Butternut Squash Soup with Pear and Orange (Vegan, Paleo, AIP)

This Butternut Squash Soup is vegan, paleo and AIP-friendly.

With colder months comes the season of winter squash, and along with it the change in flavor brings joy to our hearts. The whole season changes to a different color and wherever we look we find warming pumpkin recipes: fruit and nuts cakes, soups and many other foods which set with winter season. I remember how with the change in season, my mom would start cooking some of my favorite, pumpkin-based meals.

This butternut squash soup with pear and orange was inspired by my childhood memories. It has some of the flavors that are very warming to the body and soul. Besides, this is one of the easiest and common soups consumed by many but often has slight variations to it.

I usually add extra fruits into the soup like citrus, apple, pear or any other fruits that would give it an extra flavor. I urge you to give it a try, especially if you have kids! Let’s admit, it is not always easy to make children eat soup. Therefore, addition of a flavorful fruit can make it more palatable for your little picky eater. To make it more warming, I like to add spices like cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Plus, with the winter setting in, these spices help coping with the cold and fever.

HERE ARE FEW MORE REASONS WHY I LIKE THIS SOUP:

This butternut squash soup is easy to make and easy to store! You can choose to prepare soup in a bulk and keep it in the freezer for later use. It doesn’t go bad, nor loses its benefits if properly stored. Some variations of this soup are also commercially available, but I prefer making it myself. This way I am in control of all the ingredients that go into soup. And when it comes to the foods I consume, I am a control freak!

Some benefits of butternut squash include prevention of high blood pressure, improvement of eyesight. It also keeps skin strong, boosts your immune system and helps to keep blood sugar stable. Besides, pumpkin-based foods are very satisfying, which makes this vegetable a great staple on the AIP paleo diet and beyond.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH PEAR AND ORANGE

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 white onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1¾ cup bone broth (or water)
• ¼ cup orange juice
• 1½ pounds butternut squash, chopped (fresh or frozen)
• 1 large or 2 small sweet pears, chopped
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and sauté the onion for 3 to 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the ginger and sauté until fragrant.
2. Add the broth or water with orange juice and stir in squash, pear, orange zest, maple syrup (if using), cinnamon, cloves, and salt and bring the soup to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat to simmer, cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Puree the soup until smooth either by using an immersion blender or a stand blender.
5. Serve and enjoy!

Notes:

You can store this butternut squash soup in the freezer for later use: just let it cool to a room temperature and transfer to a freezer safe container or ziplock freezer bag. When ready to use, defrost in the fridge for 10-12 hours or overnight. Then transfer the soup into a saucepan and simmer over medium heat until fully heated.

This recipe is one of my contributions to the “Freezer Cooking for the Paleo AIP” cookbook

FREEZER COOKING FOR THE PALEO AIP COOKBOOK