The best part about this recipe (besides the fact that it only takes 20 minutes to make!) is the fact that it’s super creamy, but has no dairy. Coconut milk makes it velvety smooth, with a subtle coconut flavor that pairs so well with the sweet squash and spicy ginger and turmeric. I HIGHLY recommend buying full-fat coconut milk for the best taste. The three main ingredients in this soup- squash, fresh ginger, and turmeric- are extremely healthy, not to mention pair very well together.
Fresh ginger is known to help with digestion and is a natural anti-nausea and anti-inflammatory. It’s been a lifesaver for me during my pregnancy whenever I felt nauseous. By now, I’m sure you’ve hear about all the health benefits of turmeric floating around the internet. It can help with blood sugar balance, detoxifying the body and preventing against cancer, and even certain kinds of arthritis! Finally, butternut squash, like other winter squashes (like spaghetti squash), are high in carotenoids like other orange vegetables such as carrots, as well as vitamins A, C, and fiber. And you can even roast the seeds like you would pumpkin seeds- I tossed mine with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin, and turmeric, roasted in the oven on parchment paper, and topped the soup with them as a garnish.
How to cook the butternut squash in your slow cooker
One reason why this soup is extra quick and easy to make is that you use already cooked butternut squash to make it. I recommend sticking the WHOLE squash (not cut in half or anything) in your slow cooker with just a splash of water, and cooking on high for about 3 hours or low for 6. The squash will cook perfectly and you can slice it in half, scoop out the seeds and pulp, and scoop out the flesh to use in this soup. For easy weekend prep, do this ahead of time and save the squash in a container for an easy weeknight dinner.
How to puree the soup
If you read my blog regularly, you probably already know how obsessed I am with my immersion blender. If you don’t have one, I HIGHLY recommend you get one! For creamy soups like this, you just stick it in the pot and press on, and it blends it perfectly smooth right in the pot. It’s much easier than dragging out your standing blender (and subsequently cleaning it).
Other Butternut Squash Recipes
Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Soup with Turmeric Moroccan Butternut Squash, Chickpea, and Spinach Stew Butternut Squash, Brown Butter, and Rosemary Fettuccini Alfredo Butternut Squash and Thyme Soup
Recipe for Ginger Turmeric Butternut Squash Soup below!
