slow cooker creamy butternut squash apple soup

Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker Creamy Butternut Squash Apple Soup

Drescription

The sweetness of the Granny Smith apple shines through the creaminess of the blended butternut squash, a combination that is sure to whet appetites. Don't be afraid to keep blending the soup-more air yields tastier, frothier soup. Garnish with additional fresh rosemary sprigs, if desired. To make this a vegan butternut squash soup, omit the heavy cream and use your favorite plant-based milk or yogurt instead.

Ingredients

8 cups chopped peeled butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
3 cups water
2 cups chopped vidalia or other sweet onions (from 1 onion)
2 cups chopped peeled parsnips (from 2 parsnips)
2 cups unsalted vegetable stock
1 ½ cups chopped peeled granny smith apple (from 1 apple)
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup heavy cream

Directions

Stir together the butternut squash, water, onions, parsnips, stock, apple, rosemary sprig, salt and pepper in a 5-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW until the vegetables are tender, about 6 hours. Remove and discard the rosemary sprig.
Transfer half of the squash mixture to a blender. Remove the center piece of the blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure the blender lid on the blender. Place a clean towel over the opening in the blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat the procedure with the remaining squash mixture. Stir in the heavy cream. Ladle the soup into bowls, and serve hot.

Slow Cooker Dal Makhani

Using a slow cooker for this dal curry recipe is brilliant—the lentils cook until they're perfectly tender. For the creamiest results, use whole urad dal (versus split), which you can get online or at Indian markets. This particular bean breaks down beautifully, giving the dish its rich, creamy texture. For a stovetop variation, see below. Serve it over rice with Indian-style green chutney and a side of plain yogurt.