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Slow Cooker Curry Butternut Squash Soup

This slow cooker curry butternut squash soup recipe is made with minimal effort yet packed with flavor. You can also make this comforting soup in your Instant Pot.

overhead shot of Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup in a white bowl

Ingredients For Butternut Squash Soup

  • Butternut Squash
  • Russet Potatoes
  • Onion
  • Celery
  • Garlic
  • Cilantro
  • Coconut Milk
  • Broth
  • Seasonings

collage of ingredients for Slow Cooker Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

How To Make Butternut Squash Soup

Slow Cooker

  1. Add butternut squash, potatoes, broth, half of the cooked bacon, garlic, fresh cilantro, curry, salt, pepper, and cumin to the slow cooker. Stir to mix well.
  2. Cook HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6 or until butternut squash and potatoes are tender.
  3. Using a blender or food processor, blend down soup to desired consistency.
  4. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of coconut milk.
  5. Top each bowl of soup evenly with a drizzle of the remaining coconut milk and some of the remaining bacon (crumbled) before serving.

Instant Pot

  1. Turn on the IP and select Sauté. Once hot add oil 4 strips of bacon.  Cook 3-5 minutes or until the bacon is cooked. Remove bacon & drain some of the grease from the pressure cooker.
  2. Add the onions and celery and cook 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Add garlic and cook an additional minute.
  3. Pour 1 cup of the vegetable broth and deglaze the bottom of the pressure cooker by scraping all the bits off with a wooden spoon.
  4. Add butternut squash, potatoes, cilantro, curry, salt, pepper, cumin, and cooked bacon to the pressure cooker.
  5. Pour in remaining 3 cups of vegetable broth. Stir to mix well.
  6. Close lid and seal valve. Set manual, high pressure to 18 minutes. Natural release 5 minutes then quick release remaining pressure.
  7. Using an immersion blender or transfer to a regular blender or food processor – blend down soup until smooth. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the coconut milk.
  8. Top each bowl of soup evenly with a drizzle of the remaining coconut milk and some of the remaining bacon (crumbled) before serving.
overhead shot of uncooked butternut squash soup in the slow cooker

before

overhead shot of cooked butternut squash soup in the slow cooker

after

What Is Butternut Squash?

Butternut squash is a winter squash that’s similar to pumpkin in taste. It has dark yellow skin and orange flesh. Like pumpkin, butternut squash has seeds. Butternut squash is a good source of vitamin, A, potassium, and fiber.

Jorik’s Butternut squash soup

This butternut squash soup recipe is known as Jorik’s world-famous butternut squash soup in my household. I got the original recipe from a family friend, Jorik (South African if you’re wondering about the name) a few years ago. The key ingredients to his butternut squash soup are potatoes, curry, and fresh cilantro. While Jorik’s version of butternut squash soup is cooked on the stove, my version of course is made in the slow cooker and Instant Pot.

overhead shot of cooked butternut squash soup in a white bowl garnished with coconut milk, cilantro,

Using Potatoes

Jorik’s version of butternut squash soup uses potatoes. While technically you can use your preferred potato, the potatoes need to be peeled here. Since they need to be peeled, I don’t suggest using any sort of baby potatoes. They’re too small. I recommend you keep it simple and stick to russet (Idaho) potatoes or sweet potatoes (for paleo). Regardless of which potato you use, keep a 2:1 ratio with the squash. Meaning for every 2 pounds of butternut squash, use one pound of potatoes.

Blend To Desired Consistency

I like to use my immersion blender directly in the slow cooker or pressure cooker to blend my soup. You can also use a potato masher or once the soup has cooled, transfer it to a regular blender or food processor. Blend the butternut squash soup until smooth. The coconut milk will thicken the soup up a bit. I like to add 1 1/2 cups of the coconut milk to the soup, saving 1/2 cup to drizzle on top of each serving along with the remaining crumbled bacon.

overhead side view shot of cooked butternut squash soup in a white bowl garnished with coconut milk, cilantro,

FREEZING & STORING LEFTOVER SOUP

If you have leftover butternut squash soup, you can store or freeze it for later use. Store leftover soup an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To freeze leftover soup, let the soup cool completely. Once cooled, add the soup to an air tight container, freezer-friendly plastic bag, or souper cubes. Store the soup in your freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat frozen butternut squash soup you have two options. You can either thaw the soup overnight  in the refrigerator OR add the soup directly to the slow cooker or Instant Pot & thaw on the warm setting.

FAQs & Tips 

  • If you make soup this in the Instant Pot, you can cook the bacon directly in the pressure cooker. If you do, I suggest you drain some of the grease before adding in the onion and celery.
  • I used whole30 compatible bacon from Naked Bacon. Omit the bacon and this recipe is vegetarian & vegan.
  • I used a 6-quart slow cooker or Instant Pot.

Comforting Soup Recipes

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overhead shot of Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup in a white bowl

Slow Cooker Curry Butternut Squash Soup

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

  • Total Time: 3 hours 20 mins
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 pound butternut squash, peeled & diced
  • 1 pound potatoes, peeled & diced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 celery stalk, sliced
  • 15 ounces coconut milk
  • 8 pieces bacon, cooked & crumbled (split into 2 halves)
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon curry
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon oil (for Instant Pot)

Instructions

Slow Cooker

  1. Add butternut squash, potatoes, broth, half of the cooked bacon, garlic, fresh cilantro, curry, salt, pepper, and cumin to the slow cooker. Stir to mix well.
  2. Cook HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6 or until butternut squash and potatoes are tender.
  3. Using a blender or food processor, blend down soup to desired consistency.
  4. Stir in the coconut milk reserving 1/4 cup.
  5. Top each bowl of soup evenly with a drizzle of the remaining coconut milk and some of the remaining bacon (crumbled) before serving.

Instant Pot

  1. Turn on the IP and select Sauté. Once hot add oil 4 strips of bacon.  Cook 3-5 minutes or until the bacon is cooked. Remove bacon & drain some of the grease from the pressure cooker.
  2. Add the onions and celery and cook 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Add garlic and cook an additional minute.
  3. Pour in the broth and deglaze the bottom of the pressure cooker by scraping all the bits off with a wooden spoon.
  4. Add butternut squash, potatoes, cilantro, curry, salt, pepper, cumin, and cooked bacon to the pressure cooker. Stir to mix well.
  5. Close lid and seal valve. Set manual, high pressure for 20 minutes. When cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure.
  6. Using an immersion blender or transfer to a regular blender or food processor – blend down soup until smooth. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the coconut milk.
  7. Top each bowl of soup evenly with a drizzle of the remaining coconut milk and some of the remaining bacon (crumbled) before serving.
  • Author: Shannon Epstein
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 3 hours

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 509
  • Sugar: 11.6 g
  • Fat: 28.9 g
  • Saturated Fat: 11.7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 54.5 g
  • Fiber: 9.3 g
  • Protein: 12.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 37 mg

 

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Slow Cooker Curry Butternut Squash Soup
Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

Alana Hauser

Wednesday 2nd of October 2019

This looks fantastic! Jorik would be proud- and hungry!

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