Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup (Three Ways!)

What's better than a warm creamy soup full of veggies and antioxidants to keep you going in the winter? This easy crockpot butternut squash soup simmers all day and is ready when you are! It's a perfectly healthy soup for cold days.

Nothing screams fall more than butternut squash soup, in my opinion. Lately, I have been making buckets of it! Considering I can pick up butternut squash for under $5, have all the other ingredients on hand, and can make it in the slow cooker - it's a favorite meal and freezer item around here.

Usually, I like to stick to the classic fall butternut squash soup with apples, but sometimes I go for a spicy or curried. Indian curry works, but I actually prefer Thai curry paste for my soup. The sweet and spicy combination is hard to beat.

This soup recipe is a mild version that will please almost any palate. As it cooks, the fall aromas of nutmeg and sage will fill your kitchen. The hardest part of making this soup is waiting for it to be ready to eat!

Butternut squash lovers also won't want to miss this Chickpea Stew with Sausage and Butternut Squash, Butternut Squash Breakfast Casserole, and Butternut Squash and Black Bean Tacos.

Key Ingredients For Butternut Squash Soup

The secret to making really healthy soup is to make everything homemade. Use whole ingredients and your own spice combinations. Not only will the flavor be more pronounced, but it is better for you too!

Here is what I used in this recipe:

• Butternut Squash: I used two of them in this soup. Remember to peel and chop them up into bite-sized pieces. Frozen squash will also work. 
• Onion: Any type of onion will do. To save yourself time, you could also use frozen diced onions.
• Garlic: I used four garlic cloves. Don't be skimpy! You can even use more if you really like the taste of garlic. It's so good for you!
• Carrot: I only used one carrot and chopped it up really small. You could also just buy a bag of matchstick carrots and use them in the soup to save you some prep time.
• Apples: Peel and chop the apples before you add them to the soup.
• Vegetable Broth: If you don't have vegetable broth, chicken broth will also work perfectly.
• Spices: For this soup, I used salt, sage, nutmeg, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Lots of spices work in butternut squash soup, so adjust based on your favorite combinations. 
• Coconut Milk: Use canned coconut milk. It is creamier and makes the soup thicker. You can swap in half and half or nonfat condensed milk.

Note: For a full list of ingredients and detailed instructions on how to make this slow cooker soup, take a look at the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post! 

Recipe Tips And Ideas For Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup

Follow these tips to make sure that this soup turns out thick and creamy every single time!

• Add the coconut milk last after the butternut squash has cooked down and is really tender.
• Use an immersion blender to blend the soup and make it extra creamy.
• If you don't have an immersion blender, place the soup into a blender and blend it in small batches. If you try to blend too much hot soup in your blender at once, it won't work very well.
• Taste the soup after blending it and add more salt and pepper until it tastes how you want it to.

There are also tons of ways to customize this soup by adding in different combinations of spices and seasonings. Here are three favorites that use the same base of vegetables and coconut milk, just trade out of the spices and herbs: 

Variation 1: Holiday Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 2 tbsp. maple syrup
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Crunchy homemade croutons for serving

Variation 2: Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

• 2 tsp. ancho chile powder or 1-3 chipotles pepper in adobo sauce
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. coriander
• 2 tbsp. maple syrup (to taste)
• Sour cream and toasted pumpkin seeds to serving

Variation 3: Curried Butternut Squash Soup

• 1-3 tbsp. Thai curry paste
• 1 tbsp. fresh minced ginger
• 2 tbsp. maple syrup (to taste)
• Fresh lime juice and cilantro for serving

Side Dish Ideas

This is the perfect soup to enjoy with a small slice of crusty bread or your favorite salad. This low-carb turkey pesto roll-up is light enough that it won't distract from the robust flavor of the soup.

Another fall-favorite main dish is this turkey apple burger recipe. Since you used apples in the soup, they will taste just as delicious on the burgers. Add some garlic-grilled zucchini on the side, and you have a filling dinner ready to eat.

Frequently Asked Questions About Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

Here are some questions I frequently get asked about by some readers...

What type of apple tastes best in this soup?

Since you don't want the apples to overpower the soup with too much sweet flavor, I suggest using a tart variety, much like the kind you would use in apple pie. My favorite kind is a green apple, like Granny Smith.

How do you store leftover soup?

Store the leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about a week.

How do you cut a butternut squash?

Peel the squash before you cut it. Then, slice it in half across the longest part, from top to bottom. Remove the seeds. Now you are ready to dice the squash and add it to your slow cooker.

Is this recipe dairy-free?

Yes, this is a dairy-free soup recipe. Some recipes use sour cream, but I used canned coconut milk instead. If you want your soup to be creamier, add a bit more coconut milk.

Can you make it ahead and freeze the soup?

Yes, this soup makes the perfect make-ahead freezer meal. Store it just like you would any other type of soup.

I like to let it cool down completely, then place it in a resealable freezer-safe food storage bag. Place the bag of soup flat on a baking sheet and place the baking sheet in the freezer. Once the soup is completely frozen, you can take it off of the baking sheet and let it set in your freezer. This is called "flash-freezing" and prevents the soup from freezing around your other types of food.

When you are ready to enjoy it again, you might have to add a little more broth to thin it out when you reheat it!

Can you use frozen butternut squash to make soup?

This recipe will work great with frozen butternut squash cubes, but you will want to adjust the cooking time. Using frozen butternut squash, it only needs to cook for 3-4 hours on low for the squash to defrost and for the flavors to combine and deepen. 

There are about 3 cups of fresh butternut squash cubes in a peeled and cored squash. 

What can I use instead of apples?

If you prefer not to use apples in the soup, you can leave them out and simply add a natural sweetener like maple syrup or honey to taste. 

More Delicious Slow Cooker Soup Recipes You’ll Love:

• Healthy Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
• Slow Cooker Chicken Quinoa Soup with Kale
• Slow Cooker Lentil Soup
• Slow Cooker Creamy Chipotle Tomato Soup
• Slow Cooker Curried Red Lentil Soup