Crock Pot Butternut Squash Lentil Soup
Creamy, cozy slow-cooker lentil soup loaded with butternut squash, warm spices, and nourishing veggies. Comforting, wholesome, and naturally creamy without needing dairy.
Ingredients
- Butternut squash peeled & cubed
- Dry red lentils or green/brown — longer cook time
- Onion chopped
- Garlic minced
- Carrots diced
- Celery chopped (optional)
- Spinach or kale stir in at end
- Vegetable or chicken broth
- Olive oil or butter
- Crushed tomatoes optional
- Ground cumin
- Smoked paprika
- Turmeric or curry powder
- Salt & pepper
- Bay leaf optional
- Lemon juice at the end
- Optional: coconut milk ginger, red pepper flakes, fresh thyme/rosemary
- Swaps: sweet potato or pumpkin instead of squash green lentils for more texture, coconut oil instead of olive oil, add quinoa for protein
Instructions
- Add squash, lentils, onion, garlic, carrots, and celery to crock pot.
- Add spices, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
- Pour in broth and give a gentle stir.
- Cover and cook Low 6–8 hours or High 3–4 hours.
- Remove bay leaf.
- Blend some (or all) of the soup for creaminess.
- Stir in spinach/kale until wilted.
- Finish with lemon juice and adjust seasoning.