Dairy Free Butternut Squash and Pear Soup
I know, many of you probably have a butternut squash soup recipe in your trusted cooking index. Your recipe is possibly the only one you’ll ever need because it’s simple, comforting and amazing. But is it a dairy free butternut squash soup? Try ours and you won’t miss the dairy.
Dairy Free Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
This butternut squash soup is perfectly dairy free for our lactose intolerant friends (oh boy) and ripe pear adds a fantastic sweetness to the soup. Ever since we photographed this recipe for our La Brea Bakery shoot, I’ve been hooked. And not only because it’s perfectly satisfying for this cooler season, but also because it’s healthy. When this cold weather kicks in, my metabolism starts to slow down but my cravings for hearty soups escalate. First instinct is to eat scoop-fulls of rich, cream based soups. It’s not a bad thing. I do love to indulge in that way, but to have a healthier option is spiritually uplifting, not to mention lighter on the belly.
In every butternut squash soup I’ve ever had, there was some element of milk, cream or dairy. But this one didn’t and though I was a bit skeptical about it’s flavor potential, I was in for a pleasant surprise at how yummy it was. And I didn’t miss the dairy, which my belly thanked me for.
An added bonus to this recipe is that you can intensify the flavor by using different spices and herbs. If a fresh herb is within reach, we’ll add it to our cooking. So don’t be shy about throwing in a bunch of fresh thyme, oregano or sprinkles of fresh chives. Consider mixing up the dried spices with other seasonal favorites.
In garden news….yes, we do have news. One of the benefits to living in congested, smog breathing Southern California is our incredible growing season. Right when we’re about ready to pull out the decaying Summer vegetable plots and change over to cool weather crops, we find a batch of vine ripened tomatoes.
Do you believe it? Tomatoes in November in coastal Southern California? It’s always a sweet surprise to find a handful of sweet cherry tomatoes to brag about. Granted, the skin is a little tougher on these tomatoes, but their flavor is still bursting with flavor. Enjoying a longer growing season is one of those compromises to life in freeway traffic and smog!
hugs,
diane
Dairy Free Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 6 cups butternut squash , peeled & diced into 1/2" pieces (about 2 medium squash, 3 pounds total)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic , peeled & minced
- 1 medium onion , diced
- 2 ripe pears , peeled, cored & diced
- 5 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- few fresh thyme or oregano sprigs (optional)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
- fresh chives for garnish
Instructions
- Heat large heavy bottom pot to medium heat. Add olive oil, then add onion and minced garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes or until onions and garlic become translucent and fragrant.
- Add pear, coriander, allspice, fresh herbs (optional), salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Add the squash and cook for about 15 minutes or until squash becomes golden in color. Stir occasionally.
- Add stock and stir to combine all ingredients well. Bring to a boil then immediately reduce heat to low. Continue to cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the squash is tender.
- Allow soup to completely cool. Add soup to blender and blend the soup until it becomes smooth. If you added any woody thyme or oregano sprigs that are still tough, remove these stems before blending the soup. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour back into pot and re-heat before serving. Serve the soup warm, top with fresh chives or herbs and eat with your favorite crusty bread or gluten free bread.
I accidentally used acorn squash…twice(!) and it was the most difficult thing in the world to peel. As for the soup, it came out splendid. I will attempt another one with butternut squash. How different do you think they taste?
I love making, cooking and baking new recipe, this one is very interesting. Thanks for the share!
I’ve had butternut squash soup on my mind and I think I will stray from my usual recipe to give this a try. This looks so comforting and perfect for the chilly days here on the East Coast. Thank you for sharing!
I honestly have never even thought to do something like this. And I love it, it makes so much sense to put such a sweet simple fruit into an already amazing simple soup. It is such a staple soup I make often in the Fall and Winter. I almost always have pears at the same time, in season and all. I cannot wait to try this. I make squash soup for Thanksgiving and I think I will put a little pretty pear in it, thanks!
Wow that looks super healthy and delicious too!
I can’t wait to try this recipe!
;-))
Roberta
Beautiful money shot, as usual. Your style has elements I particularly like in comparison to some of my other favorite bloggers. Back to tryin to crack the code! ๐ Cheers
All your photos are beautiful, but the top one really speaks to me. Amazing! Soup sounds lovely, too.
I really love soups this time of year, although since we actually have cold weather here in Wisconsin, it’s more of a necessity! I love that this has pears in it. They seem to get forgotten among apples and pumpkins…
Wow, I’m so used to creamy soups but my dad in law can’t have dairy so this might be a winner for him at thanksgiving! As always, presidential winning pictures ๐
I’m lactose intolerant, so I’ve been avoiding creamy soups like butternut squash. I’m really looking forward to trying this version though, as I absolutely love squash!
Love the pears here. My recipe adds apples but this is much more appealing.
This. I want this soup.
I don’t really like to eat warm fruit. But, pureed in a soup? Sure thing! Just thinking about pear and butternut squash together sounds fantastic. Love the light you caught on the ripples in the soup bowl. I always find it pretty difficult to photograph a monochrome bowl of soup!
This soup sounds lovely – I love butternut squash and with sweet pears?? Yum! What a beautiful photo too!
This is simply lovely! Great recipe!
This soup looks so creamy and hearty and beautiful! The photo, with the light just reflecting so perfectly from it, mmmm, delicious! And the flavor with the pear, I bet it’s heavenly!