving something really warm and cozy, and with a kitchen stocked up with local pears and a few extra butternut squash (I have a hard time passing them by at the store) I knew what it was time for…soup!
If you haven’t had the chance to taste the combination of pears and squash you’re in for a treat.
How to roast squash
Roasting the squash really deepens the intensity of the flavour and brings out its natural caramelized sweetness! Those flavours then go right into the soup. Roast your squash for around 40 minutes (stir half way through) before adding it to your liquid and using your trusty immersion blender! You can use a stand blender too, just make sure your liquid isn’t hot when you blend or remove that vent cover and cover it with a folded over dish towel when blending to prevent splashing. Blending hot liquid in an airtight blender may cause it to explode with the pressure as the steam builds up (dangerous and messy).
Health benefits of spices
This soup is full of beautiful healthy spices. Turmeric is the spice that gives curry that great yellow colour we see. But flavour and colour aside, it is also an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant (curcumin is the active component – add pepper to help with the absorption). Cumin has a variety of reported benefits ranging from helping improve your digestion to even boosting your memory (and tastes so good, I add it to a lot of dishes). Squash is rich in beta carotene (vitamin A precursor, also an antioxidant) and potassium, and has a naturally sweet flavour that pairs so well with the sweetness of these ingredients.
How to garnish and serve your soup
This quick soup looks super impressive when you dress it up with a swirl of sour cream or Greek yogurt! Add something fresh like a pinch of parsley or even a few pumpkin seeds for texture. To be honest, this soup is good all on it’s own! But should you wish to bring something else to the table you couldn’t go wrong with a fresh crusty baguette, your favourite crackers, a Roasted Veggie Sandwich or even a yummy grilled cheese.
If you don’t have pears, feel free to sub apples (peeled and cored). Most varieties will work; I tend to use Gala apples as they are quite versatile.
Keep the squash train rolling with more great recipes like my Butternut Squash Lasagne, Mac and Cheese or Carbonara!
Roasted Butternut Squash & Pear Soup
Roasted Butternut Squash & Pear Soup
Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup with creamy coconut milk and warm Indian spices. A true match made in flavour heaven! Sub peeled and cored apple for the pear if you wish.
Ingredients
- 8 cups peeled cubed butternut squash (approx. 2 medium squash)
- 1/4 cup oil, divided (avocado works best)
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 cups chopped yellow onion (approx. 1 medium onion)
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 cups diced peeled & cored Bartlett pears (approx. 3 pears)
- 1 litre stock (chicken or vegetable)
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 can coconut milk (400 mL)
- salt to taste
Instructions
Roasting the Butternut Squash
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400 F. Toss the butternut squash with 2 tablespoons of oil and bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden brown; remove from the oven and cool.
Soup Instructions
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While the squash bakes, in a large heavy bottomed pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil on medium heat and add the onion. Cook until soft and transparent, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for an additional 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the pears, stock, spices, coconut milk and roasted squash and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for approximately 25 minutes or until the pears are soft, stirring occasionally.
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Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Thin with more stock if desired and season with salt to taste.
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Garnish with a swirl of coconut milk, sour cream or pumpkin seeds if you wish!
Tori this is a beautiful recipe! I’ve passed it onto my friends too .-)
The best tasting soup of the Autumn season! Thank you for posting this amazing recipe.
This soup is delicious!! Thanks for posting this recipe!
Super happy you liked it!!
I made this soup this weekend and we LOVE it! I tripled the batch so we could freeze some too. Any tips on how to remove turmeric stains from the food processor?
Oh no! Mine didn’t stain but I’ve heard that you can use a solution of 1/2 cup bleach to 1 gallon of water and let it sit for 30 minutes. I hope that works!
Tori this recipe looks amazing and im thinking of doing it for a get together this weekend. Any estimates on how many this recipe serves?
Hi Anna, it is around 6 servings depending on the size!
Could you please tell me what type of pears you used?
Thank you!
Hi Sandra, I used Bartlett pears!
Hi Tory ! Thanks for the recipe ! I’m excited to try on my January Whole30 round. Do you think you could substitute the coconut milk for cashew cream ?
Hi Kathryn!
You could substitute cashew cream for sure – you may just not want to use as much as it tends to be quite thick!
Can the pear be subbed for anything else?
Hi Amanda, you bet you can use apple!
Absolutely delicious! Thank you Tori!
Subbed apple for the pears as that’s what I had on hand. FANTASTIC!!
Could you add red lentils or white beans to this for some protein?
Hi Stephanie! I haven’t tried in this soup but white beans would work nicely I think! Tori
This is a wonderful squash soup with the addition of pears, apple, spices and coconut cream taking it to the next level.
Squash soups have never been my favourite. But I’ve been trying turban squash centrepieces this fall and had a beautiful one that was growing pale and was ready for it’s next stage. I decided to try your recipe and I’m so glad I did.
Used coconut cream instead of milk because it’s what I had on hand but the soup had a had delicate and light texture and flavour with the ginger and other spices was tantalizingly delicious for a snowy winter dinner.
I used one ripe pear plus an apple. I prefer a little texture in my soups rather than a total puree, so I sauteed the fruit briefly and then added a cup or so of of the small dice to the soup after the immersion blender. Also followed your advice to add a little more stock.
Pumpkin seeds and a touch of sour cream on top were just right.
It’s a squash soup I’ll be delighted to served to friends soon. Maybe with buttermilk biscuits or focaccia, what do you think?
Thanks for the wonderful mixture, Tori.
Hi Brenda! Thank you for taking the time to review this recipe! I am so happy you enjoyed it!! I agree, some biscuits or focaccia would be amazing in here!! xx
Tori,
Loved this soup! I made it exactly as the recipe described and the family loves this with pumpkin seeds for a little crunch.
Thank you for sharing this recipe with us.
Thanks Susan I appreciate you taking the time to leave a review and for the kind words!