Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Curry Stew
Smooth, creamy, and incredibly comforting, this Curried Butternut Squash Soup is prepared in a slow cooker. The combination of Granny Smith apples, onions, and carrots imparts a wonderfully balanced flavor to the soup. A touch of cream adds to its comforting and luxurious nature!
It’s time to set aside the dutch oven.
Instead, prepare curried butternut squash soup in your slow cooker. This warm, comforting soup is crafted with REAL ingredients, simmered in my crockpot until the squash becomes tender, filling the entire house with the aroma of fall. It embodies coziness in a bowl, serving as a warm and hearty vegetarian soup for the soul.
Initially, when I began testing this recipe, it would take me HOURS to prepare. I would roast the vegetables on a baking sheet in batches, then simmer them in a large pot with curry powder, vegetable broth, and various spices. Finally, I would blend everything, stir in the cream, and by that point, I often lacked the motivation to prepare anything else for dinner.
Curried butternut squash soup has evolved significantly since those days. Now, everything is simply placed into the slow cooker, and all that remains is to blend it with an immersion blender until a smooth puree is achieved, followed by a drizzle of cream.
Wait, what? The flavor? Did I discover that oven roasting the vegetables made a notable difference? Not at all!
Ingredients for curried butternut squash soup:
Butternut squash: Begin with 2-2 ¼ pounds of chopped squash. Ensure you use a sharp knife for cutting the squash. Occasionally, I opt for pre-chopped vegetables or squash from the store to further reduce prep time. This soup delivers a substantial amount of dietary fiber from the fresh ingredients, along with a wealth of vitamin A and vitamin C!
Onions: Use one large yellow onion, diced. There’s no need for precise chopping, as everything will be blended at the end!
Apples: I prefer Granny Smith apples for this recipe, as they contribute a delightful depth of flavor while enhancing the nutritional value. You may also choose a different variety of apple if desired.
It is preferable for your soup to possess a greater degree of sweetness.
Carrots: They contribute natural sweetness and vibrant color to the soup.
Spices: This soup is rich in spices, which is where the flavor predominantly resides! Essential ingredients include salt, black pepper, bay leaves, curry powder, and ground cinnamon. The curry powder is the primary source of flavor, containing components such as ground turmeric, coriander, cumin, chili powder, and ginger, among others. Opt for hot curry powder for increased heat or mild curry powder for a gentler flavor. Additionally, a small pinch of cayenne can be added if you desire a more pronounced kick to the soup!
Sugar: It introduces a touch more sweetness. I prefer using brown sugar for this recipe, although maple syrup would also be a suitable alternative.
Garlic: Cloves of garlic and onions serve as the aromatics in this dish. They enhance flavor, aroma, and create a comforting ambiance!
Ginger: Fresh ginger imparts a slight warmth and abundant flavor to the soup. It pairs exceptionally well with the carrots and apples in this recipe.
Vegetable broth: I typically keep a carton of vegetable broth in my pantry, which I use; however, chicken stock or chicken broth can also be utilized if preferred.
Heavy cream: I incorporate the heavy cream into the soup at the end and enjoy drizzling a bit on each bowl as a garnish. Alternatively, coconut milk can be used instead of heavy cream if you wish to maintain a dairy-free and vegan-friendly recipe!
Instructions for preparing curried butternut squash soup:
Prepare all ingredients. Begin by peeling your butternut squash using a peeler. Remove the seeds with a large spoon. You may retain the pumpkin seeds and roast them with taco seasonings or your preferred all-purpose seasoning later! Chop the apples, carrots, and onions into sizable chunks.
Load everything into the slow cooker. Begin by spraying a 7-8 quart slow cooker with cooking spray, which facilitates easier cleanup later on. Incorporate your chopped vegetables into the slow cooker along with light brown sugar, salt, black pepper, bay leaves, curry powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves of garlic, and vegetable broth. Allow the soup to simmer in the slow cooker for 7-8 hours on the low setting or for 4-5 hours on high. The goal is to ensure that all the vegetables become fork-tender, making them easy to puree.
Complete the soup. Utilize an immersion blender or transfer the soup in batches to a conventional blender to blend it. Be sure to secure the lid of the blender with a towel, as it can become hot during the process! Once the puree reaches a sauce-like consistency, return it to the crock pot. Stir in the cream and adjust the flavor with additional curry powder, broth, salt, and pepper according to your preference. Occasionally, I will add fresh lime juice or lemon juice for an extra tangy flavor. Serve the soup in your preferred soup dish, directly from the slow cooker, or ladle it into bowls and serve immediately!
FAQs regarding slow cooker curried butternut squash soup
Can curried butternut squash soup be prepared in an instant pot? Yes! Simply add all ingredients except for the cream to the instant pot and set the pressure cooker to manual high pressure for 30 minutes. After that, allow for a natural pressure release for 10 minutes. You would then follow the same steps as with the slow cooker by pureeing and incorporating the cream.
Can I replace some of the butternut squash with sweet potatoes? Yes! I recommend chopping both the squash and the potatoes to a uniform size to ensure even cooking.
Is it possible to use yogurt or sour cream in place of heavy cream? Unfortunately, I have not tried this before, so I cannot provide a definitive answer.
How long can leftovers be stored? Leftover butternut squash soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Can this be a ‘freezer’ meal? You can prep and add all the ingredients (except for the cream) to a ziptop freezer-safe bag and freeze if you’d like. When you’re ready for soup, just pop the contents into a slow cooker along with the stock. The cooking time may take at the upper end but the recipe should work out just the same!
If you enjoy this recipe, you may also appreciate:
Cajun Butternut Squash Soup
Homemade Minestrone Soup
Secret Ingredient Tomato Basil Soup
Comforting Red Lentil Soup (Daal Soup)
Moroccan Sweet Potato Lentil Soup
Fasteners
Bearings .
In the bowl of a 6-quart slow cooker, combine coconut milk, vegetable bouillon base, curry powder, turmeric, cardamom, 1 tablespoon of ground ginger, 4 cups of water, and 1 teaspoon of salt, whisking until blended.
Incorporate split peas, tomatoes (with their liquid), butternut squash, and onion, and mix to combine.
Cook, covered, until most of the liquid has evaporated and lentils are tender, 6 to 7 hours on low or 41⁄2 to 5 hours on high.
Prepare lemon-scallion seasoning:
In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice and zest, chopped scallions, 2 tablespoons ground ginger, and 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, whisking until blended.
Accompany the stew with rice and a dollop of yogurt, as desired.
Lemon-scallion drizzle over the shower. Relish it!
- 1 15-ounce can of reduced-fat coconut milk
- 1 1/2 tbsp. vegetable broth concentrate
- 1 tablespoon curry spice
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 1/2 tsp. of cardamom
- 3 tablespoons ground fresh ginger
- authentic salt
- 1 1/2 c. yellow split peas, rinsed
- 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes
- 2 lb. butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1⁄2-inch cubes (approximately 4 cups)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice plus 1 teaspoon of zest (from 1 lemon)
- 2 large scallions, finely chopped
- Rice and unflavored yogurt, for accompaniment.
Bearings .
In the bowl of a 6-quart slow cooker, combine coconut milk, vegetable bouillon base, curry powder, turmeric, cardamom, 1 tablespoon of ground ginger, 4 cups of water, and 1 teaspoon of salt, whisking until blended.
Incorporate split peas, tomatoes (with their liquid), butternut squash, and onion, and mix to combine.
Cook, covered, until most of the liquid has evaporated and lentils are tender, 6 to 7 hours on low or 41⁄2 to 5 hours on high.
Prepare lemon-scallion seasoning:
In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice and zest, chopped scallions, 2 tablespoons ground ginger, and 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, whisking until blended.
Accompany the stew with rice and a dollop of yogurt, as desired.
Lemon-scallion drizzle over the shower. Relish it!
Curried Butternut Squash Stew.VIDEO
