Easy Crockpot Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

If you're looking for a creamy, budget-friendly soup that requires simple ingredients and minimal effort, this butternut squash soup is just the ticket. It's bright color and deep, hearty fall flavors makes it one of my favorite meals of all time.

Plus, it's one of those slow cooker recipes that is freezer friendly, meaning you can enjoy the flavor of fall any time of year! So skip standing over the stovetop this year and learn how to make the best, classic butternut squash soup hands-free in the crockpot. 

Ingredient Notes

• Avocado oil: Combined with the onions in the bottom of the crockpot to help them caramelize and infuse the soup with their natural aroma. I like to use avocado oil because it has a high smoke point and neutral taste, but feel free to use an alternative cooking oil, such as olive oil or vegetable oil. 
• Yellow onion: Adds a savory base to the soup and enhances the overall depth of flavor. 
• Butternut Squash: The star of the show! Butternut squash yields a rich, creamy soup that's mildly sweet and nutty in flavor. It's also packed with vitamin A and vitamin C – great for the cooler fall months or when you're fighting off a cold. 
• Liquid: You'll need a mixture of water and unfiltered apple cider. The apple cider helps to enhance the sweetness in the butternut squash and apples and pairs really nicely with the savory onions and curry powder. Trust me – it works! 
• Apples: Gala apples are ideal for their mild, sweet flavor and subtle tartness. I prefer to peel the apples before using, but if you're blending this soup in a Vitamix or similar high-speed blender, it should blend the apple skins just fine!
• Curry powder: Adds warmth and complexity to the soup.

Substitutions

• Avocado oil substitutes: In addition to replacing the avocado oil with olive oil or vegetable oil, you can also replace the oil with butter (dairy or dairy-free). 
• Butternut squash substitutes: The best substitute would be fresh pumpkin. I wouldn't recommend sweet potatoes or carrots, as the consistency and flavor of the soup will be very different. 
• Water substitute: For a more savory butternut squash soup, swap the 1 cup of water for your favorite low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth. 
• Gala apple substitutes: Honeycrisp, Fuji, Pink Lady, or Golden Delicious Apples are all fantastic substitutes for Gala Apples. 

Storage Instructions

Leftover soup will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Before refrigeration, allow the soup to cool completely to room temperature. This will prevent condensation from building inside the container and keep the soup from raising the internal temperature of the refrigerator. 

How to Freeze Butternut Squash Soup

As much as I love dump freezer meals, this butternut squash freezes best after cooking. The ingredients don't fit well in a gallon ziplock bag and will take up too much space in the freezer. 

Instead, make the recipe as written, let cool completely to room temperature, then ladle into 1-cup or 2-cup Souper Cube trays. This makes it easy to defrost individual servings or specific number of servings at a time. 

This soup will freeze well for up to 3 months. 

How to Make this Soup Cheaper

• Buy butternut squash the smart way! If you've ever purchased butternut squash before, you know that it can be incredibly expensive. To combat this, I like to buy either frozen butternut squash or fresh squash that is sold by the item, not by the pound! If you are in the United States, Trader Joe's sells squash by the item. Otherwise, I buy frozen, pre-cut butternut squash cubes from my local Walmart. 
• Use a cheaper oil. My cooking oil of choice is avocado oil. I love the taste and quality, but it can be on the pricier side, especially if you don't have access to buying it in bulk from cheap grocery stores like Costco. If avocado oil is out of your budget, use a lower quality olive oil or vegetable oil! 
• Buy onions in bulk. Bulk bags of onions are almost always cheaper than single onions. If you cook often like I do, you'll go through the bag before spoilage.