Creamy and smooth, with no prep or pre-cooking required, this Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup is a classic cool-weather meal. Apples and a pinch of garam masala add an unexpected and totally comforting flavor to this soup that is freezer-friendly, naturally gluten-free, and naturally vegan/vegetarian. 

Butternut Squash Soup is its own food group at our house. My five-year-olds will turn their nose up at many vegetables, but love butternut squash soup. It has a natural sweetness and is thick and creamy (without adding any cream). My version is a twist on the way my mom makes this soup, which is her own twist on a long-ago version from Cooking Light.

Something about the tart apples and the pinch of garam masala really brings out the natural flavor of butternut squash. When you serve it, no one will be able to pinpoint the flavor of apple or garam masala, but they’ll know this is something special. 

I’ve got two of these in the freezer and ready to transfer to the slow cooker (see below for instructions and a printable label if you want to freeze it!) and it’s like money in the bank. Here’s how to do it!

Why Make Butternut Squash Soup In the Slow Cooker

Butternut squash soup is a totally forgiving slow-cooker meal. Cook it on low for 3 hours or 8 hours, and it will still be delicious. If you have an immersion blender, this is a true one-pot meal. Just blend the soup right in the blow of the slow cooker and serve!

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Butternut Squash Cubes – This is the weight of the squash after it has been peeled, seeds removed, and sliced into cubes. You can use pre-chopped fresh or frozen butternut squash, but I find the flavor is much better if you slice a fresh squash up yourself. 
• Apple – Squash and apples are a great match. The flavors just work together. Any type of apple is good, but I like tart apples like Granny Smith here. The apples will start to turn brown once they’ve been sliced (this won’t affect the taste, just might give the finished soup a darker color), so you can combine them with the stock after slicing to help them retain their bright color. 
• Fresh Ginger – Fresh ginger gives an additional layer of flavor that pairs well with the squash. In a pinch, it’s fine to skip it or use 1/4 tsp ground ginger. 
• Garam Masala – This is a blend of spices that is used in many Indian dishes. It’s not spicy and has hints of cinnamon. Only a small amount goes into this soup, so the flavor is very subtle but helps add dimension to the soup. (Use the rest of the garam masala to make Chickpea Curry!)
• Brown Sugar, Salt, Bay Leaves – These pantry staples just help to balance the natural flavors of the soup. 
• Vegetable or Chicken Stock – Use vegetarian stock/broth to keep this dish vegetarian. Chicken stock will work if you don’t need it to be strictly vegetarian. In a pinch, you can use water in place of the stock, but keep in mind that you will likely need to add a bit more salt, to taste, at the end of cooking (to make up for the salt in most versions of stock/broth). 

More Slow Cooker Soup Recipes

Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

Slow Cooker Corn Chowder