Butternut Squash and Pear Soup from Backstreet Café in Houston

Print Recipe

Course Soup

Servings -10 servings

Ingredients

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup finely chopped white onion
2 cloves chopped garlic
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup pumpkin seeds, hulled
¼ cup sliced almonds
2 whole cloves
¼ star anise
½ tsp ground allspice
2 whole chile de árbol peppers
¼ cinnamon stick
1 butternut squash (2 lb.), peeled, seeded, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 large Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch cubes
6 cups whole milk
1 tsp coarse Kosher salt
½ tsp ground white pepper
¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

Instructions

Preheat a large pot over medium-high heat.
Add butter and completely melt.
Add onions and garlic and cook until soft.
Add sesame and pumpkin seeds, almonds, cloves, star anise, allspice, peppers, and cinnamon stick, and cook 1 minute more.
Add butternut squash and pear. Cook until spices are fragrant and squash is slightly browned (about 10 minutes).
Add milk, salt, and white pepper, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes, stirring constantly.
Transfer soup to a blender and purée into a smooth consistency, about 2 minutes. Work in batches, if necessary.
Serve hot and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds, if desired.

Notes

Backstreet Cafe in Houston is a labor of love between Executive Chef Hugo Ortega and his wife Tracy Vaught. Vaught says: "The first time I served this butternut squash and pear soup was for Thanksgiving at my house as the first course. At Backstreet, we make this soup interchangeably with pears or apples. Both make a nice complement to the butternut squash. This soup is great for entertaining especially when you have vegetarian guests attending."

Note: Chile de árbol peppers are dried, red thin chili peppers found in the Hispanic/ethnic food aisle in major supermarkets or in the spices aisle in Mexican grocery stores.

Keyword Backstreet Cafe, butternut squash soup, pear, Thanksgiving

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