Slow Cooker Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup

It's been so chilly around here lately, the perfect weather for a bowl of steaming hot soup.

I actually made this batch for myself, to have during the week for a quick lunch, because I'm trying to eat healthier and get to where I was pre-holidays. 

This is a very easy soup to get going, you can pop everything in, in the morning, then let it cook on low all day long.  I give it a quick whiz with the immersion blender and it's done.

My husband  and children are not very big fans of butternut squash, so I really do make this just for myself to enjoy, and it last quite a while because it makes a pretty big batch.

Thank you to Claire from The Witt Family on Youtube for this wonderful recipe.

Slow Cooker 

Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup

1 Butternut Squash
1 Large Onion, diced
2 to 3 Garlic cloves, chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 cup lentils
1 vegetable stock cube
3.5/4 cups of boiling water ( I used a box of Garden Vegetable Broth, 32 oz. )


 Peel butternut squash, cut in half and remove all seeds.  Cut into chunks and place in a slow cooker.  Add the diced onion, garlic and season well with salt and pepper and paprika.  Add in the cup of lentils, and the vegetable broth.  Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 7 hours.

Once done, use an immersion blender to puree the soup.  Check the seasonings and adjust accordingly.  Enjoy!!!

Zuppa Toscana

By far, my favorite dish from Olive Garden is their Zuppa Toscana, along with those delicious breadsticks.  Yum!

But honestly, I don't always get to Olive Garden, nor do I have the money to go by anytime I crave this soup.  So, I went searching online because as you know, many of the restaurants have copycat recipes out there, and I do have quite a stash of bookmarked favorites to try.

I've been making this soup for a while now, but hadn't had it in a few months, probably a year or so.

Since I picked up some great looking Kale at the grocery store yesterday, it was the perfect time to make another batch.  This recipe comes from Tuscan Recipes.

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana

Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 lb ground Italian sausage
1½ tsp crushed red peppers
1 large diced white onion
4 Tbsp bacon pieces
2 tsp garlic puree
10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
¼ of a bunch of kale

Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.

In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.

Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.

Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.

Add the heavy cream and just cook until thoroughly heated.

Stir in the sausage and the kale, let all heat through and serve.


Note: This recipe makes enough for our family of four, and I still have 2 mason jars with leftover soup for midweek lunches :)