Name: Slow Cooker Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 130 min
Ingredients: 1 medium butternut squash (about 4 to 5 cups diced); 2 cups vegetable broth (480 mL); 4 cloves garlic (peeled); 1 medium white onion (about 1 cup diced); 1 granny smith apple; ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp black pepper; 1 bunch fresh thyme; 1 cup canned coconut milk (240 mL)

Slow Cooker Vegan Butternut Squash Soup is a hands-off and delicious soup perfect for cold fall or winter days. Bonus: It makes your house smell amazing!

A bowl of vegan butternut squash soup with coconut milk and thyme drizzled and sprinkled on top

Despite being a food blogger, I can be really lazy when it comes to dinner time. I’ll throw an assortment of random blogging experiments on a plate (none of which go together) and call it a day.

To prevent this, I’ve been relying more on my slow cooker to create a well-rounded dinner, because it’s just so easy.

Throw in a bunch of yummy stuff, let it cook all day while I work, and have a meal magically appear before us when dinner time rolls around? It’s perfect!

This Slow Cooker Vegan Butternut Squash Soup is the epitome of crock pot meals, filled with fresh veggies and seasonings (and less ingredients mean less prep!).

And did I mention that making this soup is easy? Because it’s so easy. Cutting the butternut is probably the most time intensive part. Just throw the diced butternut in your slow cooker along with a granny smith apple (which brings the perfect amount of sweet zinginess), onion, garlic, thyme, and seasonings.

Ingredients in crockpot butternut soup

This vegan soup uses only 9 ingredients. Between the main items (squash, broth, and apple) and the flavorings (spices, onion, etc.), this dish features sweet, savory, and salty flavors and is a great option for a cozy night at home.

Butternut Squash: For this dish, 1 medium butternut squash will be plenty. It should amount to about 4 or 5 cups once diced. (Not sure how to cut a butternut? Here’s how.)
Vegetable Broth: We’ll be cooking the squash in 2 cups of veggie broth. I like going with the low-sodium option, but use what you have.
Garlic: Throw in 4 whole garlic cloves for maximum flavor.
White Onion: You’ll want 1 whole medium white onion, which should equal about 1 cup when diced. Yellow onions will also do the trick!
Granny Smith Apple: For a touch of tangy sweetness, add a granny smith apple! It may sound weird, but the apple is the magic ingredient.
Seasoning: Salt and pepper round out the flavor.
Fresh Thyme: Adding 1 bunch of fresh thyme will give the dish a subtle herby flavor.
Coconut Milk: Finally, add 1 cup of canned coconut for creaminess, and you’re done!

How to make easy butternut squash soup

The best part about this slow cooker butternut soup is how foolproof it is. Seriously, it’s as easy as dinner gets! Just cut up the squash, place it in a slow cooker (with almost everything else), and go on about your day. Prior to serving, simply blend and add the coconut milk, and that’s it!

Step 1: Prep the butternut
Peel, deseed, and roughly chop the butternut squash. Add it to a slow cooker, along with everything except the coconut milk.

A slow cooker filled with diced butternut squash, diced green apple, diced white onion, thyme, and various seasonings

Step 2: Cook the soup
Stir to combine, and then cook for 6 to 8 hours on low, or 2 to 4 hours on high. The soup is ready when the butternut is easily mashed with a fork.

A bunch of fresh thyme laid on top of butternut squash, green apple, and white onion cooking in a slow cooker

Step 3: Blend the ingredients
Pick out the sprigs of thyme. Use a handheld immersion blender to puree the soup. Alternatively, you can transfer it to a countertop blender and puree.

Using a handheld immersion blender to blend the soup ingredients directly inside the slow cooker

Step 4: Serve and enjoy
Finally, stir in the coconut milk and serve, optionally drizzling more coconut milk over the soup after ladling it into bowls.

Pouring a can of coconut milk into a slow cooker filled with vegan butternut squash soup

Using a handheld immersion blender to blend the soup ingredients and coconut milk directly inside the slow cooker

What to serve up alongside vegan butternut squash soup

You may be wondering what on earth you should cook up to go with your butternut soup. That’s a fair question, as it’s always tricky finding the perfect pairing for soup, not to mention one made of squash and apples! However, I have some delicious ideas that you may want to consider.

Salad
You can never go wrong with a soup and salad combo! I mean, it’s Panera’s signature thing for a reason (pick 2, anyone?)! Essentially any salad would work well, though I’d bet money that something refreshing like Thai Cucumber Salad would taste the best!

Veggies
If you’re not feeling salad, consider pairing your soup with a simple plate of veggies! You could try Roasted Asparagus (with Romesco Sauce!), Roasted Chickpea Stuffed Avocados, or even Cucumber Sushi Rolls.

Appetizer-Style Sides
Finally, if you’re craving something a bit heartier, go for some app-style sides! Spanikopita Triangles are a favorite in our house, as are Baked Zucchini Fries and Eggplant Parmesan Poppers.

Cozy up with more delicious soup recipes

As far as coziness is concerned, you can never have too much soup! After you’ve fallen in love with this crockpot butternut soup, try your hand at these meat-free options. Between tomato basil, pumpkin, and cauliflower, there are flavors for every craving!