Butternut Squash Soup For Two
This roasted Butternut Squash Soup for Two with pear and ginger is like putting on my favorite sweater: it feels so good. It’s an easy make-ahead soup that keeps for days – a delicious possibility as a date night or cooking together dinner fortwo.
Servings: 5 cups
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Butternut, Buttercup, Perfection, or other dense winter squash, rinsed
- 3 ripe but firm pears any variety, peeled, quartered, seeds and stems removed.
- 1 chunk fresh ginger about 2 inches long, thinly sliced
- Sunflower seed or olive oil for the squash
- Maple Syrup for the squash
- Sea salt
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter or sunflower seed oil
- 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup crème fraiche or sour cream optional
Instructions
Roasting the Squash, Pears and Ginger
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cut the squash in half, scrape out the seeds, then cut each half into thirds. Reserve the seeds for making a stock. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat. If you use a large baking dish or roasting pan make sure to grease the pan with olive oil. Put the squash pieces in the pan with the pears and all but a few slices of the ginger. Brush with oil, season with salt, and sprinkle with maple syrup.
- Bake until fragrant and tender, about 1 hour. Turn the pieces once or twice so they have a chance to caramelize on more than one surface. If the squash skins seems very dry (some varieties are), add I cup water to the pan to create steam and cover with foil. When the squash is tender, transfer everything from the pan to a cutting board, add 1 cup water to the pan, and scrape to dissolve the juices, reserve the liquid as this will add some extra flavor to the soup. Scrape the flesh of the squash away from the skins. You should have about 2 cups.
- Make ahead tip: Store roasted squash, pears and ginger up to 4 days before finishing the rest of the soup. Also save the deglazing water from the pan and the seeds and squash skins for making the stock. Both can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
To Make a Stock
- Bring 6 cups water to a boil and add the reserved seeds, the squash skins, the remaining ginger, and ½ teaspoon salt. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Make ahead tip: The stock can be made up to 4 days before finishing the soup. Strain the stock and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Finishing the Soup
- Melt the butter in a soup pot. Add the onion, give it a sir; and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until it begins to soften and is fragrant, about 6-8 minutes. Add the pears, ginger, and squash, then the reserved deglazing water. Strain the stock into the pot. If you did not make stock from the seeds and squash skins, use purchased vegetable stock or water.
- Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes. Cool briefly, then puree until smooth and pass through a food mill or strainer to ensure a silky texture. Serve as is or swirl in the crème fraiche.