Description
Creamy and flavorful, this savory butternut squash soup is the perfect comfort food for chilly days and the cooler months. Perfect as an appetizer or a light meal, this easy soup recipe can be made in the crockpot or on the stovetop. Totally gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan too.
Ingredients
- 2 butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and cubed
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 3 fresh large garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Fresh parsley or cilantro, for garnishing
Instructions
- Prepare the Veggies: Start by peeling and then removing the seeds before cutting the butternut squash into small cubes. Peel the onion and cut it into quarters. Peel the garlic cloves.
- Pour Oil: In a large 8 quart slow cooker, add the olive oil.
- Add Ingredients and Stir: Add the quartered onion, garlic, vegetable broth, coconut milk, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground turmeric, salt, and black pepper to the slow cooker. Stir until all the ingredients are well combined.
- Cook Until Squash is Tender: Cook in the slow cooker for 5-6 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high, until the butternut squash is tender.
- Blend Until Creamy: Once the veggies are cooked and very tender, use an immersion blender to blend everything until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy. Alternatively, you can also transfer all the ingredients to a high-speed blender and process until you get a smooth and creamy soup.
- Adjust to Taste: Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish this vegan butternut soup with fresh parsley or cilantro as well as a sprinkle of ground pepper and chili powder if you like.
Notes
Butternut Squash: Since this is a butternut squash soup, butternut squash is the star ingredient. However, you may also swap it out in equal quantities with other types of squash (such as acorn squash, pumpkin, kabocha squash etc).
Onion: I used a yellow onion, but feel free to use white onions or red onions too if you prefer.
Garlic: Fresh garlic adds a beautiful savory flavor to this creamy soup, so make sure you use fresh garlic and not dried garlic. I enjoy garlic in general, so I used 3 large garlic cloves, but if you’re not such a big fan, feel free to reduce the garlic to 1 or 2 cloves.
Olive Oil: I used extra virgin olive oil, but you can also use other types of vegetable oil (such as sunflower oil, canola oil, avocado oil etc).
Vegetable Broth: Homemade or store-bought vegetable broth will work just as well. Alternatively, you may also use vegetable stock if you prefer.
Coconut Milk: I used full-fat coconut milk to add creaminess as well as to keep the recipe dairy-free and vegan. If you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use regular heavy cream instead.
Spices: To add plenty of flavor, I’ve used ground cumin, ground coriander and ground turmeric for this delicious butternut squash soup recipe. Feel free to add other spices if you prefer more heat (such as red chili powder, ground cayenne pepper, ground paprika etc.).
Storing: To store, place any leftover butternut soup in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat the soup in the microwave or a stock pot before serving.
Note: This recipe was originally posted in 2013, but has since been republished to include step-by-step instructions as well as recipe notes and substitutions.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Soups
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
