Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: Once you learn how to make crockpot butternut squash, you might not use any other method. It’s so easy and you don’t even have to peel it!

How long it takes: about 4 hours
Equipment you’ll need: slow cooker
Servings: 1 squash

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Crockpot butternut squash, half still in peel, half in bowl.

Did you know you can make butternut squash in the slow cooker? Picture this scenario: Throw a whole butternut squash in the crockpot when you leave for work in the morning. It will literally take you 2 minutes or less to prep (you don’t even have to cut it in half). Come home to a perfectly cooked squash.

The best part is that it doesn’t involve peeling the squash which just might be one of my least favorite kitchen tasks. It’s tedious, sticky, and a bit dangerous!

So do you want to know how to make butternut squash in the slow cooker? It’s ridiculously easy. (P.S. You can use the same method to cook other types of squash. Try slow cooker spaghetti squash!)

Easy Crockpot Butternut Squash

The easiest way to cook a tricky vegetable. Throwing the squash in the crockpot eliminates all the fuss.

Tender, delicious squash. Once the squash is done, scoop out the seeds, scrape the flesh out, mix with a few simple ingredients, and enjoy butternut squash soup for dinner. Even easier, mash it for a healthy side dish: savory or sweet mashed squash. You can also use butternut squash purée as a substitute for pumpkin purée (canned pumpkin) in any recipe.

Frees up your oven space. If you’re prepping for a holiday or a dinner party, roasting butternut squash the traditional way takes up valuable real estate in the oven. Make crockpot butternut squash and your oven is free for making that herb roasted turkey breast!

Recipe Tip

I like to line the slow cooker with foil before adding the butternut squash. This makes cleanup a breeze!

Cooked butternut squash in a large white bowl.

Ingredient Notes

Butternut squash: That’s it! Make sure the squash is a size and shape that will fit in your crockpot. If I find that the squash is a teeny bit too large when I get home, I simply slice or crack the stem off and that usually solves the problem.

How to Make Crockpot Butternut Squash

Prepare. Wash the squash well, then set it in the slow cooker (see recipe tip above). You don’t have to remove the stem or bottom unless you need to to make the squash fit in your crockpot, nor do you have to cut the squash and scoop out the seeds. Just put the whole squash in there!

Unpeeled, whole butternut squash standing up in front of a white crockpot.

Whole butternut squash in a foil-lined crockpot.

Cook. Cover the slow cooker and turn it on. You can cook the squash on high for 3 to 4 hours, or on low for 6 to 8 hours. Choose whatever works best with your schedule.

Check the squash. Once the time has elapsed, you’ll want to check to make sure the squash is done. I test it by piercing the top part of the squash with a fork. If the fork goes in easily and the squash feels tender, you’ll know it’s ready to eat.

Finish. Use oven mitts or a kitchen towel to remove the butternut squash from the crockpot. Set it on a cutting board. I let the squash cool a little bit before handling it much. Using a large sharp knife, slice squash in half from stem to end. Scoop out the seeds, then scoop the flesh from the skin. (Technically, butternut squash skin is edible, but I don’t find it very pleasant to eat. It’s tougher than delicata or acorn squash skin.)

Learn how to cook butternut squash more than 4 ways! Slow cooker, Instant Pot, roasted in cubes, roasted in half, and more!

More About Butternut Squash

There are many ways to cook butternut squash. This post will give you more information butternut squash, with basic squash how-to’s, including how to prep a squash and how to store squash. It includes oven roasting, either halved or cubed, and pressure cooking in your Instant Pot, along with cooking it in a slow cooker.

How To Cook Squash

Butternut Squash Serving Ideas

Add a pat of butter, season with salt and pepper (or maple syrup and cinnamon), and eat it as a simple side dish.
Make quinoa, kale and bacon stuffed butternut squash (instead of baking the squash as instructed, use the slow cooker cooked butternut squash instead).
Substitute the cooked squash for pumpkin in homemade pumpkin pie, pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, pumpkin curry soup, and more.
Mashed squash is perfect for baby food. Purée it so it’s super smooth if baby isn’t quite ready for texture. Freeze the puréed squash in an ice cube tray, then pop the cubes in a freezer bag.
Stir crockpot butternut squash into your kids’ mac & cheese. They’ll never know!

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate: Transfer the squash to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Freeze: This crockpot butternut squash is great for freezing! You can keep it on hand for an easy side dish or to use as a substitute for canned pumpkin. I store it in freezer bags; press out all the air and lay them flat in the freezer so you can stack them. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw the bags in the refrigerator or a bowl of hot water before reheating.

Reheat: The best way to warm up this crockpot butternut squash is in the microwave. If you use the stovetop, I recommend adding a splash of water or broth to thin it out a bit.

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