Butternut Squash and Pear Soup with Fennel is a hearty, gluten-free, and nutritious soup. Incredibly delicious without heavy cream, this soup is loaded with vegetables, and even has pears thrown in the mix.

Despite its creamy deliciousness, this soup is the very essence of low-calorie cooking coming in at only 147 calories per serving.

We love it, and I know you will too! Plus, it’s a great way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet. And, a bonus if you have picky eaters in your house, they won’t even know they are eating vegetables unless you tell them!

More soup recipes:

Warm and cozy soups and colder weather go together. If you like soup as we do, I know you will also like these other soup recipes on my blog:

If you need even more recipes or menu ideas, check out all of my soup recipes here.

What to serve with this soup:

I usually keep it simple and serve this sweet, nutty soup with some crusty cornbread or broccoli cheddar-cheese cornbread muffins and, if we are really hungry, maybe my fall harvest salad or a brussel sprout salad.

Butternut squash and pear soup ingredients:

You will need the following ingredients: butternut squash or acorn squash, onion, shallot, olive oil, a fennel bulb, celery, garlic, ginger, cumin, nutmeg, chicken or vegetable broth, two ripe pears, orange peel, and lemons.

How to tell when butternut squash is ripe:

When choosing a butternut squash, look for one that is a solid beige color without any deep cuts or bruises. It also should feel heavy for its size, and if you thump it, it should sound hollow inside.

Butternut squash will keep well on your kitchen counter for several weeks. It does not need to be kept in the refrigerator.

How to cut up a butternut squash:

If you have never cut up butternut squash, it can be a little intimidating. But all you need is a sharp knife.

To begin, cut a thin slice off of the top and bottom of the squash so that both ends are flat. Then, stand the squash up and holding the knife in both hands with the blade down, slice down the middle to cut it in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. A grapefruit spoon works best for this job. (Check out my video to see how it’s done.)

Why roast the squash?

Roasting the first intensifies the natural sweetness and the nutty flavor of the squash. For this recipe, you do not need to peel your squash.

How to roast the squash:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. To roast the squash, rub the flesh with a little olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt and ⅛ teaspoon of pepper and place it in the oven.

Roast for about 60 minutes, or until you can easily pierce the flesh with a fork. When done, let it cool, pull the peel off and cut into cubes. Set aside.

How to make the soup:

Add olive oil to a Dutch Oven and heat over low heat. Add chopped onions and shallot. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt and cook about 10 minutes, or until the onions start to soften.

How to core and slice fennel:

If you have never cooked with fennel, you might not know how to core and slice it. If you have, you know what to do.

To prepare fennel, first cut off the fronds.

Then slice in half, and cut out the core in a wedge.

Next, slice thinly.

Add sliced fennel, celery, garlic, and ½ teaspoon more salt and cook, often stirring for about 10-15 minutes until all of the vegetables are soft.

Stir in the ginger, cumin, nutmeg, and add the roasted squash. Pour in the vegetable broth and increase the heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low so the soup can simmer.

Add the peeled and chopped pears and the orange peel. (Use a vegetable peeler to peel your orange. If there is any pith attached to the peel, use a very sharp knife and gently scrape or cut it off.)

Partially cover the pot and simmer for about 20-30 minutes, or until the pears and squash are tender enough to mash easily with a fork.

Remove from the heat and, using an immersion blender, puree the soup. Taste and add additional salt if needed and ¼ teaspoon of pepper, if needed. If the soup is too thick, you can add a little more vegetable broth and reheat.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a few drops of fresh lemon juice.

If desired, garnish with lemon slices, a sprig of the fennel frond, and some roasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds.

This recipe was adapted from Dori Greenspan’s cookbook, Around my French Table.

Sharon’s Expert Tips:

You can substitute four cups of peeled, diced squash from the produce section in your grocery store. Toss with olive oil and roast the squash in the oven (as directed), until tender.
When buying butternut squash, look for one that is a solid beige color without any deep cuts or bruises. It also should feel heavy for its size, and if you thump it, it should sound hollow inside.
This squash will keep well in a cool, dark part of your kitchen for several weeks. It does not need to be kept in the refrigerator.
If you have never cut up butternut squash, it can be a little intimidating, but all you need is a sharp knife. To begin, cut a thin slice off of the top and bottom of the squash so that both ends are flat. Then, stand the squash up and holding the knife in both hands with the blade down, push it down, and slice down the middle to cut it in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. A grapefruit spoon works best for this job.
To prepare the fennel for slicing, you first need to cut off the fronds. Then slice the bulb in half vertically and cut out the core in a wedge. Next, thinly slice the rest of the bulb.
You can substitute acorn squash for the butternut squash in this recipe.
Chicken stock or broth can also be substituted for vegetable stock.
And, speaking of substitutions, feel free to substitute apples for the pears in this recipe. Heck, you can even add an apple or two if you like.
This soup freezes well and can be stored in your freezer for up to two months in an airtight container.
If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can puree the soup in batches in a blender. Be sure to place a folded-up kitchen towel over the top of the blender to prevent any steam or soup from splashing out.

★ If you make Butternut Squash and Pear Soup with Fennel, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!

Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!

📋 Recipe:

**This post was originally published on January 4, 2016. Republished on December 30, 2019, with a new video and expanded directions and tips.

Butternut Squash and Pear Soup with Fennel