This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission. Please read our disclosure policy.
Why I Love a Good Squash Soup
I didn’t grow up with squash soup. This was the Midwest, where squash soup would have seemed exotic in the 1990s. Instead, I grew to love squash from the times my mom would roast it as a side dish or cook it and use it in place of pumpkin pureé.
This recipe is the first one I made myself when I started making squash soup. The slow cooker does all of the work and perfectly cooks the soup until it is ready to be puréed into a smooth and silky soup.
The key is adding extra flavor to compensate for the long cooking time. Fresh ginger and spices start strong but are tempered during the cooking to become the right level of flavor.
After blending, coconut milk is stirred in for a creamy component that brings all the flavors together. It’s a perfect soup, with minimal effort.
Slow Cooker Squash Soup Ingredients
- Squash is used in recipes during the fall for a reason: it’s ready to be harvested. In this soup, the texture of the squash is the perfect base.
- Apples are ripe during the fall, and the addition of an apple to the soup adds just the right amount of sweetness.
- Curry powder is a blend of spices, often including cumin, turmeric, ginger, and black pepper. Choose a yellow sweet curry or a hot curry for spice.
- Cinnamon is often used in sweet desserts, but can be used in savory dishes, too. The cinnamon blends well with the curry for a rich spice flavor.
- Coconut milk is a unique addition and a flavor profile that wouldn’t necessarily be traditional in a squash soup. But the creaminess of the coconut milk is a great way to complete the soup with a smooth finish.
How to Make Slow Cooker Squash Soup
Step 1: Prepare the soup – Using a peeler, remove the skin of the squash. Cut the squash in half and remove the seed and pith, then chop into 1- to 2-inch square cubes. Place into the slow cooker. Roughly chop the onions, carrot, and celery and add to the squash. Remove the core from the apple and chop it into large pieces, leaving the peel intact. Peel the ginger and finely grate it over the cooker. Remove the garlic from its husk, smash it using the side of a knife, and add it to the cooker.
Step 2: Cook the soup – Add in the cinnamon, ground curry, black pepper, and salt. Pour the stock over the top, cover, then cook on high for 6-8 hours.
Step 3: Prepare the apple topping – Once the soup is almost done cooking, slice apples and add to a skillet over medium-low heat. Pour the maple syrup over top and add the cinnamon. Stir together until the apple begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Blend the soup – To the soup, add the apple cider vinegar and coconut milk. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup in the cooker until it’s smooth.
Recipe Tips
- The type of squash used will determine how easy it is to prepare. Kabocha or buttercup squash has a thick skin and will take a while to peel. They can be roasted to peel more easily, or butternut squash can be used, as it has a thinner skin.
- Smash the garlic with the side of a knife. This bruises the garlic, helping to remove it from its husk. It can also help release some of its flavorings while it roasts for the soup.
- Make sure to grate the ginger into the soup. Since ginger does not blend easily, large pieces of ginger should not be added with the hope that they will break down once blended.
Frequently Asked Questions
I would recommend using one of three different types of squash for this recipe: butternut, kabocha, or buttercup. Buttercup has the easiest exterior skin to peel, while both the kabocha and buttercup have a tougher exterior skin. There will be no noticeable difference in the flavor, though.
No problem! You can use a canister blender to blend the soup. Make sure to blend it in batches and leave an opening to let any steam escape.
One of the best toppings is sautéed apples with cinnamon and maple syrup (see the recipe card for how to make these). Other delicious toppings include a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream, a drizzle of cream, or spiced roasted pepitas. Dress this soup up with whatever flavors are your favorite.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should last for 5 to 7 days.
More Soup Recipes
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
Slow Cooker Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 3 lb winter squash (butternut, buttercup, kabocha)
- 1 stalk celery roughly chopped
- 1 carrot roughly chopped
- 1 onion roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 apple core removed and chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh minced ginger
- 2 tsp yellow curry powder
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (up to 4 cups stock, depending on desired thickness of soup; vegetable stock for a vegetarian option)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 15-oz can full-fat coconut milk
For the apples
- 2 apples
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Clean the squash by removing the ends and cutting down the middle lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and peel and dice the squash into 1-inch pieces. Place in a 4- or 6-quart slow cooker. Add the celery, carrots, onion, smashed garlic cloves, apple, fresh ginger, curry powder, cinnamon, kosher salt, and black pepper.3 lb winter squash (butternut, buttercup, kabocha), 1 stalk celery, 1 carrot, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 apple, 2 tbsp fresh minced ginger, 2 tsp yellow curry powder, ¾ tsp ground cinnamon, 2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Pour in the chicken stock, cover with the lid, and set on high for 6-8 hours. When finished, a knife should pierce the squash and apples with no resistance.2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (up to 4 cups stock, depending on desired thickness of soup; vegetable stock for a vegetarian option)
- Add the apple cider vinegar and coconut milk.1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 15-oz can full-fat coconut milk
- Use an immersion blender and purée the soup, leaving a little texture. Alternatively, the soup can be puréed in a blender in batches. If using a countertop blender, make sure to leave the vent slightly ajar to allow any steam to escape. Serve with slices of cooked apples (recipe below).
For the apples
- Cut the apples into quarters and remove the cores. Slice each quarter into three or four slices and add all the slices to a medium skillet. Pour over the maple syrup and cinnamon.2 apples, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Cook the apples over medium heat until they are slightly softened and caramelized, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve.
Video
Notes
- The type of squash used will determine how easy it is to prepare. Kabocha or buttercup squash have thick skins and will take a while to peel. They can be roasted to peel easier, or butternut squash can be used, as it has a thinner skin.
- Smash the garlic with the side of a knife. This bruises the garlic, helping to remove it from its husk. It can also help it release some of its flavorings while it roasts for the soup.
- Make sure to grate the ginger into the soup. Since ginger does not blend easily, large pieces of ginger should not be added with the hope that it will break down once blended.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Delicious soup!! Such a wonderful cozy fall meal. I used both chicken stock and some beef broth since that’s what I had on hand and it came out great.
SO YUMMY! the perfect soup for cold weather, will be making this again! 🤤
I have already made this 3 times this fall, and it’s going on the Christmas menu! It gets rave reviews. I use my butternut squash from the garden.
This is my favorite squash soup yet! I take the easy way out & buy the squash already cubed. This is perfect for my family as we have a gluten & dairy allergy. I add a little pumpkin in and serve with toasted pumpkin seeds, so so good! Thank you for sharing.
I used butternut squash. Turned out incredibly delicious!
So easy too!
Turned out excellent! Absolutely yummy flavors.
Can I freeze this?
I made this today and it smells amazing! Not a fan of anything coconut so substituted with a mix of heavy whipping cream and Half and Half. Didn’t have curry powder so used a mix of turmeric and aram marsala so our soup has a little kick! The sautéed apples I loved with the soup! All and all it was good!