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A bowl of creamy slow cooker pumpkin soup with a spoon, surrounded by breadsticks on a slate board. A dish of chopped green onions, a bottle of oil, and an orange napkin are also visible. Text overlay reads: Cosy, creamy, and easy. Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup.

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup

A silky, comforting slow cooker pumpkin soup made with roasted pumpkin, red lentils, apple, and warming spices. Gluten-free, plant-based, and spoonie-friendly: perfect for cold days when you need warmth without the effort.
This recipe blends cosy British-style comfort cooking with the creamy pumpkin soups of American autumns, then invites gentle twists from Hungarian and Italian kitchens.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • Slow cooker (3.5–6 L capacity) any size that comfortably fits around 1½ litres of soup.
  • Cutting board and sharp knife for chopping onion, garlic, apple, and pumpkin (if you’re not using pre-cut or roasted pieces).
  • Vegetable peeler optional, if peeling fresh pumpkin or apple.
  • Scales
  • Blender or stick blender for creating that silky, creamy texture once everything’s cooked.
  • Wooden spoon or spatula to stir and scrape the sides.
  • Ladle for serving or transferring portions to storage containers.
  • Heatproof containers with lids if you plan to store or freeze portions for later.

Ingredients
  

  • 700-800 g roasted pumpkin peeled weight
  • 180 g red lentils about 1 cup
  • 1 medium apple peeled and chopped
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 4-5 cloves garlic
  • 2-3 cm fresh ginger grated (or about 1½ tsp ground ginger)
  • 3 tsp tikka masala spice mix
  • 1 litre water or vegetable stock
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  1. Add everything except seasoning to the slow cooker.
  2. Cook on Low for 6–7 hours or High for 3–4 hours, until lentils are soft.
  3. Blend until creamy (either with a stick blender directly in the pot or in batches).
  4. Adjust seasoning, and thin slightly with a splash more hot stock or water if needed.

Notes

Spoonie notes:
  • Most of the cooking time is completely passive. Your slow cooker does all the work while you rest, read, or warm your hands around a cup of tea.
  • Use pre-chopped frozen onion, minced garlic from a jar, tinned pumpkin purée, or ready-cut squash. The soup will still be every bit as comforting.
This recipe is the first in the mini series The Gentle Art of Winter Cooking, a celebration of spoonie-friendly, easy, and nourishing dishes that provide warmth and comfort on cold days.
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