Description
Hearty butternut squash soup brings comfort from first spoonful, promising warmth and rich seasonal flavors. Creamy textures and subtle spices invite you to savor autumn’s most delightful comfort in a bowl.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds or 1.36 kilograms, peeled, seeded, and cubed)
- 4 cups (0.95 liters) vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 1 Granny Smith apple (peeled and chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
Herbs and Spices:
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
Additional Ingredients:
- 0.5 cup (120 milliliters) heavy cream or coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (optional, for added sweetness)
Instructions
- Carefully peel and dice the butternut squash into roughly 1-inch chunks, ensuring relatively uniform size for even cooking.
- Place finely chopped onions and minced garlic at the base of the slow cooker, creating an aromatic foundation.
- Nestle the squash cubes, chopped apple, and fragrant herbs on top of the onion layer, creating a colorful vegetable medley.
- Gently pour vegetable or chicken broth until the vegetables are completely submerged, ensuring maximum flavor infusion.
- Cover and set slow cooker to low temperature for 6-8 hours or high temperature for 3-4 hours, allowing ingredients to tenderize and meld together.
- Once vegetables are exceptionally soft, use an immersion blender directly in the slow cooker to puree until completely smooth and creamy.
- For alternative blending, carefully transfer hot mixture to a standard blender in small batches, ensuring lid is slightly vented to prevent pressure buildup.
- Stir in cream or coconut milk for luxurious richness, then season with salt, pepper, and additional herbs to elevate the soup’s depth of flavor.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, ensuring a perfectly balanced and velvety soup that warms from the first spoonful.
Notes
- Customize the soup’s consistency by adjusting the amount of broth, adding more for a thinner soup or less for a heartier texture.
- Enhance nutrition by roasting squash and vegetables before adding to the slow cooker, which deepens the flavor and caramelizes natural sugars.
- Make it vegan-friendly by using coconut milk instead of cream and vegetable broth, ensuring a creamy, dairy-free alternative that doesn’t compromise on richness.
- Boost protein content by stirring in cooked quinoa or white beans after blending, transforming the soup into a more substantial meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours (low) or 4 hours (high)
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg