This comforting, crowd-pleasing appetizer will warm you from head to toe on a cold day. It’s easy to throw together in the crockpot, garnishing at the end and tastes purely delicious!
Presented in miniature tasting bowls, this recipe is fantastic for winter parties – a creamy and savory little dish that’s as delicious as it is charming. I loved how this turned out when we hosted Christmas last year. The presentation is easy and and elegant, and the tasters are full of flavor without stealing room in your belly for the main dish when dinner is served. I’m a big fan of these types of appetizers if you haven’t noticed from previous posts. With all the rich food this time of year, your guests will be thankful for a tasty but lighter fare as an appetizer. I always appreciate a few lighter options at gatherings when they’re available to balance it out and avoid that heavy feeling by the end of the night.
I purchased these little tasters dishes off of amazon last year and they’ve been worth every penny with their versatility and durability. They can be used for appetizers, salads, soups or desserts in small servings and can also go in the microwave and oven. (*the link to purchase the tasters is provided at the bottom of the page, however, I am not being paid to advertise. Just a personal reccommendation because they have become a favorite kitchen item for me).
This butternut squash soup recipe is packed with healthy nutrients, so don’t let the bacon and cheese fool you. Only a small amount of these ingredients are needed for the tasters – just enough to satisfy your tastebuds with that rich, creamy flavor without sitting heavy in your stomach. My toddler-girl loves this combo which thrills mommy as it’s quite the battle to get veggies into her diet these days. It’s a constant battle of wills about what goes into that little body! Perhaps part of her affinity for this soup might pertain to the few unexpected ingredients that create a full-bodied flavor. I added a red bell pepper as well as 2 medium green apples, providing a sweet dimension that also brightens it up with a hint of juicy tartness. The extra depth of flavor really adds to my love for this soup, and with the crockpot doing most of the work for you? I’ve found it to be a winner of a recipe when it comes to ease, taste and presentation! I often make this the day prior to hosting, toss the whole crockpot in the fridge after it cools, then take it out the day of, making it one less thing to prepare. The overnight stay in the fridge also gives the flavors time to marry, making it taste even better the day after.
*Note: Depending on the needs of your guests, this soup is versatile and easy to accommodate for preferences or dietary restrictions whether it be vegetarian, vegan or dairy sensitivity. Make a few easy substitutions such a vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, olive oil instead of butter, and variable toppings. Allocate a number of tasters without goat cheese and bacon and offer croutons for those individuals instead. If you have gluten-free guests that are also both vegetarian and vegan, gluten-free croutons work too. Easily customizable!
Butternut Squash Soup Tasters Recipe
Pre-Crockpot Prep time: 30 min/ Cook Time: 4 hours / Post-Crockpot Prep time: 10 min / Makes about 12-14 tasters – around 1/3 cup each
*note: Pre-crockpot time prep pertains to the long version with peeling/cutting/dicing your apples and veggies. Use the time-saver options to cut down the prep time,
Ingredients:
-1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed/ about 2 1/2 lbs or 6 cups cubed (time-saver: buy pre-packed and chopped squash).
-2 medium green apples, peeled and cored (time-saver: use an apple corer and peeler (*see below for more info on a tool that makes it easy!)
-1 red bell pepper, stem, core and seeds removed, cut in half.
-1/4 an onion, sliced
-2 tbsp butter (substitute olive oil for vegan version)
-2 tsp minced garlic (time-saver: use pre-minced garlic from a jar)
-3/4 tsp salt
-dash pepper
-1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
-1/4 tsp onion powder
-2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
-2 tsp brown sugar
-2 c. chicken broth (substitute vegetable broth for a vegetarian/vegan version)
-2 tbsp c. fat-free half and half (I like the extra creaminess the half and half adds, but can leave out this extra ingredient all together if so desired)
Garnishes:
-5 slices crisp bacon, crumbled (leave out for vegetarian guests and substitute croutons, regular or gluten-free)
-Goat cheese (leave out for dairy-free guests)
-Chopped basil
Instructions:
- Place diced butternut squash into the crockpot. If you are dicing your own, I have found it easiest to chop the ends off first, cut the squash in half length-wise, then cut in half again in the opposite direction to make shorter pieces to work with in peeling. Peel the squash pieces, then dice them into about 1 inch chunks.
- Core, peel and slice/dice apple into medium-sized chunks and add to crockpot.
- Seed and core the bell pepper. Chop in fourths and add to crockpot along with the quarter of an onion.
- Add in remaining ingredients (minus the half and half, bacon, goat cheese and basil).
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours or until soft.
- Cook the bacon just prior to serving for best results. Otherwise, cook it earlier but make sure and to refrigerate it.
- Place softened ingredients in a blender on liquefy until smooth.
- Return ingredients to the crockpot, add the half and half and mix well before serving.
- Fill tasters with about 6 tbsp (or a little over 1/3 cup) and garnish as desired with basil, goat cheese, bacon crumbles and/or croutons as a substitution depending on guest preferences. Time to enjoy the food and company of your guests!
*Apple peeler/corer: This has been one of my favorite kitchen gadgets. I use Pampered Chef brand, but they are easy to find online from various places including Amazon, Williams & Sonoma and Sur La Table. It’s well worth the buy and saves a lot of time! http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-2034437/?affsrcid=AFF0005&utm_term=108593080421_product_type_cooking_tools_product_type_fruit_%26_vegetable_tools_custom&adpos=1o3&creative=45300852101&device=c&matchtype=&network=s&gclid=CL7c-tLR-dACFUtNfgodjN0D_w
*Link for Libbey brand tasting bowls: https://www.amazon.com/Libbey-Tasting-Ceramic-bowls-recipe/dp/B005LVHLY6/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1481922397&sr=1-1&keywords=libbey+tasting+bowls
