Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup with Maple Roasted Chickpeas
User Reviews
4.8
Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup with Maple Roasted Chickpeas
Description
Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup with Maple Roasted Chickpeas features chopped butternut squash, onions, carrots, and apple simmered slowly in vegetable broth until soft. After cooking, the mixture is pureed into a smooth soup and flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup, creating a subtly spiced and sweet profile. The pumpkin-like creaminess of the squash forms a velvety base that highlights the autumnal ingredients.
The soup is paired with a topping of maple roasted chickpeas that are dried, skinned, and tossed in a mixture of maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, olive oil, and salt, then baked until golden and crisp. These chickpeas add a sweet, crunchy contrast to the smooth soup, enhancing both texture and flavor complexity.
This dish can be served as a hearty starter or a light meal and offers a practical slow cooker method for an easy hands-off approach. The maple elements tie the components together with a gentle sweetness without being overpowering.
Ingredients
For the Butternut Squash Soup:
- 1 yellow onion chopped, medium
- 3 carrot peeled and chopped, medium
- 1 butternut squash peeled, seeded and chopped into 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups, medium
- 1 apple peeled and chopped (I used Granny Smith, large
- 2 vegetable broth 14 oz can, low sodium
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- salt to taste, freshly ground
- black pepper to taste, freshly ground
For the Maple Roasted Chickpeas:
- 1 chickpeas 15 oz can, aka garbanzo beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add the onion, carrots, butternut squash, and apple to the slow cooker. Pour the vegetable broth over all of the ingredients. Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours or until the vegetables are soft.
- Once vegetables are cooked and soft, puree the soup using an immersion blender. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can carefully transfer the soup to a blender (in batches) and puree until smooth. Pour the soup back into the slow cooker and season with spices and maple syrup.
- While the soup is cooking in the slow cooker, make the maple roasted chickpeas. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Rinse and drain the chickpeas and pat dry with a towel. Remove the skins by rolling them on the towel. In a small bowl, combine the canola oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Place the chickpeas on a large baking sheet. Pour the maple syrup mixture over the chickpeas and toss until chickpeas are well coated. Place in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. Remove from the oven when chickpeas are crunchy.
- Pour soup into bowls and garnish with maple roasted chickpeas. Serve immediately.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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