This is one of my favorite, versatile soups to make during the late fall & winter.
It’s a staple, because it’s easy to make in the crockpot and it’s versitile.
My two favorite ways to make a meal!
Our friends Ben & Sarah made us a version of this soup when we visited them for our “Fancy Supper Club” nights that my husband and I had with them before we all had babies.
You can be flexible in what winter squash and greens you add to this.
So don’t make a special trip to the grocery store, if you picked up any of these items during your latest farmer’s market run.
Why Source Local Vegetables
Shopping locally, in general, is a good way to build healthy and economically strong communities.
Supporting your local farms at the farmer’s market or by visiting their on-farm stands is even more critical, because doing so keeps small farms in business.
And when you shop locally, you are buying produce that has been more recently harvested than what you buy in the grocery store.
Most produce found in grocery stores has been harvested at least 10 days before it arrives home with you.
And along the way it’s lost key nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
So if you can shop and buy from local farms, you are buying better, more nutrient-dense food for your body.
Common Substitutions
Winter Squash – you can really use any winter squash aside from Spaghetti Squash in this recipe. Your best bet is going to be meaty winter squashes like butternut, kabocha, or any type of pumpkin.
Greens – any winter or late fall green can be used in this soup – kale, dino kale, collard greens, mustard greens, arugula, spinach, chard.
Onions – use whatever you have on hand, white, red, yellow. If you don’t have onions you could use leeks or scallions too.
Apples – use whatever you can find and source locally – green ones, red ones, yellow ones, doesn’t matter!
Winter Squash Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 medium winter squash
- 1/2 cup dried red kidney beans, cooked (or 1-16oz can of red kidney beans, drained)
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 2-4 small or medium onions
- 2-4 apples (enough for 2 cups)
- a bunch of greens
- 4-8 cups of water or vegetable broth (use more or less depending on your desired thickness)
- 1 tsp of each spice: turmeric, cumin, curry powder, black pepper. You can also use ginger, paprika, parsley, thyme, or sage.
- Salt to taste
Directions:
- Cook/Soak 1/2 cup of dried kidney beans ahead of time or use 1-16oz. can in the recipe
- Slice 2 medium winter squash in half (the long way) and scoop out the seeds
- Roast on a baking pan for 45 minutes at 400 degrees in the oven
- While the squash is roasting, chop up your other vegetables
- When the squash is done roasting, peel the skin & add to crockpot
- Add the other chopped ingredients & the beans to the crockpot, alongside 4-8 cups of water or broth (depending on how thick or soup-y you want it).
- Add spices – turmeric, curry powder, cumin, and black pepper. You could also toss in ginger, paprika, or other spices/herbs that you like.
- Cook on low for 8 hours in your crockpot
- Blend with an immersion blender or in a blender
- Serve and enjoy!
Keep reading…
How to Make: Lamb Stew with Fall Veggies
How to Love & Enjoy Root Veggies
Schul Farmstead 
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