Curried Butternut Squash & Pear Soup Recipe

This recipe is perfect for fall or winter when you’re craving something warm and comforting. It’s also great as a healthy alternative to traditional Thanksgiving dinner recipes.

There is nothing better than a hot bowl of soup on a cool day. I have made  Butternut Apple Soup in the past, but I’m always on the lookout for new flavor profiles. This is my new fav! It is a bit sweet thanks to the maple and the apple cider but with a little heat thanks to the curry and a tiny pinch of cayenne.

Make sure to get apple cider and not spiced apple cider. You could substitute stock for the cider but I hope you’ll give this a try!

Ingredients

To make this recipe you will need:

• Butternut Squash – You can either use 1 medium-sized fresh butternut squash. The other option is to save a step and purchase your squash pre-cut, either in the fresh or frozen vegetable section of the grocery store.
• Pears – Use Red pears or Bosc pears. Peel, core, and seed.
• Onions – sweet onions work best, but use what you have on hand.
• Curry Powder
• Apple Cider – I used unfiltered apple cider but regular apple cider would be fine.

Slow Cooker Instructions

1. Brush with olive oil and place butternut squash, pears, onion*, curry powder, salt, pepper, water, and apple cider in a 4 or 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Cook for 6-8 hours on low, or 3-4 hours on high, or until the squash is completely tender and mashes easily with a fork. Remove and discard the sage.
3. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. (Or you can transfer the soup in two batches into a traditional blender and puree until smooth, being extremely careful not to fill the blender too full with a hot liquid.) Taste, and season with additional salt, pepper, and cayenne as needed.
4.  Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. (You can place in a traditional blender, being extremely careful not to fill the blender too full with a hot liquid.) Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, as needed.

Stove Top Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. line a pan with a parchment sheet. Place butternut squash on the pan. Sprinkle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake for 45 minutes.
2. Place pear chunks on a small baking sheet and sprinkle with olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes.
3. Place olive oil in a large pot. Heat medium-high and add onions and curry powder. Cook until tender. Add roasted pears and butternut squash to the pan and stir.
4. Pour in water and cider, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Use an immersion blender or place in a traditional blender to blend. being extremely careful not to fill the blender too full with a hot liquid.) Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, as needed.

*For extra flavor, I recommend sautéing the onion before adding the remaining ingredients. Just heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the remaining ingredients and continue on with the recipe.

Garnish Tips

Garnishes add that special touch. I used a bit of cream but you could substitute coconut milk. I added a bacon crumble and a few croutons. Other ideas include:

• Toasted squash seeds
• Fresh herbs
• Baby Greens
• Goat Cheese or Feta Cheese