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Crockpot Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Crockpot butternut squash and apple soup made silky-smooth by blending tender squash, apple, and vegetables until creamy. Slow-cooked on LOW for 6-8 hours (or HIGH for 3-4) for deep flavor, finished with a swirl of cream and toasted pepitas.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Butternut squash
  • 1 butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled and cubed
Apples
  • 2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
Onion
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
Carrots
  • 2 carrots, chopped
Garlic
  • 2 clove cloves garlic, minced
Broth
  • 4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
Ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
Nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
Dried thyme
  • 0.5 tsp dried thyme
Salt
  • 1 tsp salt
Black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
Cream or coconut milk
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream or coconut milk
Toasted pepitas
  • 1 toasted pepitas for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Load the crockpot
  1. Add butternut squash, apples, onion, carrots, and garlic to the crockpot. Spread them out so the slow-cook heat reaches everything evenly.
  2. Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth. Add ground cinnamon, nutmeg, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper, then stir to combine.
Slow-cook until very tender
  1. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. Cook until the squash and apples are very tender and easily break apart when pressed.
  2. Alternatively, cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours. Cook until the vegetables are tender throughout and the soup looks thick and soft.
Blend and finish
  1. Blend the soup smooth with an immersion blender. Stop and check that no chunks remain for a silky texture.
  2. Stir in the heavy cream or coconut milk, then taste and adjust salt as needed. Look for a lighter, creamier color and a gently simmering consistency.
Serve
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each bowl with a swirl of cream and toasted pepitas for garnish.

Notes

For the smoothest texture, blend while the soup is still hot and pause to scrape down any thicker bits around the blender head. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave, adding a splash of broth if it thickens. Freezing is not recommended for best texture, especially if using dairy cream. For a dairy-free option, swap the heavy cream for coconut milk as written.