Autumnal Urges and Sweet Potato-Pear Soup

One of the doctors at the clinic where I work made a Pear and Sweet Potato Soup last fall, and liked it so much that she passed out the recipe to anyone who was interested. I took it and made it my own by cutting out the whipping cream and maple syrup and replacing the chicken stock with vegetable stock. And adjusting the veggie-fruit ratio to my tastes. And then adjusting the seasoning. Ok, so basically I remade the recipe. But it’s healthier now!

I really think it tastes like Thanksgiving in a Bowl. And it’s delicious. It freezes well, too. I make it at least twice a month, because it’s nice for lunches for me (fibre, yay!) and the DH likes it for a quick dinner after a long work day. I make it ahead and then stick it in the fridge or freezer and he can quickly microwave it if I’m not home yet.

It’s also perfect because fall is approaching rapidly and nourishing and tasty soups are a great way to appreciate autumn bounty. I made this last batch with local Ontario-grown pears and knowing that I was supporting family farms made me feel extra cozy.

Enough talking, bring on the soup!

Sweet Potato and Pear Soup

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 average to large-sized sweet potatoes
• 3-4 large Barlett pears, or a whole bunch of small ones
• 2 tbsps. Butter
• ¾ tsp. thyme
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 4-5 c. vegetable stock (choose one that’s MSG free)

Prick sweet potatoes all over with a fork and microwave on a potato setting until juices bubble out of the fork piercings. Saute onion and garlic in butter in a large soup pot until translucent. Core pears and dump into soup pot, along with the scooped out flesh of the sweet potatoes. Saute until you start to see the pears get a bit sautéed as well. Add in thyme and paprika. Add in vegetable stock and simmer on medium heat for about 20 minutes or until pears are cooked through. Blend with a hand blender while hot, or wait until cool and puree in blender. Garnish with a swirl of cream if you’re ritzy or just eat with a nice salad or hunk of fresh bread. Feel wholesome and nourished.

Pro Tip: Peel garlic easily by cutting the ends of each clove off. The rest will peel off like magic.

Pro Tip # 2: Don’t puree the soup in a blender when hot. I learned this lesson the hard way. The DH was talking on the phone to his mom when I was making soup one time and both he and she were rather startled to hear me start shrieking in my version of swear words (“Bloody hell!” And my personal favourite: “Oh SUGAR!”) I had pureed the soup while hot and the blender had erupted. The soup not only burned me, but splattered most of the kitchen. I was finding dried orange splatters in odd places for days. Not the best way to impress your mother-in-law.

Anyway, make this soup! It really is good. But make sure to use a strong vegetable stock, as that’s key to making it taste like a finely nuanced soup as opposed to blandish baby food. And let me know in the comments what vegetable stock you recommend! I’m always on the look-out for a tasty, healthy version.

Next Post: When Cravings Attack. Or, Easy Midnight Munchies.