I have an amazing soup recipe to share with you today: Pear and Fennel Soup.
It’s velvety and sweet and savory and delicious. And it’s quite healthy– just 135 calories per serving and it’s considered a clean-eating recipe too. I didn’t feel awful about gobbling up two servings!
This recipe comes from a new cookbook from my good friend Amie Valpone: Eating Clean: The 21-Day Plan to Detox, Fight Inflammation, and Reset Your Body. Some background on Amie– she has suffered for over a decade from chronic illnesses. She was sick for many years, one thing after another, and most types of food were seemingly her enemy. Amie finally took matters into her own hands to try and regain her health through detoxing her diet and her life. In her book, she shares her amazing story as well as more than 200 recipes that are vegetarian and free of potentially problematic ingredients like gluten, dairy, soy, corn, eggs and refined sugar. Everything is made with whole foods. Here are some recipes from the book that I have tagged to make: Honey- Cinnamon Quinoa Granola, Banana- Almond Pancakes, Grain-Free Multi-Seed Crackers, Herbed Avocados with Caramelized Lemon Drizzle, Summer Zucchini and Fresh Basil Soup, Massaged Kale Salad with Spicy Hazelnuts, Peach Arugula Salad, Spring Veggie Paella, Zucchini Pad Thai, Sriracha Roasted Wild Rice Buddha Bowl, Chimichurri Sweet Potato Salad, Savory Chickpea Flour Crepes, Vanilla Bean- Coconut Ice Cream and Almond Butter Cups.
I must admit that I love a good pear, but I haven’t always been crazy about fennel. I decided to try this soup recipe anyway because I know that sometimes I like flavors in other things that I may not like on their own. The fennel works very nicely in this soup. It blends with the other flavors so it isn’t overpowering at all. I loved this soup, and it was hard to believe that it didn’t have more calories. It was similar in texture to a good bisque.
This soup would make a lovely lunch with a side salad, and it would also be a nice side soup to a main dish dinner. I’ll be making it again!
Quote from Amie (which I love):
Believe in yourself, challenge your doctor, eat lean, live clean, and accept nothing less than your best life ahead.
Well said.
If you happen to be following the Weight Watchers WW plan, you will find a link to the WW Points on the recipe card below.
Pear and Fennel Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 medium sweet white onion, diced
- 1 medium garlic clove, chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 medium bay leaf
- 2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
- 2 medium firm Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and diced
- fennel fronds, for garnish (optional)
- sea salt, if desired
Instructions
- In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until it beings to turn golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, coriander, cardamom, pepper and bay leaf and stir for 30 seconds. Add the fennel and ½ cup of the broth and cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, for 7 minutes.
- Add the pears and the remaining 3½ cups broth. Cover, raise the heat, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the fennel is soft and tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Uncover, let cool, and remove the bay leaf.
- In batches, transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and keep warm until serving.
- Portion into serving bowls and garnish each bowl with a drizzle of oil (if desired), fennel fronds and salt, to taste.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Interesting combination of ingredients. Will have to try this recipe.
Oh my goodness! This soup looks absolutely fantastic! I never knew that pears can be used to make soup and I’m so excited looking at this velvety smooth soup! Pinning! 🙂
Pear and fennel sound amazing, I know I will be making this awesome soup recipe soon!
That looks healthy and delicious 🙂
Sounds delicious! I could definitely eat healthier 🙂
Big fennel fan here. And like you, love pears!!! We have a wonderful pear tree on my property that yields tons of fruit. Need to pin so I have this will it does it’s thing. Soup is so comforting too.
Thank you SO much for sharing this Lori! I’m so grateful for ALL of your support and for your love and genuine friendship. Thank you for always being so warm and kind and friendly throughout the last few years; you truly are incredible. Sending you so much love and the biggest hugs from NYC. I can’t wait to see you next week.
Yay!
Thank you again for taking the time to create this soup from my book; it means so much to me and I’m grateful for you and all of your support.
Big hugs from NYC!
xo