Whole Food, Plant-Based Recipe Roasted Butternut Squash with Pears and Ginger

Ingredients

• 1 lb butternut squash, or other dense winter squash, rinsed
  

• 2 ripe, firm pears of any variety, quartered, with seeds and stems removed
  
• 1 orange (optional, use only if needed)
  
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  
• 1” piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced (~1 T)
  
• 6-8 cups vegetable broth, preferably homemade

For garnish

• Swirl of cashew/coconut cream
  

• Pumpkin, pomegranate seeds, or croutons

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Cut the squash in half, scrape out the seeds, and cut each half into thirds.
3. In a roasting pan, put the pieces of squash and pears with the skin side facing up.
4. Bake until fragrant and tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. Turn the pieces once or twice
so that they have a chance to caramelize on more than one surface. If the squash seems
very dry, add some water (or juice of one orange) to the pan to create steam, and cover with foil.
5. When the squash is tender, transfer everything from the pan to a cutting board. Scrape the
flesh of the squash away from the skins. You should have about 2 cups.
6. To make a stock, bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add the squash seeds and, eventually, the
squash skins and the peels of the ginger.
7. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes.
8. In a soup pot or Dutch oven, over medium high heat, sauté in water/broth the onions until
they begin to brown a bit and become fragrant.
9. Add the pears, ginger, and roasted squash to the pot.
10. Strain the stock into the pot, and be sure your squash is completely covered.
11. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes. Cool briefly, then purée
in a blender until smooth to ensure a silky texture.
12. Serve and garnish with cashew cream or coconut cream. Top with pumpkin and pomegranate seeds.

Recipe Adapted From

Deborah Madison