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Easy Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Apple Soup

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A velvety, sweet-savory soup made effortlessly in the slow cooker with butternut squash, apples, and warm spices. Perfect for cozy weeknights and meal prep.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 medium butternut squash (about 3 lbs / 1.4 kg), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 medium apples (about 300g total), peeled, cored, and chopped (Honeycrisp or Fuji recommended)
  • 1 large yellow onion (about 200g), diced
  • 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste (start with 1 teaspoon salt)
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) coconut milk (optional, for creamier finish)
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil

Instructions

  1. Prep the squash: Cut the butternut squash in half where the narrow neck meets the round bulb. Peel both sections with a vegetable peeler, then cut the neck into 1-inch cubes. Scoop out the seeds from the bulb section and cube that too.
  2. Prep the apples: Peel, core, and chop the apples into 1-inch chunks.
  3. Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
  4. Layer everything in the slow cooker: Add the cubed squash, chopped apples, diced onion, and minced garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Toss with your hands to coat evenly.
  5. Add the broth: Pour the vegetable broth over the vegetables. The liquid should come about halfway up the solids.
  6. Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours, until the squash is fork-tender.
  7. Blend until silky: Turn off the slow cooker. Use an immersion blender to blend directly in the pot until completely smooth. If using a countertop blender, let the soup cool for 10 minutes first, then blend in batches.
  8. Adjust and finish: Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper. Stir in optional coconut milk for a creamier texture. Thin with broth or water if needed.
  9. Serve hot: Ladle into bowls and add desired toppings.

Notes

Don’t skip the cayenne—it brightens the flavors without adding heat. For deeper flavor, sauté the onion in butter or olive oil before adding to the slow cooker. To easily peel squash, microwave it for 2-3 minutes first. Season in layers: add salt at the beginning and adjust at the end. The soup tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker butternut squash soup, apple soup, fall soup, vegan soup, gluten-free soup, easy soup recipe

Find it online: https://junomeals.com/easy-slow-cooker-butternut-squash-apple-soup-recipe/