slow-cooker butternut squash soup

This butternut squash soup is perfectly seasoned with a fiery blend of spices that skyrocket this soup to the next level.

I’ll never forget the look on my husband’s face when I asked him to try this butternut squash soup. It was a look of, “I want to be supportive of your healthy cooking efforts but you’re not really going to ask me to eat THAT, right?”
Aww, bless his heart.

I’ll also never forget the look on his face after he took the smallest possible spoonful to fulfill his supportive, husbandly duties.

The look was one of awe and disbelief. I read the bubble over his head, “could butternut squash, a member of the pumpkin family which we carve and leave to rot every year, actually taste this good?”
Yes, dear.
Yes it can.
Those are the moments I live for.

The secret benefits of vegetable-based soups

Sure, vegetable soups offer nutrients. However, they are also helpful in my quest to keep EASY, healthy options on hand for quick access. Not to mention, they can help with portion control, my albatross. Let me explain…

First, you can spend an hour or two making big vats of soup on the weekend, freeze a portion, and then have the remainder on hand all week long.

If you can find a good slow-cooker soup like this one, that’s a major bonus! This soup takes about 8.4 minutes to prepare (8.1 of those minutes is peeling and cutting the darn squash) and then you throw it in a slow cooker for hours.

I enjoy vegetable-based soups for an easy mid-morning or afternoon snack. I don’t have to think about it – I simply go to my fridge and warm some up. It’s also great to top with a handful of almonds or crispy parmesan chickpeas to add protein.

Another benefit, especially in the colder weather, is that it can replace a side salad with dinner.

Any time that I can add a low calorie, high fiber compliment to our nightly meal is a bonus. Portion control has always been a challenge for me. It’s a home run if I can eat a little less turkey bolognese because I am enjoying a delicious, filling cup of soup on the side.

Another “trick” for portion control is to have a cup of tea with dinner so while others may be getting seconds, thirds, or even fourths (I live with 3 eleven-year old boys), I can sip on my delightful ginger tea with lemon.

If you are not a tea drinker — don’t worry — ease into it with fruity, herbal teas and a splash of fresh lemon juice.
I wasn’t a tea drinker either until I was told that “green tea speeds your metabolism”.
It’s amazing how fast I became an avid tea drinker, thinking it would cause me to lose 10 pounds. Gotta love my life-long search for the ultimate quick fix 🤦‍♀️.

back to the butternut squash soup

This soup is so easy to make. Simply peel the butternut squash, cut into 4s and scoop out the seeds. Next, roughly cut an onion. Add the squash and onion to a crockpot.

Add the remain ingredients to the crockpot. Cook on high heat for 4 hours.

Once finished, you can use an immersion blender to blend directly in the crockpot. Or, you can add the soup to a blender (it’s best to let it cool slightly before doing this).

If you find that the soup is too think, add vegetable broth until you’ve reached your desired consistency.

There you have it!

As I mentioned, I love a little crunch in my soup and, if I can add protein, that’s an extra bonus. Try adding sliced almonds, crispy parmesan chickpeas or homemade croutons to jazz this up!

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Recipe slightly adapted from Tasty.