I’m a novice home gardener who has experienced varying levels of success over the past couple of years. My tomatoes typically do pretty well but I get lazy when it comes to tying them up so the vines look a mess, basil grows like crazy but I forget to harvest as much as I should before it becomes bitter in the late summer, my blueberry bushes and raspberry vines have been quite pitiful as I lose the daily battle with birds. Sigh.
But, apparently, I can GROW butternut squash! Start-to-finish. Seeds in a tray on top of the refrigerator then baby seedlings moved to a grow-light on the kitchen counter. Transplants to the garden as the weather warms. Vines growing like crazy and squash everywhere by late summer! I am farmer, hear me … ah, never-mind. You can see that I am pleased!
So many squash. I’ve roasted diced butternut squash in duck fat or lard, frozen chunks of butternut squash for winter stews, and made soups from butternut squash. There are STILL over a dozen of them on my dining room table. (Where else would I store them?)
Whether you grow your own or purchase from your local grocery store, this recipe may become a go-to for your busy days ahead. So easy. I throw it together in the morning, let the slow-cooker do its magic all day, then blend up a savory soup for dinner. My son says this soup “tastes like Fall.” Enjoy!
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 can full-fat coconut milk or equivalent amount of homemade coconut milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 apple, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
Place all ingredients in slow cooker and set to Low. Allow to cook 6 to 8 hours. When squash is soft, blend soup with an immersion blender or carefully transfer to a blender to process. Consistency should be smooth and silky.
Season with unrefined sea salt and pepper. Top with a swirl of olive oil or, if you can tolerate dairy, a dollop of sour cream.
My Easy Butternut Squash Soup is a “featured recipe” in the brand new WINTER SOUPS eBook from A Best of Community Cookbooks! This 127-page digital cookbook contains 52 REAL FOOD recipes for nourishing soups and stews. Click HERE to learn more or click on the WINTER SOUPS banner below to purchase!
This recipe was shared at A Southern Fairytale, Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms, Homegrown and Healthy, Healthy Roots Happy Soul, GlutenFree Homemaker, The Tasty Alternative, Kelly the Kitchen Kop, Holistic Squid, Frugally Sustainable, Thank Your Body, The Nourishing Gourmet, Natural Family Today, Food Renegade, Healing With Food Friday, Girl Meets Nourishment, Phoenix Helix and Real Food Forager.