Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup (Crockpot Squash Soup)

Recipe highlights

Thinking about a delicious bowl of Pumpkin Soup is a soul satisfying thing to do!

Taking your spoon and dipping into a warm, steaming bowl of pumpkin nourishment is a heart warming experience for us all.

Using easy to find, everyday ingredients that don't take hours of prep time, we take a classic family favourite and slow cook it to perfection!

With simple steps, basic flavours and a set and forget cooking method, this soup will be one you make over and over again!

As you can see, the recipe calls for:

• butternut pumpkin (butternut squash): In Australia, this vegetable is called Butternut Pumpkin and in other parts of the world is is known as Butternut Squash. It is a popular winter vegetable which cooks well and provides a delicious satisfying taste.
• potatoes: we use potatoes in the recipe to give a greater depth of flavour to the soup, than if we only used the one vegetable. I recommend washed potatoes with skin on!
• vegetable stock (vegetable broth): this ingredient is commonly used in soups. You can use stock that can be poured straight from the package, your own homemade stock or the block or powder version to the equivalent amount listed in the recipe card below.
• cream: check the label of your cream when purchasing to ensure that you are buying cooking cream. If you wish, you can use coconut milk or coconut cream instead. This will result in a dairy free version of the soup.
• thyme: we use this dried herb to add flavour to the recipe. It perfectly compliments the flavour of the pumpkin and is a great pairing.
• cumin: we also use this ingredient for flavour and seasoning. The dried, powdered version.
• bay leaves: these are small dried leaves that add flavour to recipes. They are very fragrant and we remove them after cooking, prior to consuming the soup.
• dried onion (onion flakes): I love using dried onion or onion flakes in recipes as they are easy to use, bring the onion flavour and require no tears! You can find these in the herbs and spices section of the supermarket.
• garlic: this is another great complimentary flavour for the pumpkin. Fresh garlic is best and after it is cooked, it will blend in when we blitz the soup.
• salt and pepper: these are for seasoning and we only use a little bit of each

Frequently asked questions

Is pumpkin soup good for you?

Pumpkin soup has a high quantity of vegetables in the recipe which is very healthy!

Adding cream to soup increases the calorie count, however, you can modify how much cream you add.

Another thing to consider is the portion size of your bowl. A larger size serving will be less healthy than a smaller one.

How do you make pumpkin soup taste better?

Some people might find a store bought packaged version of pumpkin soup too bland or boring!

My recipe for pumpkin soup doesn't have this issue as I have taken steps through the development of the recipe to ensure we have the right seasoning, spice and herb partnership.

When serving the soup, cracked pepper also adds an additional level of seasoning to the dish.

How do you thicken pumpkin soup?

To ensure our soup texture is thick and flavourful, we use a high volume of vegetables (approximately 10 cups of pumpkin pieces and 2 cups of potato pieces.

We also only add enough vegetable broth to ensure the vegetables are cooked, but not so much as to water down the soup.

Adding too much liquid (cream) will thin the pumpkin soup down, so adding it sparingly as you blend, is a good way to ensure that the soup retains its thick texture.

You can add more vegetables to thicken the soup further.

Tips and tricks

These pointers are things that in my experience help to be knowledgeable about when making the recipe:

1. ensure all of the vegetables are prepped before turning the crockpot on
2. don't forget to remove the bay leaves prior to blending the soup
3. do ensure that the soup is cool before blending (especially in blenders with lids)
4. don't take the lid off the crockpot whilst the soup is cooking

Recipe variations

• If you want to use coconut milk or cream instead of regular cream, for a dairy free version you can do that
• You can use sweet potato instead of regular potatoes to the equivalent amount
• you can use cinnamon instead of cumin

How to guide

How to store the recipe

Once your soup is made and blended you can store it in the fridge for up to 3 days (Day 1 being the day it is cooked, day 3 been the 3rd day you consume).

Can I freeze the soup

Yes! This is a perfect recipe to freeze. 

Allow the soup to cool and then portion it out into zip lock bags. Seal, then lay flat in the freezer. To defrost simply remove from the freezer, allow to naturally defrost and reheat for 3-4 mins until fully warmed through. 

How to reheat the soup

The best ways to reheat the soup are to either portion into bowls, cover and microwave or heat in a saucepan on the stove.