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Best Easy Slow Cooker Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

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A cozy, hands-off slow cooker soup that combines sweet butternut squash and apples with warm spices, perfect for busy weeknights. This budget-friendly recipe delivers a creamy, comforting bowl of autumn flavor with minimal effort.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 medium butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 medium apples (Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Gala), peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk (for dairy-free)

Instructions

  1. Prep the squash (10 minutes): Peel the butternut squash, cut off the ends, slice in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds, and cube into 1-inch pieces.
  2. Prep the apples and aromatics (5 minutes): Peel, core, and roughly chop the apples. Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
  3. Layer everything in the slow cooker (2 minutes): Place cubed squash, chopped apples, diced onion, and minced garlic in the slow cooker. Sprinkle with dried thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Pour in the vegetable broth and stir to combine.
  4. Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until squash is fork-tender.
  5. Blend until smooth (5 minutes): Turn off the slow cooker. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. If using a regular blender, let soup cool for 10 minutes, then blend in batches, leaving the lid slightly ajar to let steam escape.
  6. Add the cream and adjust seasoning (2 minutes): Stir in the heavy cream or coconut milk. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or spices as needed.
  7. Serve and garnish (2 minutes): Ladle into bowls and top with a swirl of cream, toasted pumpkin seeds, and fresh black pepper. Serve warm with crusty bread or a side salad.

Notes

For deeper flavor, roast the cubed squash and apples at 400°F for 15-20 minutes before adding to the slow cooker. Add cream after blending to prevent curdling. Soup thickens as it cools; thin with extra broth if needed. Leftovers taste even better the next day.

Nutrition

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

Find it online: https://morselora.com/best-easy-slow-cooker-butternut-squash-and-apple-soup/