Crockpot Butternut Squash Soup – Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup with Sherry

Brimming with the flavors of sherry, fresh leeks and sweet fresh butternut squash, this crockpot butternut squash soup has an elevated taste that is worthy of any special occasion.

Fall and winter are the times of the year when I normally make soups, so I am always on the lookout for new crock pot recipes each year at this time.

This creamy Butternut squash soup is my latest attempt and it was a huge hit at a dinner party this week, even with non squash lovers.

The crockpot is an ideal kitchen appliance for making soup. (Check out my vegan curried carrot soup and  split pea soup for another cold weather crockpot soup.) There is something oddly satisfying about filling a pot with ingredients and getting on with your day.  

The whole house smells better and better as the day progresses and dinner is on the table at the end of the day with so little effort on your part. What is not to like about this scenario?

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Butternut squash (also known as butternut pumpkin) is a sweet and flavorful vegetable that has the perfect texture to make into a creamy and rich fall soup. It is easy to grow and tastes great as a pumpkin puree in lots of recipes.

I particularly like growing this squash because it is known to be a variety that is resistant to squash bugs.

The fruit has a relatively small seed area compared to some other vegetables which yields a big pot of soup.

This Crockpot Butternut Squash Soup is a Winner.

If you don’t think that you will like squash soup, you really should give this recipe a try. You’ll be surprised at the wonderful flavor that the sherry and leeks add to the soup.

To make this crockpot butternut squash soup recipe, you will need to gather these items:

• large leek
• large butternut squash
• butter
• seasonings (fresh nutmeg, salt and pepper)
• sherry
• chicken broth
• milk
• more sherry
• a little cream
• ground fresh nutmeg

You’ll also need a crockpot and immersion blender (or regular blender.)

Leeks are a member of the onion family but their flavor is very mild. Using them in this fall soup gives a mild onion flavor that won’t overpower the richness of the squash.

The preparation of the soup is done in two stages. I started the leeks and butternut squash with butter on the stove top. This gives a caramelized taste to the vegetables that you will miss out on if you just place everything in the slow cooker.

It takes an extra 15 minutes of preparation, but they are so worth the time.

Once the vegetables start to get tender, place the sherry in the crockpot and add the leeks and butternut squash over the top. 

Stir in the chicken broth along with grated nutmeg and seasonings and give it all a stir.

Cover and cook for 8-10 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high until the butternut squash is tender.

Blending the butternut squash soup

Now it is time to blend the soup and add the milk to make it more creamy and thick instead of chunky. I used an immersion blender and blended the soup right in the crockpot after I added the milk.

If you don’t have one of these kitchen tools, you can also blend it in a normal blender in smaller batches with the milk.

Taste for seasonings and top with a bit more sherry.  Cover and cook a few minutes until the soup is simmering. A drizzle of cream and fresh ground nutmeg at serving time makes a nice presentation.

I served this butternut squash soup with my recipe for sweet buttermilk corn bread and it was just delicious.

Variations on this slow cooker butternut squash soup

Would you like to customize your butternut squash soup recipe?  Try one of these ideas to mix it up:

• Slim it down by cutting the butter to 1 tablespoon and using unsweetened almond milk instead of normal milk.   This turns it into a Weight Watcher friendly recipe.
• Love butternut squash? Roast it first in the oven to give the soup a very rich flavor.  Roasting the squash brings out its natural sweetness.
• Give it a Mexican twist. Omit the nutmeg and add some cumin and a pinch of chili powder to give the soup some heat.
• Turn the soup into more of a Thai experience by using lite coconut milk instead of normal milk, omit the nutmeg, and adding some red curry paste. Garnish with cilantro instead of nutmeg.
• Make the soup vegan by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, olive oil instead of butter, and lite coconut milk instead of normal milk. This also makes the soup dairy-free. 

Check out other recipe substitutes here.

Side dish ideas

This soup is great on its own but make it more into a meal with one of these additions:

• Decadent Lasagna Sandwich
• Buttermilk corn bread
• Crusty garlic bread
• Chicken Cheese Panini Sandwich

For another crock pot recipe using butternut squash, try my veggie tikka masala curry. It’s delicious!

Butternut squash soup calories

The thick and creamy nature of this crock pot soup might fool you into thinking that is a cream laden soup full of calories.  

But instead of a lot of heavy cream, the texture of this soup comes from the pureed leeks and squash.  The recipe makes 10 servings, each one coming in at just 3 Weight Watchers Freestyle points and only 155 calories.  

That is a win in any diet plan.  The recipe is also naturally gluten free.

Pin this crock pot soup for later

Would you like a reminder of this delicious crockpot butternut squash soup with leeks and sherry? Just pin this image to one of your slow cooker boards on Pinterest.

Admin note: This recipe for squash and sherry soup first appeared on the blog in December of 2012. I have updated the post with all new photos, a printable recipe card and a video for you to enjoy.

Yield: 10

Crockpot Butternut Squash Soup with Sherry and Leeks

Print

This butternut squash soup is rich and creamy with the flavors of sherry and leeks.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 8 hours

Additional Time 5 minutes

Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large leek, white and light green part only, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 x 4-pound butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• dash of freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of Mediterranean Sea Salt
• 3 tablespoons dry or medium dry sherry, plus more to finish
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream, plus more for serving

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the leek and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until softened—this should take about 5 minutes (if leek starts to brown, add a tablespoon or so of water).
2. Add the squash, nutmeg, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Put the sherry into a large slow cooker, and add the leeks and squash.
4. Add enough chicken stock just to cover the squash (if you have added all of the stock and still need more liquid, add some water).
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 hours until the squash is tender..
7. Using an immersion blender, regular blender or a food processor, blend the soup with the milk in several batches, adding more liquid if necessary.
8. Return to the crock pot and heat until just simmering. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
9. Stir in another splash of sherry and the cream just before serving, adding a drizzle of cream and grated nutmeg to garnish each bowl if you like.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 155Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 275mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 6gSugar: 5gProtein: 5g

Nutritional information is approximate due to natural variation in ingredients and the cook-at-home nature of our meals.

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