How to make Butternut Squash in the Slow Cooker
Posted: 10/27/2014
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Learn how to make butternut squash in the slow cooker and you might not ever use any other method! Easy and no peeling required!
Did ya know you can make butternut squash in the slow cooker, aka the CrockPot?
No?
Well, you can.
Picture this scenario —
Throw a butternut squash in the slow cooker when you leave for work in the morning (it will literally take 2 minutes or less). Come home to a cooked squash. Scrape the flesh out, mix with a few simple ingredients and enjoy butternut squash bisque for dinner. Or use it as a healthy side dish.
Either way, it doesn’t involve PEELING THE DANG 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.
Here are the steps:
- Wash the squash. This might not even be necessary if you aren’t type-A and crazy like me, but I’d recommend it. Always wash the outside of your fruits and vegetables, even if you don’t eat the peelings. Because when you cut into something dirty, the dirt goes inside. That’s my two cents. Anywayyyys, off my soapbox and onto step 2.
- Wrap the whole squash in foil OR line slow cooker with foil for easy clean-up.
- Put the squash in the slow cooker.
- Cook for four to six hours on low, six to eight hours on high.
That’s it!!!! Once the squash is done cooking, all you have to do is slice that baby open, remove the seeds, and scoop out the flesh.
If you’re looking for different ways to cook squash, check out this comprehensive 17+ Winter Squash Recipes and Ultimate Squash Cooking Guide. Everything you ever needed to know and more!
Wondering what to make with the cooked squash?
Gotcha covered, keep reading for some recipe ideas:
- Butternut Squash Mash with Smoked Paprika (just add the smoked paprika & other ingredients to the squash flesh after taking it out of the peel)
- Quinoa, Kale and Bacon Stuffed Butternut Squash (skip step one – use the slow cooker cooked butternut squash instead)
- Shortcut Squash Soup (sub in this squash for the frozen puree
- This would be a great way to prep butternut squash for homemade baby food!
- Butternut Squash Bread
- Stir some into your kids’ mac & cheese. They’ll never know.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Learn how to make butternut squash in the slow cooker and you might not ever use any other method! Easy and no peeling required!
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash, washed
Instructions
- Wrap whole squash in aluminum foil (or line slow cooker with foil).
- Place the squash in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours or until tender when pierced with a fork.
- Unwrap (carefully), scoop out seeds and discard. Then scoop out flesh and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1of 4, Calories: 21kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Sodium: 2mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
araucano says
Hello:
A very smart way to skin the cat and the squash,I love it because the
time does not matter,right? araucano.
Rachel Gurk says
Yes! It’s a very forgiving way to cook squash.
Anja says
No need for aluminum foil! Just throw it in there. Also works great with sweet potatoes. Yummy! I just add butter and a little brown sugar to either one of those.
Rachel Gurk says
I find that the squash sometimes lets out some juices so I like to at least line the slow cooker with aluminum foil so it doesn’t burn on, but you can absolutely do it without. Brown sugar and butter is so delicious on squash!
CiaoFlorentina says
Who knew ? Note to self: buy slow-cooker and make butternut squash.
Olivia @ livforcake says
I love how easy this is. Thank you!!
Mom says
Do you think it would work with a pie pumpkin? I’m going to try it.
Rachel Gurk says
Absolutely!
ATasteOfMadness says
I really need to get a slow cooker!!
Des @ Life's Ambrosia says
I have a new found love for butternut squash and I never would’ve thought to do it in the slow cooker! Genius!
Monica says
Awesome idea! Do you know if it would work with spaghetti or acorn squashes? How did you figure the cooking time?
amanda @ fake ginger says
I’ve had a bnut squash on my counter for a solid 2 weeks because I’ve been dreading cutting it (why is that so hard?!) so I’m totally doing this.
denise says
so easy! I do baked potatoes in the slow cooker sometimes, too.
Nutmeg+Nanny says
This is so easy! I would probably skip washing the squash since I like to live my life on the edge :)
Sues says
Awesome idea! I bet it would make my kitchen/house smell so amazing :)
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says
I eat squash ALMOST everyday. And everyday I have to tell myself that it’s deliciousness is worth almost chopping my hands off to take the skin off.
You basically just saved my limbs and my taste buds thank you. Pinned!
Colleen+@+What's+Baking+in+the+Barbershop?! says
I NEED to try this! This is amazing! Cutting and peeling butternut squash is one of the worst tasks. Thank you for this genius idea :)
Becca from It's Yummi! says
This idea is brilllllliant! Seriously! I get my organic produce delivered to my house and last week, they dropped off a 5 pound butternut squash. It’s been sitting on my kitchen table, waiting for me to buy a battle axe to chop it with! My kitchen knives are never getting through that thing while it’s raw. You just saved me from needing stitches, Rach!