This Crockpot Butternut Squash Soup delivers the traditional cozy, soothing warmth that you hope for when you find yourself craving butternut squash soup, along with a few fresh additions that keep it exciting and just a little bit new. Eating a bowl feels like walking through your front door after a long trip or curling up with a fleece blanket on a chilly day. Hearty fall flavors and a rich, velvety texture are blended into each beautiful bowl.
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It’s hard to believe, but we just crossed the one year mark in our new home (where does the time go?)! This cozy butternut squash soup was the first real meal I cooked in our kitchen. I can still recall the way it wrapped me up and made me feel like our “house” had become “home.” Today I’m resharing this easy butternut squash soup recipe in the hopes that it will make your kitchen feel a little homier too, no matter how long you’ve been cooking in it.
This recipe is a spin on my stovetop classic Butternut Squash Soup (which has long been one of my favorite healthy fall recipes). I decided to see if I could make a slow cooker version with the same deeply simmered, quintessentially autumn flavor. (If you love autumn-flavored soups, be sure to check out Acorn Squash Soup, Vegan Pumpkin Soup, and Instant Pot Potato Soup.)
Another thing I love about this soup is how healthy it is (like this Instant Pot Split Pea Soup). How healthy is butternut squash soup? VERY. It has an ingredient list that includes vitamin-and nutrient-rich vegetables and fruit, it has fiber to keep you full, and it’s being low in calories to boot. I’d call that comfort food you can feel great eating any day of the week.
Whether you are looking for a healthy slow cooker recipe to make for lunch or dinner this week, butternut squash recipes to use up the plethora of squash in your pantry, or an oven-free dish for your holiday spread, this easy butternut squash soup recipe is just the loving spoonful you need.
How to Make the Best Butternut Squash Soup
Don’t let the thick, creamy nature of this soup fool you—that luscious texture comes from a blend of butternut squash and coconut milk, no actual cream required. It’s packed with healthy ingredients and the cooking method is foolproof!
The Ingredients
- Butternut Squash. This nutty and sweet vegetable is delicious in soup, and it’s elevated by the other ingredients.
- Yellow Onion. Once browned, onion adds a deep, rich flavor to the soup. It’s worth the extra step to sauté it first.
- Apple. A sweet and tart complement to the nutty flavors of the butternut squash.
- Nutmeg. The perfect warming spice for butternut squash.
- Cayenne. To keep the soup from being too sweet and for the lightest touch of warmth without making the soup spicy.
- Coconut Milk. For rich flavor and a creamy texture.
- And, I can’t forget to mention toppings!
What is a Good Garnish for Butternut Squash Soup?
A dollop of Greek yogurt or toasted pumpkin seeds are both positively delish and add extra protein too. I also love to sprinkle on fresh sage. It will make you feel like you are living the fantasy promised by every harvest-scented candle.
The Directions
- Coat your slow cooker with nonstick spray. Then, cook the onion in a saucepan on the skillet until softened and fragrant. Add it to your slow cooker.
- Trim the top and bottom off of your butternut squash. Peel the squash, and cut it in half lengthwise, scooping out the center seeds. Cut into 3/4-inch cubes, and transfer the cubes to the slow cooker. (For more specific details about how to chop butternut squash, see my Roasted Butternut Squash recipe.)
- Add the apples, broth, and spices to the crockpot. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the squash and apples are tender. You’re going to love how your kitchen smells!
- Add the coconut milk and puree the soup. To thin the soup, add additional coconut milk as desired. Add your favorite toppings, serve hot, and ENJOY!
If you are in a rush, you can simply toss all of the ingredients into the slow cooker raw, cover, and cook from there. That said, it’s definitely worth the extra time to sauté the onion. It gives the soup a rounder, more finished flavor and allows the the other ingredients to shine through more completely.
How Do You Use Frozen Butternut Squash for Soup?
- If you have cubed butternut squash already in your freezer or can purchase it, there are two ways to use it in this soup.
- Option 1: Let the butternut squash thaw in the refrigerator overnight and lightly pat it dry. Proceed with the recipe as directed.
- Option 2: Add the frozen butternut squash cubes directly to the crockpot and extend the cooking time.
Recipe Adaptations
- To Make Gluten Free. Nothing! This recipe is gluten free as written.
- To Make Vegan. Also nothing. This is a vegan butternut squash soup also as the recipe is written (just like this Potato Leek Soup).
- Meat Options. If you do not need the soup vegan, you could top it with cooked and crumbled Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled bacon (see this method for easy Baked Bacon) or stir in shredded chicken (see this post for how to cook shredded chicken.)
How to Store, Reheat, and Freeze Butternut Squash Soup
- To Store. Store cooked and cooled soup an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To Reheat. Reheat soup in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat until warm. You can also place leftover soup in a microwave-safe bowl and reheat gently until warmed through. Add a splash of broth as needed to thin the soup.
- To Freeze. Place cooked and cooled soup in an airtight freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. For easy storage, you can place the soup in a thick, freezer safe ziptop bag, then freeze it flat.
What Goes Well with Crockpot Butternut Squash Soup?
- Roasted vegetables. Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Roasted Zucchini would both be delicious.
- Bread. Nothing complements a bowl of soup better than a slice of bread. Try this Crock Pot Bread or a crusty loaf from your local bakery.
- Salad. I love pairing this Winter Salad with Kale and Pomegranate or an all-seasons salad like this Anytime Arugula Salad with butternut squash soup.
- Grilled cheese. A simple grilled cheese is never disappointing. For a fancier version, try this Apple Butter Turkey Cheddar Grilled Cheese.
- All the Toppings! A big bowl of this soup topped off with a generous dollop of Greek yogurt, toasted pumpkin seeds, and/or leftover roasted veggies is nice and filling.
Recommended Tools to Make Butternut Squash Soup
- Programmable Slow Cooker. I love this one because it switches to “keep warm” at the end of the cooking time to deter overcooking.
- Sharp Chef’s Knife. Perfect for chopping the ingredients.
- Immersion Blender. Excellent for pureeing creamy soups directly in the slow cooker. No more messy transfer to the blender.
- Ladle. WAY easier than a spoon (even a large spoon) for filling up bowls and transferring leftovers to storage containers.
- Cutting Board. My new favorite with TONS of space! This no-slip cutting board is phenomenal as well.
Don’t be surprised if this cozy crockpot butternut squash soup finds a fast home in your kitchen. The recipe is certainly a favorite in ours!
Crockpot Butternut Squash Soup
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Ingredients
For the Crockpot Butternut Squash Soup:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice (about 1 1/2 cups total)
- 2 medium butternut squash about 6 pounds total
- 2 medium apples cored and roughly diced, no need to peel (I like using a mix of sweet apples, such as McIntosh or Golden Delicious, and tart, such as Granny Smith or Cortland)
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper use white for a slightly milder taste and if, for presentation purposes, you don’t want the black specks in the soup)
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3/4 cup light coconut milk (may use up to 1 1/2 cups from one 14-ounce can)
For topping (optional):
- Toasted pumpkin seeds
- Chopped fresh sage
- Coconut cream, coconut yogurt (for dairy free), or regular nonfat Greek yogurt (if dairy free isn’t a priority)
Instructions
- Lightly coat a 4-quart or larger slow cooker with nonstick spray. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and fragrant, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- While the onion cooks, trim the top and bottom ends off of the butternut squash. With a vegetable peeler, peel the squash. Cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out the center seeds. Cut into 3/4-inch cubes. Transfer the cubes to the slow cooker.
- To the slow cooker, add the apples, broth, salt, pepper, nutmeg, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the squash and apples are tender.
- Add 3/4 cup coconut milk. Puree the soup with an immersion blender or carefully transfer it to a food processor fitted with a steel blade or a blender and puree it in batches. If using a blender or food processor, be extremely careful not to fill it too much, as hot soup likes to splatter. Return the soup to the slow cooker once complete. If you’d like the soup thinner, add additional coconut milk until your desired consistency is reached. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve hot with any of your favorite toppings.
Video
Notes
- TO STORE: Store cooked and cooled soup an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- TO REHEAT: Reheat soup in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat until warm. You can also place leftover soup in a microwave-safe bowl and reheat gently until warmed through. Add a splash of broth as needed to thin the soup.
- TO FREEZE: Place cooked and cooled soup in an airtight freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
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I made this soup from a butternut squash and other items I had in the kitchen. My husband thought it was the best soup I have made as it was creamy with a little kick. I would recommend it!
Hi Adrienne! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This was the absolute best squash soup I have ever tasted or prepared. It freezes well, and has great ingredients that compliment but don’t deter from the yummy rich butternut itself. I love the ‘just enough bite’ of cayenne in this soup. I am going to do an experiment and substitute curry for cayenne – maybe I will then have 2 AMAZING Butternut squash soup options. Thank you
Hi Tammy! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for this kind review!
I bought 2 containers of 32 oz cubes butternut squash at the grocery store. I googled how much of the precut squash I should use and it said there are 2.5 – 3 c cups per medium butternut squash if you’re calling for 2 medium squash then I would use 5-6 c of the cubes squash. Does that sound right to you? Making it tomorrow morning! Yum!
Hi Katie, I haven’t measured it out in cups, but looking it up online myself 2 lbs yields roughly 3 cups and since you are using 6 lbs, you should be close to 9 cups. Hope this helps!
Can I use gala apples for this recipe?
Hi Karina, that should work fine. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
It was okay but I’d definitely make changes. It needs more salt and a TON more seasonings – its completely bland. You’ll need to use way more coconut milk to make it really creamy and don’t sub sweet potatoes or carrots unless you want the consistency to change.
Sorry to hear that you had trouble with the recipe, Emily. The amounts and flavorings worked well for myself (and others) so I wished it would of been a hit for you too!
Waste of time. I made this because the reviews were so good, but I should have listened to my gut. Tastes like apple sauce, way too sweet!
I’m sorry this recipe wasn’t to your tastes, Mike. I (and many other readers) have truly enjoyed it, so I wish you would’ve too!
Mike, could be the problem is you used apples that were too sweet. I’ve made this recipe several times and it came out perfectly all but one time. That one time is that I made the mistake of using apples that were too sweet without mixing in tart apples as Erin suggested. I realized it was my mistake for not tasting the apples I used.
Thanks for the tip Jill!
Love love loved this soup! I’ve made it twice in a month so far. It’s my favorite by far. And so easy!
Hi Tracy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Really good recipe and super easy!! Followed directions with the addition of some chopped carrot and a sage sprig and I think that helped balance some of the sweetness another commenter left. I agree the cayenne added some dimension and heat but not spicy. I will definitely be making this again!
Hi Chelsea! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I put the coconut milk in the crockpot at the beginning by mistake. Will this ruin the soup?
Hi G! Oh no, I’m sorry to hear that! I hope not! I’ve only tested the recipe by adding it at the end. Hope it turned out okay for you!
It still turned out great. My wife called it the best homemade soup she’s ever had.
Great G! So happy to hear that!
What can I substitute for the coconut milk in your butternut squash soup.
I am on a low fat and low sodium diet and am not supposed to have coconut.
Thank you.
Hi Elveene! I actually wrote in the post a few ideas for substitutions: “If you’d prefer to make your soup without coconut milk, you can use chicken or vegetable stock instead. For a richer option, use part stock, part half-and-half.” Hope this helps!
Hi there,
I don’t have an immersion blender. Is there something else I can use or can you skip that step?
Thank you!
Hi Bryanna! A few things could work. You could ladle it into a countertop blender or food processor. You are working with hot liquid so be very careful if you decide to do this. You could use a potato masher or skip it but it will be chunky. Hope this helps!
Tasted horrible. Wasted my time and money.
I’m sorry to hear the recipe wasn’t to your taste Heather. I know it’s disappointing to try a new recipe and not enjoy it. I (and many other readers) have enjoyed it, so I really wish they would’ve been a hit for you too!
This recipe is awesome!!! The cayenne gives it a little kick that counters the sweetness nicely. I would definitely recommend this recipe!
So glad to hear, thank you Katherine!
Hello! Should I be pealing the apples? I’m assuming yes but the recipe didn’t state one way or another.
Thanks!
I don’t peel them, but you certainly can if you want. Hope that helps!
I made this for Thanksgiving for my daughter who is vegan. Everyone loved it!! I did use 4 cups veggie broth instead of 2, and I added garlic.
Hooray, so glad to hear it Melissa!
I absolutely loved this soup! Made it for Thanksgiving and it made the house smell amazing simmering all day. I sauteed the onions in olive oil in the crock pot, along with all of the spices. I turned up the heat a bit and used a lot of cayenne – so you could really taste that at the end. I put a touch of sour cream on top to serve and it was so tasty. Thank you for an excellent recipe.
Great to hear! Thank you!
Thanks! It made my house smell good all afternoon and drove my cat crazy with the smell of the chicken broth. 😂
It was so delicious that I had to serve myself a second helping! I opted for chipotle instead of cayenne because I love the smoky flavor.
So happy to hear you enjoyed it, Andrea!
I’ve just made this recipe but its still cooking! My only suggestion is to note beside the ingredients under “For the crock pot” that the coconut milk should be added after it is cooked! I read that all the ingredients were to go into the crock pot but after adding the coconut milk, and re-reading I now understand that it was supposed to be added after it’s been cooked!! We will see how it turns out because I have already added it.. Will update you but hoping it’s going to be ok?
Hi Leanne, in the recipe card the ingredients are listed in two categories. One is for the soup, one is for the toppings. In the instructions under that is written on how and when you add each ingredient. Hope this helps! Enjoy!
Very confusing. Your say that you can use broth instead of cocunut milk.
But the instrutions say to use both.
Step 3 says add the broth. Step 4 says add the cocunut milk.
So do you add both?
Hi Becky, I am sorry that it’s confusing you. You’ll see that I say under the substitution tip: “If you’d prefer to make your soup without coconut milk, you can use chicken or vegetable stock instead.” The ingredients and directions list both because the recipe includes both. If you prefer to make it without, we’ve given you an alternative. Hope this helps!
I cannot eat apples – what would you recommend instead?
Hi Andie, you could substitute it for pears or leave them out, maybe add a little more butternut squash? Either substitute will change the flavor profile for the soup. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!