Have you ever had one of those moments when a simple trick makes life so much easier you wonder how you managed before? That was me this week when I discovered how easy it is to cook butternut squash in the crockpot. It’s a small change with big payoff: set it and forget it, then use the already-cooked squash in a dozen different meals.
Cooking butternut squash in the slow cooker saves time and effort. Instead of wrestling with a hard squash and long oven times, you can pop a foil-wrapped squash into the crockpot and let it cook while you get on with your day. By dinner you’ll have tender squash ready to be turned into soups, bowls, smoothies, enchiladas, or any recipe that calls for cooked squash.
This guide is less of a formal recipe and more of a quick, practical how-to. Follow these steps and you’ll always have cooked butternut squash on hand to streamline meal prep.
Step 1: Cover the butternut squash in foil.
Wrap the whole squash tightly in aluminum foil. This keeps moisture in and prevents direct heat contact inside the slow cooker.
Step 2: Place the foil-wrapped squash in the crockpot and cook.
Cook on low for 6–8 hours or on high for 3–4 hours, depending on the squash size. Larger squashes may need the longer time on low. The slow cooker does the work with minimal cleanup — you’ll likely see only a small amount of liquid left behind.
The squash shown here was cooked on high for three hours; you can see just a little cooking liquid left in the crockpot.
Step 3: Let the squash cool and remove the foil.
Allow the squash to rest until it’s cool enough to handle. Remove the foil carefully — steam will escape, so use tongs or oven mitts.
Step 4: Remove the top stem.
Trim off the stem so the squash is easier to halve and scoop.
Step 5: Cut the squash lengthwise.
Cutting is far easier once the squash is cooked — the flesh will be tender and slice smoothly. Carefully halve the squash from stem to base.
Step 6: Scoop out the seeds.
Use a spoon to remove the seeds and any stringy bits. The flesh is now ready to be mashed, pureed, scooped into recipes, or stored for later use.
What to make with cooked butternut squash
Once you have pre-cooked squash, the possibilities are many. Here are a few ideas that work especially well:
- Butternut squash rice bowl — combine squash with grains, greens, and a dressing for a quick, nourishing meal.
- Butternut squash soup with ginger and lime — puree the cooked squash with broth, aromatics, and a bright finish for a flavorful soup.
- Butternut squash smoothie — blend squash into a creamy, spiced smoothie sweetened with dates or maple syrup.
- Vegan butternut squash and white bean enchiladas — use the squash as a hearty filling in layered enchiladas with beans and spices.
Having cooked squash on hand speeds up weeknight dinners and opens up easy prep for soups, bowls, baked dishes, and drinks. You can mash or puree the flesh and refrigerate it for a few days, or freeze portions for longer storage.
Enjoy your butternut squash! If you have favorite recipes or variations you like to make with pre-cooked squash, try them next time or keep a jar of mashed squash in the fridge for quick, healthy additions to meals.