Crockpot Butternut Soup

We've dabbled in butternut squash soup before and find it's a great preparation for this winter squash once it's been roasted one too many times. Here are link backs to soups / bisques that we've shared with brief ratings:

Our favorite Butternut squash pear bisque
Whitney enjoyed more than Patrick Sundried tomato and butternut squash bisque
Not our favorite Butternut squash lentil bisque

It was about time for out first butternut squash soup of the season and I started to make our favorite butternut squash pear bisque. I started browsing for another recipe, however, because I wanted to make butternut squash soup in the crockpot. I imagine I could've adapted the other one for the crockpot but I didn't want to particularly start experimenting that week. So I found this one and it didn't disappoint. The recipe also included a maple chickpea topping that was fun to try!


Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup with Maple Roasted Chickpeas from twopeasandtheirpod blog
   Serves 6 | Cook Time 3 1/2 hours-6 hours
Ingredients
   For the Butternut Squash Soup
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups)
1 large apple, peeled and chopped (I used Honeycrisp)
2 (14 oz) cans low sodium vegetable broth (I used our homemade chicken broth from the freezer)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
   For the Maple Roasted Chickpeas
1 (15 oz) can Organic Garbanzo Beans (chickpeas)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions
   Add the onion, carrots, butternut squash, and apple to the slow cooker. Pour the vegetable broth over all of the ingredients. Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
   Once vegetables are cooked and soft, puree the soup using an immersion blender. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can transfer the soup to a blender (in batches) and puree until smooth. Pour the soup back into the slow cooker and season with spices and maple syrup. (We used our immersion blender)
   While the soup is cooking in the slow cooker, make the maple roasted chickpeas. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Rinse and drain the chickpeas and pat dry with a towel. Remove the skins by rolling them on the towel. In a small bowl, combine the canola oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Place the chickpeas on a large baking sheet. Pour the maple syrup mixture over the chickpeas and toss until chickpeas are well coated. Place in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so. Remove from the oven when chickpeas are crunchy.
   Pour soup into bowls and garnish with maple roasted chickpeas. Serve immediately.

We had a little trouble with the chickpeas getting too brown (although it could've been inattentiveness) and some sugar burning on the pan. And, not surprisingly, I liked them more than Patrick.

Do you have a favorite butternut squash soup recipe?!

We acquired a cat in the basket recently.

1 comment:

  1. Have not experimented with butternut squash...just roast it. But like it. Oh, the cats!!!

    ReplyDelete