For a healthy, delicious way to enjoy seasonal produce this winter, try this easy recipe for Creamy Butternut Squash Soup.

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Having a newborn means I’m even more intentional now about planning our family’s meals.

There’s just so much more to take into consideration – how much time I have, when I need to feed the babe, and if I have time to get groceries. (Side note: this Meal Planning Template helps keep me organized and saves my sanity when I’m tired and don’t want to think about what to make for dinner!)

One of my favorite meals to make – especially in the winter – is soup in the slow-cooker. And this recipe for Creamy Butternut Squash Soup checks ALL of my recipe-selecting boxes:

• It’s easy (prep time is under 30 minutes)

• Ingredients are shelf-stable so I can keep them on hand

• Leftovers are even better the next day

• Packed with nutrition to help my family fend off cold and flu season

• Super flexible – it can cook for as little as three hours or as long as 10

This week I was spoiled by James’s grandparents. Grandma Maggie helped me plan the meals, Grandpa Lee did the grocery shopping, and they both tag-teamed making the recipes.

So today’s recipe is brought to you by the newest member of the Kent family and his grandparents – while I enjoyed taking a step back and playing photographer!

To make this Creamy Butternut Squash Soup, start by peeling, seeding, and cubing a medium-sized butternut squash – about a 3-pound squash should equal about 6 cups of cubes. If you’ve never prepped a butternut squash this before, watch this video demonstration. Add the cubed squash to a medium-sized slow-cooker.

Pro tip: Save the butternut squash seeds and turn them into a tasty snack: Savory Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Next, cut a medium red potato into ½-inch cubes and dice a yellow onion. Add both of these to the slow-cooker with the butternut squash.

To season the soup, mince four cloves of garlic and chop a fourth-cup of parsley and two tablespoons of basil. Add these to slow-cooker along with 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, a half-teaspoon of black pepper, and a fourth of a teaspoon of nutmeg.

Next add 5 cups of either water or unsalted chicken or vegetable broth. If using store-bought broth, make sure to reduce the amount of salt to taste. Or try making your own vegetable broth from veggie scraps (here’s how to do it)!

Stir the contents of the slow-cooker to mix well, then cook on low for 6-10 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. The longer the cooking time, the better flavor. If you cook longer than 8 hours, you may need to add an additional cup of water to account for evaporation.

Once butternut squash is very soft, add a cup of milk and use an immersion blender to blend soup until smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can transfer the contents to a regular blender instead – but make sure to remove the lid in between blending to release the steam to prevent from exploding hot liquid everywhere.

Pro Tip: an immersion blender is definitely a better (and safer!!) option; here’s a demonstration of how to use one and an option for one to purchase if you don’t have one yet.

If soup is too thick, add additional water or milk and blend again to reach desired consistency. To make this dairy-free and vegan, use oat or coconut milk in place of whole milk.

I love to serve this soup with fresh homemade sourdough bread or grilled cheese sandwiches for a heartier meal.

For more ways to make butternut squash, download these 5 Delicious Butternut Squash Recipes.

Wondering what other veggies are in season during the winter? Grab this Seasonal Vegetable Guide so you can pick the tastiest, most nutritious vegetables for each season of the year.

I hope you enjoy this creamy, nutritious soup as much as my family does!

Happy soup eating,

Ann from Peas and Hoppiness

Creamy Butternut Squash Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 lbs Butternut Squash (1 Medium) (1 medium squash = 6 c. cubes)

• 1 Medium Red Potato (cut into cubes)

• 1 White Or Yellow Onion (diced)

• 4 cloves Garlic (minced)

• 1/4 cup Parsley (chopped)

• 2 tbsps Basil Leaves (chopped)

• 1 1/2 tsps Salt

• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper

• 1/4 tsp Nutmeg

• 5 cups Water (sub unsalted vegetable or chicken broth for enhanced flavor)

• 1 cup Whole Milk (wait to add until end; sub oat or coconut milk for dairy-free)

Instructions

1. Peel, seed, and cube butternut squash. Cut potato into cubes and dice onion. Add all vegetables to medium sized slow-cooker.

2. Mince garlic, basil, and parsley. Add to slow cooker with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and water. Stir to combine.

3. Cook on low 6-10 hours or on high 3-4 hours. The longer the cooking time, the better the flavor. May need to add additional cup of water if cooking more than 8 hours.

4. Once fully cooked, add milk and use an immersion blender to blend soup until smooth. If too thick, add additional water to obtain desired consistency.

Printable Recipe // Serves 6 – Serving Size: 1 ½ cups – Nutrients per serving: 139 calories — 2g total fat — 1g saturated fat — 0g trans fat – 6mg cholesterol — 598mg sodium — 31g total carbohydrates — 5g fiber — 4g protein

Total Time: 3 1/2 – 10 hrs // Prep time: 20-25 min // Cook time: 3-10 hrs

Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups

Pro Tip: substitute dried herbs in place of basil and parsley if fresh not available. Use leftover roasted butternut squash and unsalted vegetable or chicken broth in place of water for better flavor.

Cooking Equipment: Vegetable peeler // Cutting board // Chef’s knife // Slow-cooker // Immersion blender

Leftovers: Refrigerate in airtight container up to 5 days. Freeze leftovers up to several months.

Peel and seed butternut squash: Peel with vegetable peeler. If too tough, stab with a fork several times, then microwave 5 min until begins to soften. Cut squash in half crosswise above the bell, below thinner neck. Next cut bell in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scrape out seeds. (Watch video demonstration)

Cube butternut squash: Cut neck of squash into 1/4-inch wide slices. Lay slices flat and cut lengthwise into strips. Turn strips a quarter-turn; cut across slices into cubes. Lay bell cut-side down and slice into wedges, then turn quarter-turn and cut across slices into cubes. (Watch video demonstration)

Cube potatoes: scrub well with a vegetable brush to remove dirt but don’t peel to retain nutrients. Slice potato lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices. Lay flat-side down and cut again lengthwise into 1/2-inch matchsticks. Turn a quarter-turn and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

Dice onion: trim top and base off onion, then peel tough outer layers (usually top 1—2 layers). Slice in half lengthwise and lay the onion with the cut (flat) side face down. Slice the onion into thin wedges, about 1/4-inch thick, then turn a quarter-turn and dice. (Watch video demonstration)

Mince garlic: smash garlic clove: place flat edge of chef’s knife on top of clove and press firmly with palm of the hand; remove papery skin. Cut clove into very thin slices. Stack slices and cut into very thin matchsticks. Turn a quarter-turn and mince finely. (Watch video demonstration)

Roughly chop parsley and basil: cut leafy tops off stems (okay to include some stems). Stack leaves into a pile and chop into approximately 1/8-inch pieces.