Description
This Easy Homemade Crock-Pot Vegetable Soup is a wholesome and hearty soup packed with a variety of fresh vegetables simmered slowly to develop rich flavors. Perfect for a comforting meal, this recipe combines butternut squash, cauliflower, bell pepper, zucchini, and spinach with fire-roasted tomatoes and aromatic herbs, cooked effortlessly in a slow cooker.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 2 cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes with garlic (14.5 oz each)
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 bay leaves
- Sea salt, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Vegetables
- 2 cups butternut squash, cut into 3/4 inch cubes (about 1/2 a small squash)
- 2 ribs celery, sliced
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 large carrot, sliced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 large zucchini, sliced and halved
- 1 head garlic
- 1 6 oz bag fresh spinach
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley, diced
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- Combine ingredients: Add all ingredients except the garlic, spinach, and parsley into a large slow cooker (7 quarts recommended). Season with sea salt to taste, ensuring everything is evenly combined.
- Prepare garlic: Cut off the top of the garlic head to expose the tips of the cloves. Rub the exposed tips with olive oil, then wrap the whole garlic head tightly in aluminum foil.
- Add garlic to soup: Place the wrapped garlic packet into the center of the soup mixture in the slow cooker.
- Cook soup: Set the slow cooker on HIGH and cook until all the vegetables are fork-tender, approximately 3 hours (range 2 to 4 hours depending on your slow cooker).
- Wilt spinach: Remove the bay leaves from the soup. Stir in the fresh spinach and diced parsley, then set the slow cooker to LOW. Cook for another 30 minutes to 1 hour until the spinach is completely wilted.
- Incorporate garlic: Carefully remove the foil-wrapped garlic from the soup. Squeeze the softened garlic cloves out of the skins and finely dice them. Stir the desired amount into the soup, adjusting the seasoning if needed.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and enjoy warm, optionally garnished with extra parsley or a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth to make the soup fully vegetarian.
- Cooking times in slow cookers vary, so check vegetable tenderness after 2 hours if in a hurry.
- For a smoother texture, blend a portion of the soup before adding the spinach.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Adjust seasoning at the end, especially salt and pepper, to taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3.5 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: vegetable soup, crock-pot soup, slow cooker vegetable soup, healthy soup recipe, easy soup recipe, butternut squash soup, hearty vegetable soup
