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Cozy Slow Cooker Fall Harvest Vegetable Soup

cozy slow cooker fall harvest vegetable soup - featured image
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A hearty, creamy vegetable soup made with sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and a hint of apple cider, slow-cooked to perfection. It’s comfort food that feels good for you, perfect for meal prep and lazy Sundays.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 1 medium squash)
  • 2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 2 medium)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 cup unsweetened apple cider
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Salt and black pepper to taste (start with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper)
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup coconut milk or heavy cream (optional)
  • Fresh parsley or thyme for garnish
  • Toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prep your vegetables: Wash, peel, and cube butternut squash and sweet potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Dice onion, slice carrots and celery, and mince garlic.
  2. Layer ingredients in the slow cooker: Place cubed squash, sweet potatoes, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add fire-roasted tomatoes (with juices), tomato paste, bay leaves, dried thyme, smoked paprika, and cinnamon. Pour vegetable broth and apple cider over the top. Do not stir.
  3. Slow cook: Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours or on high for 3–4 hours, until vegetables are fork-tender. Stir gently halfway through.
  4. Remove bay leaves and blend: Discard bay leaves. Use an immersion blender to blend soup until smooth. Alternatively, let soup cool slightly, then blend in batches in a regular blender.
  5. Finish and season: Stir in apple cider vinegar and optional coconut milk or heavy cream. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Add extra broth or water if too thick.
  6. Serve and garnish: Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh herbs, a drizzle of coconut milk, and toasted pumpkin seeds. Serve hot with crusty bread or a side salad.

Notes

For deeper flavor, toast smoked paprika and cinnamon in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding. If using a regular blender, let soup cool slightly and blend in batches to avoid splattering. Soup tastes even better the next day. Freezes well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker soup, fall harvest soup, vegetable soup, butternut squash soup, sweet potato soup, vegan soup, gluten-free soup, meal prep soup

Find it online: https://dahliadishes.com/cozy-slow-cooker-fall-harvest-vegetable-soup/