Home Recipes Ingredients Vegetables Squash
Caroline StankoUpdated: Jan. 31, 2024
When it starts getting chilly out, the easiest way to enjoy winter squash and pumpkin is right in your slow cooker! Get cozy with recipes for soups, bread puddings and more that will warm your bones without extra fuss in the kitchen.
1/28
Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup
I got this golden soup recipe from a friend. Sometimes I add a few slices of red pepper to change up the flavor a bit. —Pat Roberts, Thornton, Ontario
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2/28
Spaghetti Squash with Tomatoes and Olives
This squash is outstanding as a side dish, but you can also top it with canned tuna to create a simple, healthy main dish. It's easy and so tasty! I like to use my own canned tomatoes for the best flavor. —Carol Chase, Sioux City, Iowa
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3/28
Sausage, Kale and Squash Bread Pudding
Who said bread pudding has to be for dessert? I love to serve this for brunch or dinner when I want something hearty and a little unusual. —Lauren Knoelke, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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4/28
Butternut Squash and Barley Soup
I love to use my garden produce in this veggie-packed soup. Serve it with bread or oatmeal dinner rolls and you have a delicious, healthy dinner. —Julie Sloan, Osceola, Indiana
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5/28
Spicy Pork and Butternut Squash Ragu
This recipe is a marvelously spicy combo that's perfect for cooler fall weather and satisfying after a day spent outdoors. —Monica Osterhaus, Paducah, Kentucky
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6/28
Italian Spaghetti Squash
This is a unique and easy way to cook and freeze spaghetti squash. Be sure the squash is on the small or medium side so that it fits into the slow cooker after being cut in half. —Melissa Brooks, Sparta, Wisconsin
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7/28
When I've got a lot going on, my slow cooker is my go-to tool for cooking veggies. The sweetness of the squash and carrots really complements the spicy seasonings. —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas
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8/28
Pumpkin Pie Pudding
My husband loves anything pumpkin, and this creamy, comforting pumpkin pudding recipe is one of his favorites. We make our easy pudding all year long, but it's especially nice in the fall. —Andrea Schaak, Bloomington, Minnesota
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9/28
Butternut Squash with Whole Grains
Fresh thyme really shines in this hearty slow-cooked side dish featuring tender butternut squash, nutritious whole grain pilaf and vitamin-packed baby spinach. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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10/28
Fresh Pumpkin Soup
This appealing soup harvests the fall flavors of just-picked pumpkins and tart apples and is sure to warm you up on a crisp autumn day. I top the creamy puree with a sprinkling of toasted pumpkin seeds. —Jane Shapton, Irvine, California
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11/28
My husband and I are crazy for the squash we grow in our garden. For a sweet and tangy dish, we slow-cook it with pork chops and orange juice. —Mary Johnson, Coloma, Wisconsin
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12/28
Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal
There's nothing like a bowl of warm oatmeal in the morning, and my spiced version works in a slow cooker. Store leftovers in the fridge. —Jordan Mason, Brookville, Pennsylvania
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13/28
Black Bean 'n' Pumpkin Chili
My family is crazy about this slow cooker chili because it uses ingredients you don't usually find in chili. Believe it or not, I discovered that pumpkin is what makes the dish so special. Cook up a big batch and freeze some for later; it tastes even better reheated. —Deborah Vliet, Holland, Michigan
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14/28
Spiced Acorn Squash
Working full time, I found I didn't always have time to cook the meals my family loved, so I re-created many of those dishes in the slow cooker. This treatment for squash is one of our favorites. —Carol Greco, Centereach, New York
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15/28
Slow-Cooker Butternut Squash Soup
Much of the work for this soup can be done in advance, and it keeps all day in the slow cooker. The recipe can easily be doubled if you’re feeding a crowd. Once you’ve tried it, try mixing it up—add sage or savory with the thyme, or replace the thyme with nutmeg. For a vegan version, replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth. —Jennifer Machado, Alta, California
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16/28
Butternut Coconut Curry
I love my slow cooker because it's so easy to make dinner with one! This flavorful curry was first created for a potluck, and since then the recipe has been requested often.—Jess Apfe, Berkeley, California
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17/28
Autumn Pumpkin Chili
We have this turkey pumpkin chili often because everyone loves it, even the most finicky grandchildren. It’s a definite keeper in my book! —Kimberly Nagy, Port Hadlock, Washington
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18/28
Pumpkin Cranberry Bread Pudding
Savor your favorite fall flavors with this scrumptious bread pudding, served warm with a sweet vanilla sauce. Yum! —Judith Bucciarelli, Johnson, New York
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19/28
We created a satisfying stew that’s nutritious, loaded with flavor and family-friendly. Slowly simmer chicken thighs with stewed tomatoes, butternut squash, green peppers and onion for meal-in-one convenience. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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20/28
Butternut Squash Soup with Cinnamon
The golden color, smooth and creamy texture, and wonderful taste of this soup make it welcome on a chilly fall day. It has a slightly tangy flavor from the cream cheese, and the cinnamon really comes through. —Jackie Campbell, Stanhope, New Jersey
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21/28
Moroccan Vegetable Chicken Tagine
Take a trip to Morocco with this rich, exotic dish. A tagine is a North African slow-cooked stew named after the pot it’s cooked in.—Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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22/28
Vegetable Lentil Soup
Here’s a healthy slow-cooker soup that's ideal for vegetarians and those watching their weight. Butternut squash and lentils make it hearty, while herbs and other veggies round out the flavor. —Mark Morgan, Waterford, Wisconsin
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23/28
Slow-Cooker Curry Pork
I’m a stay-at-home mom, and the slow cooker helps me create dishes like this pork with a curry and cumin rub. I also add a splash of coconut milk. —Beverly Peychal, Waukesha, Wisconsin
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24/28
25/28
Squash and Lentil Lamb Stew
My family lived in New Zealand many years ago. Every Sunday my mother made a lamb stew—it was Dad's favorite! I changed the recipe to suit my family's more modern palates, but it still seems just as exotic and delicious. —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada
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26/28
Brown Rice and Vegetables
This filling rice dish, full of big chunks of butternut squash and sweet potatoes, is a standout combination of sweet and savory flavors. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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27/28
Pumpkin-Lentil Soup
I was really craving a hot delicious soup—something filling and healthy. I looked around my kitchen for a few ingredients, then created this recipe. Pumpkin adds creamy richness and body. —Amy Blom, Marietta, Georgia
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28/28
Loaded Vegetable Beef Stew
I first had this dish during a trip to Argentina a few years ago. It inspired me to recreate it at home. It turned out so well, I wrote "Yum!" on the recipe card! —Kari Caven, Post Falls, Idaho
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Originally Published: September 25, 2018
Caroline Stanko
Caroline has been with Taste of Home for the past seven years, working in both print and digital. After starting as an intern for the magazine and special interest publication teams, Caroline was hired as the third-ever digital editor for Taste of Home. Since then, she has researched, written and edited content on just about every topic the site covers, including cooking techniques, buzzy food news, gift guides and many, many recipe collections. Caroline also acts as the editorial lead for video, working with the Test Kitchen, videographers and social media team to produce videos from start to finish.When she’s not tip-tapping on a keyboard, Caroline is probably mixing up a killer co*cktail, reading a dog-eared library book or cooking up a multi-course feast (sometimes all at once). Though she technically lives in Milwaukee, there is a 50/50 chance Caroline is in Chicago or southwest Michigan visiting her close-knit family.