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Maple Butternut Squash Soup
A smooth and comforting slow cooker soup made with butternut squash, apple, and warm spices. The slow cooker does all the heavy lifting, simmering the vegetables until tender before they are blended into a rich puree. Real maple syrup adds a touch of natural sweetness that pairs perfectly with the earthy squash. It makes an excellent hands-off dinner for chilly autumn evenings. A swirl of yogurt and fresh chives on top provides a bright, tangy contrast to the creamy base.
Ingredients
- 8 cups cubed peeled seeded butternut squash (about 3 lb)
- 1 large apple, peeled, chopped
- 1 large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ⁄ 8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 carton (32 oz) chicken broth (4 cups)
- ½ cup half-and-half or milk
- ½ real maple syrup
- ¾ cup plain yogurt or sour cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- 1Coat the inside of a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Add the cubed squash, chopped apple, onion, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Pour the chicken broth over the top.
- 2Place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on the Low setting for 7 to 8 hours, or choose the High setting for 3.5 to 4 hours.
- 3Transfer about 3 cups of the hot mixture into a blender. Secure the lid and blend until completely smooth, then pour the puree into a large heatproof pitcher or bowl.
- 4Blend the rest of the soup in two additional batches. Return all the pureed soup to the slow cooker, then stir in the half-and-half and maple syrup.
- 5Turn the slow cooker to High if it was previously on Low. Cover and heat for another 15 minutes until warmed through. Serve in bowls topped with a dollop of yogurt and fresh chives.
- 6Source pre-peeled and diced butternut squash from the supermarket to reduce your active preparation time.
- 7Peel the fresh squash using a sharp, swivel-headed vegetable peeler to easily remove the thick outer skin before chopping.