In spite of the risk of repeating myself for the umpteenth time, I have to say (again) I can hardly wait for the arrival of my favorite season. In just a couple of days the seasons will change and finally after what seemed like the most humid, hottest summer on record, autumn makes its' annual return appearance. From the changes in the landscape, to the shift in temperatures, to the seasonal fruits and vegetables, to my favorite holidays, I love everything about the fall season.
Last week while I was on the east coast, I stayed in a cottage owned by one of my dear friends. She never fails to make me feel so welcomed. More importantly, I am spoiled by her thoughtfulness and kindness. Although my stay was a short three days, she filled the cottage with a bouquet of fresh flowers as well as some of my favorite foods. Farm fresh eggs, Portuguese rolls, and the sweetest cherry tomatoes freshly picked from her garden were waiting for me. In addition to putting a pre-birthday piece of Red Velvet cake (another favorite) in the refrigerator, she also brought over a bowl of silky smooth homemade Butternut Squash and Pear Soup. One spoonful of the soup and I never wanted to leave. I dreamt about the soup for days before sending her a text asking if she would share the recipe. In less than an hour I had the recipe in hand and I couldn't get to the grocery store quick enough to get the ingredients. Then life got in the way preventing me from the experiencing instant gratification.
In the time between getting the ingredients and making this soup, I debated as to whether or not I should tinker with the recipe. I knew what the soup tasted like prepared in accordance with the recipe (unless Sheila was holding out on me), but I didn't know what it would taste like make with roasted butternut versus non-roasted butternut squash. Could deeply browned, slightly caramelized butternut squash turn an already incredibly delicious soup into one with deeper, more intense flavor? I really needed to know. And because fruits and vegetables don't come with small, medium or large sized labels on them, I listed all the recommended weight measurement ranges for them in the recipe below.
There are at least two methods of roasting squash. Roasting is a method designed specifically to bring out the best possible flavor. One is cutting the squash in half, drizzling with olive oil, lightly seasoning and roasting at a high temperature anywhere from 40-60 minutes. The other is cutting the peeled, seeded squash into one inch chunks, tossing in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, lightly seasoning and roasting at a high temperature for 40-45 minutes. I decided to go with the roasting squash chunks as I felt it had the better chance of ramping up the squash's flavor.
The butternut squash roasts for 40-45 minutes on a large baking sheet in a pre-heated 425 degree (F) oven. Tossed in olive oil and seasoned with kosher salt, the squash is turned over at least twice during the baking process to ensure the chunks are browned on several sides.
The most difficult part of the roasting process is restraining yourself from eating the butternut squash when it comes out of the oven.
The soups deep flavor not only comes from the roasted butternut squash but the onions sautéed in butter until lightly golden and slightly translucent. Sautéing the onions brings out a kind of nuttiness as well as enhances their sweetness.
After the chunks of roasted squash and chunks of the pears are added to the sautéed onions, four and half cups of low-sodium chicken broth and a teaspoon of kosher salt are added to the pan. Bring the mixture to a quick boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to a simmer. Continue to cook until the pears are knife tender (approximately 10-15 minutes).
I used a large food processor rather than an immersion blender to puree the soup mixture. Why? Because I don't have an immersion blender. After processing the soup mixture in batches, the pureed soup was returned to the pan. You want to process the soup to the creamiest texture possible. To slightly thin out the thick, rich soup, I added the grated nutmeg, black pepper, and another 3/4 cup of the low-sodium chicken broth and reheated the soup to serving temperature. Depending on how thick or thin you like your soup, you might add less or slightly more broth. Note: Add more kosher salt to taste.
The drizzle of heavy cream on top of the soup is the only dairy in this Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup. Sage leaves cooked briefly in butter until lightly crisp were this soup's optional finishing touch.
So was this Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup better than first bowl of (non-roasted) Butternut Squash and Pear Soup? It is almost impossible to compare the first bowl of made with love soup with my slightly changed version.
This is the one of the creamiest, most velvety, deeply flavored Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soups you will ever have. It's the most decadent of comfort foods without being made with heavy cream (the drizzle on top doesn't count!). If it was possible to fall madly in love with a soup, this would be the one.
As hard as it may be to believe but the flavor of this soup was even better the second day! (Maybe that explains why Sheila's bowl of soup made me swoon!). With the weather turning colder soon (fingers-crossed), soup season arrives too! But I wouldn't wait until the temperatures drop to make this Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup. If I were you, I would get to the store as soon as possible.
Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup (slight adaptation to a recipe Sheila Brady shared with me)
Serves 6-8 as a main course, serves 8 as a first course
Updated January 2022
Ingredients
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 small or 1 medium-large yellow onion (approximately 3/4 to 1 pound), diced
2 medium-sized or 1 large butternut squash (approximately 2 3/4 to 3 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into 1" chunks (weigh after cutting into cubes)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 Bosc pears (approximately 1 3/4 to 2 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into 1" chunks
4 1/2 cups plus up to 2+ additional cups low-sodium chicken broth
Generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (or nutmeg spice)
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt, plus more for seasoning to taste
3/4 teaspoon white or black pepper
4 Bosc pears (approximately 1 3/4 to 2 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into 1" chunks
4 1/2 cups plus up to 2+ additional cups low-sodium chicken broth
Generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (or nutmeg spice)
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt, plus more for seasoning to taste
3/4 teaspoon white or black pepper
1/2 to 3/4 cup whipping cream
Optional: Sautéed fresh sage leaves
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F).
2. Place the cut butternut squash on a large baking sheet. Drizzle and toss with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Lightly season with kosher salt.
3. Roast butternut squash for 40-45 minutes, turning at least twice during the baking process.
4. In a large dutch oven or deep saucepan, melt 4 Tablespoons of butter. Add in diced onions. Sauté until softened, lightly golden, and semi-translucent.
5. Add roasted butternut squash and cubed pears into the pan. Pour in 4 1/2 cups of the chicken broth. Bring to a quick boil over medium-high heat, then simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the pears are knife tender.
6. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, and generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Stir until blended.
7. Working in batches, process the soup mixture in a large food processor until smooth. Return pureed mixture back it the pan. Add in the whipping cream and add up to 2+ cups of additional chicken broth. Add the broth in half cup increments until the soup reaches your desired consistency. Note: The soup will thicken as it cools or if it's refrigerated. To get back to your preferred consistency, add more chicken broth.
8. Reheat soup over low heat. Season to taste, if more is necessary.
9. Ladle soup into soup bowls. Drizzle with heavy cream and/or garnish with sautéed fresh sage leaves.
10. Store any leftover soup in the refrigerator. Will keep for up to 3-4 days. It's even better the second day.
Notes: (1) I used Bosc pears to make this soup. (2) To sauté the sage leaves, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter until foamy. Add in sage leaves, stirring for approximately 15-20 seconds. Using a slotted spoon transfer sage leaves to a paper towel until ready to use. (3) Instead of using a food processor, could use an immersion blender. (4) The only difference between the original recipe and this version was in the roasting of the butternut squash. If you go the route of the non-roasted version, you will simmer the chunks of squash and chunks of pears with the sautéed onions and chicken broth for 15-18 minutes (or until knife tender). All other ingredients remain and assembly directions remain the same.
Optional: Sautéed fresh sage leaves
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F).
2. Place the cut butternut squash on a large baking sheet. Drizzle and toss with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Lightly season with kosher salt.
3. Roast butternut squash for 40-45 minutes, turning at least twice during the baking process.
4. In a large dutch oven or deep saucepan, melt 4 Tablespoons of butter. Add in diced onions. Sauté until softened, lightly golden, and semi-translucent.
5. Add roasted butternut squash and cubed pears into the pan. Pour in 4 1/2 cups of the chicken broth. Bring to a quick boil over medium-high heat, then simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the pears are knife tender.
6. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, and generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Stir until blended.
7. Working in batches, process the soup mixture in a large food processor until smooth. Return pureed mixture back it the pan. Add in the whipping cream and add up to 2+ cups of additional chicken broth. Add the broth in half cup increments until the soup reaches your desired consistency. Note: The soup will thicken as it cools or if it's refrigerated. To get back to your preferred consistency, add more chicken broth.
8. Reheat soup over low heat. Season to taste, if more is necessary.
9. Ladle soup into soup bowls. Drizzle with heavy cream and/or garnish with sautéed fresh sage leaves.
10. Store any leftover soup in the refrigerator. Will keep for up to 3-4 days. It's even better the second day.
Notes: (1) I used Bosc pears to make this soup. (2) To sauté the sage leaves, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter until foamy. Add in sage leaves, stirring for approximately 15-20 seconds. Using a slotted spoon transfer sage leaves to a paper towel until ready to use. (3) Instead of using a food processor, could use an immersion blender. (4) The only difference between the original recipe and this version was in the roasting of the butternut squash. If you go the route of the non-roasted version, you will simmer the chunks of squash and chunks of pears with the sautéed onions and chicken broth for 15-18 minutes (or until knife tender). All other ingredients remain and assembly directions remain the same.
Pears growing in the apple orchard in Little Compton, RI (September 2018)
