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Rich, aromatic, slightly sweet, and delightfully briny, this slow cooker butternut squash soup is an effortless fall recipe. It’s the perfect make-ahead soup for a busy week! All you need are just a few ingredients to make a whole batch to serve your friends and family.
What is slow cooker butternut squash soup?
This delicious soup recipe is made with real butternut squash, fresh herbs, vegetable broth, and chopped vegetables. It’s an enjoyable way to eat nutritious food.
This slow cooker butternut squash soup is also an incredibly easy slow cooker soup recipe. All you have to do is place all the ingredients in your crock pot, then set it and forget it!
Once the butternut squash is finished slow-cooking, smooth it into soup, and you’re ready to go. This is a comforting vegetarian dish.
It’s rich, creamy, and really good for you too! Made with all whole, fresh ingredients, you can taste the flavors in every spoonful. Plus, as it simmers all day in the slow cooker, your kitchen will smell so enticing and wonderful.
Butternut squash soup ingredients
Other than the butternut squash, here is what you’ll need in order to make this tasty fall slow cooker soup.
- Butternut squash
- Carrot
- White onion
- Garlic
- Fresh thyme
- Fresh sage leaves
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- Cayenne
- Vegetable broth
- Vegetable bouillon or chicken bouillon
- Cream or coconut milk for a swirl on top
Why this slow cooker soup works
- Using the slow cooker helps free up space in the kitchen.
- Fresh herbs infuse the vegetables with powerful amounts of flavor.
- This is a tasty way to eat more veggies without feeling like you are eating healthy.
- There is no extra effort required – just add everything to the slow cooker and let it cook!
How to cut butternut squash
Butternut squash can be tricky to cut. Follow these steps, and it will be quick to chop and a lot easier too.
- Cut the round section from the long stem. This is easier than trying to cut the entire squash longways.
- With a spoon, scoop the seeds and the pulp out of the center.
- Using a peeler, peel all of the thick skin off.
- Then, cut the squash into slices, followed by a large dice.
Butternut squash tip:
Make sure you have a very sharp chef’s knife, and you can use a towel to secure it when cutting.
How to cook butternut squash soup in the slow cooker
Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and set it on low for 6 hours.
After the soup has cooked for 6 hours, remove the fresh thyme and discard it.
Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until it is smooth.
Blending tip:
If you do not have an immersion blender, you can carefully ladle it into a heat-safe blender to purée. Just be careful and let the steam escape before you blend it all. I also suggest only filling the blender halfway before turning it on.
A food processor will also work to puree the soup. In fact, a food processor can blend the entire pot of soup in mere minutes! And it’s often more powerful than a blender.
Once you have puréed the squash soup, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. The fresh thyme, sage, salt, and pepper should have filled the soup with plenty of flavors.
If you want it to taste spicier, add more cayenne pepper. You can also sprinkle a dash of cinnamon on top for some earthy sweet notes.
How to serve butternut squash soup
You can serve the soup right after puréeing it or set your slow cooker to warm until you’re ready to eat.
Serve this soup with some cast iron skillet garlic butter dinner rolls. I love dipping the warm bread into hot soup. It’s delicious!
This is the perfect light lunch, or serve it as a starter for your holiday dinner.
How to make the soup dairy-free
You can add heavy cream or half and half as a swirl into the soup, but my favorite is to add coconut cream. Coconut cream is a great choice if you want it to be dairy free.
The drizzle is completely optional, but I think it adds a wonderful contrasting design. However, the soup tastes perfectly fine without it too.
This slow cooker butternut squash soup is great in the fall and winter – or even to kick off your Thanksgiving meal!
All types of squash are winter vegetables, so they are perfect for using in recipes when the weather gets colder.
Main dish ideas
Make this butternut squash soup for a perfect start to any fall or holiday meal. Serve it with dry brined turkey breast and homemade turkey gravy.
The flavors in this soup also perfectly complement stuffed acorn squash or roasted butternut squash salad.
How to store slow cooker butternut squash soup
This soup stores beautifully! Just pour it into an airtight, spill-proof container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Remember to store it without the cream drizzle on top. Add that last – when it is hot and ready to eat.
When you are ready to enjoy this soup again, just reheat it on the stove, stirring frequently.
Soup storage tip:
Mason jars make the best reusable container to use for soup. They seal tightly and won’t spill.
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Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large Butternut Squash (peeled and sliced into cubes (about 5 cups+))
- 1 large carrot (peeled and chopped)
- 1 small white onion (roughly chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 fresh sage leaves
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- pinch cayenne
- 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cubes vegetable bouillon or chicken bouillon (or 2 teaspoons)
- Garnish: cream or coconut milk for swirl on top
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Instructions
- Prepping the butternut squash: Using a vegetable peeler, peel the entire butternut squash. After you’re done peeling, cut the stems off each end. I use a dish towel to secure the squash because it can be slippery and safety first! I made my next cut at the "curvy" part of the squash so you’re left with the long end and circular end. Cut those pieces straight down the middle and using a spoon, scrape the seeds out. Once you have removed the seeds, cut the squash into large cubes.
- In a crockpot/slow cooker add all the ingredients: Squash, carrot, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne, bouillon, and vegetable broth. Use a large spoon and stir to mix ingredients. Top with fresh sage and thyme, set on low for 6 hours.
- After 6 hours, remove thyme sprigs. Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can carefully ladle into a heat safe blender to purée. After blending, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Serve with optional cream swirl on top and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure you have a very sharp chef's knife, and you can use a towel to secure it when cutting.
- If you do not have an immersion blender, you can carefully ladle it into a heat-safe blender to purée. Just be careful and let the steam escape before you blend it all. I also suggest only filling the blender halfway before turning it on.
- A food processor will also work to puree the soup. In fact, a food processor can blend the entire pot of soup in mere minutes! And it's often more powerful than a blender.
- Mason jars make the best reusable container to use for soup. They seal tightly and won't spill.
