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Healthy Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Apple Soup

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A creamy, flavorful butternut squash and apple soup made effortlessly in the slow cooker. This healthy recipe is perfect for busy weeknights and tastes even better the next day.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 medium butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 medium apples (Honeycrisp or Fuji recommended), peeled, cored, and chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger (or 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Optional: 1/2 cup canned coconut milk (for creamier texture)

Instructions

  1. Sauté the aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  2. Transfer to slow cooker: Scrape sautéed onion and garlic into the slow cooker. Add cubed butternut squash, chopped apples, vegetable broth, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
  3. Cook: Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until butternut squash is fork-tender.
  4. Puree: Turn off slow cooker. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. If using a regular blender, let soup cool for 10-15 minutes first, then blend in batches.
  5. Add coconut milk (optional): Stir in coconut milk after blending for a creamier texture. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  6. Serve: Ladle into bowls and garnish with a swirl of coconut milk, pumpkin seeds, and fresh thyme leaves if desired.

Notes

Don’t skip sautéing the onion and garlic—it deepens the flavor. Cut squash into uniform 1-inch cubes for even cooking. Let soup cool slightly before blending for safety. Taste and adjust seasoning at the end. Soup thickens when refrigerated; thin with broth or water when reheating.

Nutrition

Keywords: butternut squash soup, apple soup, slow cooker soup, healthy soup, fall soup, vegetarian soup, gluten-free soup

Find it online: https://tinastirs.com/healthy-slow-cooker-butternut-squash-apple-soup/