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Creamy Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Apple Soup

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This creamy slow cooker butternut squash apple soup is pure comfort in a bowl. The slow cooker does all the work, combining sweet apples and savory squash for a naturally sweet, velvety smooth soup that’s perfect for fall and winter.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 medium butternut squash (about 3–4 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 medium apples (Honeycrisp or Fuji), peeled, cored, and chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk or 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Salt and black pepper to taste (start with 1 teaspoon salt)
  • Optional toppings: toasted pumpkin seeds, coconut milk or cream swirl, fresh thyme, crumbled bacon

Instructions

  1. Prep the squash: Peel the butternut squash using a vegetable peeler. Cut off the top and bottom, slice in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds, and cut into 1-inch cubes.
  2. Prep the apples and onion: Peel the apples, core them, and chop into rough chunks. Chop the onion into similar-sized pieces. Mince the garlic cloves.
  3. Combine ingredients in slow cooker: Add cubed squash, chopped apples, onion, minced garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker. Pour in the vegetable broth and stir to combine.
  4. Cook: Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours, until squash is fork-tender.
  5. Blend until smooth: Turn off the slow cooker. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot until completely smooth. If using a regular blender, let soup cool for 10 minutes, then blend in batches, filling blender no more than halfway.
  6. Add creaminess: Stir in the coconut milk or heavy cream and maple syrup (if using). Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or spices.
  7. Serve and garnish: Ladle soup into bowls. Add desired toppings and serve hot.

Notes

For deeper flavor, sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes before adding to the slow cooker. The soup tastes even better the next day as flavors meld. If soup is too thick after blending, add more broth or water. If too thin, simmer on stovetop for 10-15 minutes to reduce. To peel squash easily, microwave whole squash for 2-3 minutes to soften skin.

Nutrition

Keywords: butternut squash soup, slow cooker soup, apple soup, fall soup, creamy soup, easy soup, vegetarian soup, gluten-free soup

Find it online: https://ariaappetite.com/creamy-slow-cooker-butternut-squash-apple-soup/