Description
This comforting and creamy butternut squash soup is slow-cooked to perfection in a crock pot, blending tender vegetables and warm spices for a satisfying meal. With the option to use heavy cream or coconut milk, it caters to both traditional and vegan preferences, garnished with fresh green onions for a flavorful finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced (or 2–3 cups baby carrots)
- 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1/2 tsp salt (more to taste)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper (more to taste)
- Dash of cinnamon
- Dash of nutmeg
- Dash of cayenne pepper (more for garnish if desired)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (or coconut milk to make it vegan)
- Green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: Place all the ingredients except the heavy cream in the slow cooker and stir thoroughly to mix all flavors evenly.
- Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 7 to 8 hours until the vegetables are tender and soft.
- Add Cream: Stir in the heavy cream (or coconut milk for a vegan option) to add creaminess to the soup base.
- Puree Soup: Use an immersion blender directly in the slow cooker to puree the soup until it reaches your desired smoothness and thickness.
- Season and Garnish: Adjust salt and pepper to taste and garnish with chopped green onions and an extra sprinkle of cayenne pepper if desired before serving.
Notes
- For a vegan version, replace heavy cream with coconut milk and use vegetable stock.
- To enhance flavor, consider roasting the butternut squash beforehand for a deeper taste.
- For a smoother texture, blend the soup in batches in a countertop blender if you do not have an immersion blender.
- Adjust the level of cayenne pepper to control the spiciness of the soup.
- This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: butternut squash soup, crock pot soup, slow cooker recipes, vegetarian soup, creamy squash soup, fall recipes
