These cozy crockpot soups for fall bring together tender vegetables, hearty proteins, and rich broths for easy dinners on crisp autumn evenings.

When cool evenings start making soup sound far more exciting than another hurried skillet dinner, these cozy crockpot soups for fall are exactly what I want simmering away in my kitchen!

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Cozy Crockpot Soups for Fall

1. Creamy Crockpot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Servings: 6

This is one of those soups that tastes as though considerably more work happened in your kitchen than actually did!

Chicken becomes tender enough to pull apart with a fork, wild rice turns pleasantly chewy and nutty, carrots bring a little sweetness, and thyme and rosemary perfume broth without making everything taste like you accidentally emptied your spice cabinet into dinner.

I prefer chicken thighs here because they stay juicy during long cooking, especially if your slow cooker runs a little hot.

Cream goes in near end so it stays smooth, while a small cornstarch slurry gives broth just enough body to cling to chicken and vegetables without turning soup into gravy.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed well
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 3 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more if needed
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cool water
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

How to Make It

Add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and rinsed wild rice to a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker, then place chicken thighs on top rather than burying them at bottom.

Pour in chicken broth and sprinkle thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper over everything before adding bay leaves.

Give vegetables and rice a gentle stir around chicken, but you do not need to fuss with arranging things perfectly. Your slow cooker is not judging your plating skills!

Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or HIGH for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, checking toward earlier end of cooking range because both wild rice and slow cookers vary quite a bit.

Rice should be tender but still have a little chew, vegetables should yield easily when pierced with a fork, and chicken should reach 165°F in its thickest portion before you shred it. USDA lists 165°F as safe minimum internal temperature for poultry.

Transfer chicken to a plate and shred it with two forks. Do not shred it into tiny threads!

I like pieces about bite-size because they stay noticeably juicy and give every spoonful some substance. Return shredded chicken to slow cooker and discard bay leaves.

Stir cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cool water until completely smooth, because tossing dry cornstarch directly into hot soup is an excellent way to manufacture little white lumps nobody ordered.

Stir slurry into soup, pour in heavy cream, cover again, and cook on HIGH for 15 to 20 minutes, just until broth looks lightly creamy and slightly thicker.

Stir in lemon juice and parsley right before serving, then taste. This last little hit of acidity matters more than it sounds!

Creamy soup can become heavy tasting after several spoonfuls, while lemon wakes up chicken, herbs, and vegetables without making soup taste lemony.

Add another pinch of salt or black pepper only after tasting because broth brands vary quite a lot in sodium.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this with warm sourdough, garlic bread, flaky biscuits, or a simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette.

If you want something extra on top, add cracked black pepper, fresh parsley, or a little grated Parmesan.

2. Crockpot Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Servings: 6

Butternut squash and apple belong in a fall soup together because each one fixes what other one can sometimes lack.

Squash brings velvety body and mellow sweetness, while a tart apple brings brightness, so finished soup tastes rounded rather than sugary. Fresh ginger gives it a gentle little kick, sage makes it savory, and coconut milk adds a silky finish without covering up squash.

I strongly recommend using a tart apple such as Granny Smith or Pink Lady rather than a very sweet variety.

You want apple quietly working in background, not announcing itself like you accidentally turned lunch into applesauce!

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds peeled and cubed butternut squash
• 1 large tart apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 cup unsweetened canned coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup, optional
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Pumpkin seeds, for serving

How to Make It

Add butternut squash, apple, onion, carrots, garlic, ginger, vegetable broth, sage, thyme, cinnamon, salt, and pepper to your slow cooker, then stir everything once so seasonings are distributed through broth.

Keep cinnamon modest here. More is not necessarily more! You should notice warm spice in background, but your soup should never start reminding you of pie filling.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until squash and carrots are completely tender. Test a larger squash cube with a fork. It should practically collapse when pressed.

Do not rush this point because undercooked squash gives blended soup a faintly grainy texture, while properly softened squash becomes wonderfully silky.

Before blending, spoon out about 1 cup broth and reserve it. This tiny step gives you control over texture because you can always add liquid back, while trying to remove too much broth after blending is considerably less fun!

Blend soup directly in Crockpot with an immersion blender until smooth, moving blender around bottom and corners rather than holding it in one spot.

If using a countertop blender, work carefully in batches according to your blender manufacturer’s directions for hot liquids.

Stir coconut milk into blended soup, then add maple syrup only after tasting. Some squash is naturally much sweeter than others, so adding maple automatically can push flavor too far.

I often find one tablespoon is plenty, and sometimes I skip it altogether.

Finish with apple cider vinegar, stir well, and taste again. If soup feels too thick, add reserved broth a few tablespoons at a time until it falls slowly from your spoon rather than sitting on it like mashed potatoes.

Let everything heat together on HIGH for another 10 to 15 minutes, then serve hot.

Serving Suggestions

Top each bowl with toasted pumpkin seeds, cracked pepper, a swirl of coconut milk, or a few fresh sage leaves.

Grilled cheese, turkey sandwiches, crusty bread, or an apple walnut salad all work beautifully alongside it.

3. Crockpot Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup

Servings: 6

This one is rich, savory, peppery, and full of chunky Yukon Gold potatoes that turn tender while keeping their shape.

Italian sausage brings plenty of seasoning before you even reach for spice jar, kale softens into broth without disappearing completely, and a modest amount of cream gives you that velvety restaurant-style finish without converting six bowls of soup into six bowls of cream sauce.

Browning sausage before it goes into slow cooker is one step I would not skip.

Yes, Crockpot can technically cook sausage, but browning develops those caramelized little edges and renders excess fat, which means more flavor and a cleaner finished broth. Five extra minutes at stove earns its keep here!

Ingredients

• 1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed if needed
• 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or less to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bunch kale, tough stems removed and leaves roughly chopped, about 4 packed cups
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

How to Make It

Place sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it into bite-size crumbles as it browns.

I like some pieces larger than others because tiny perfectly uniform sausage crumbs disappear into soup, while slightly bigger crumbles actually give you something flavorful to bite into. Drain excess grease, leaving only enough clinging to sausage to carry flavor.

Transfer browned sausage to slow cooker, then add potatoes, onion, garlic, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Stir once, cover, and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours.

Start checking potatoes toward earlier end of range. You want a fork to slide into center without resistance, but potatoes should still hold together when stirred.

Don’t skip this check because another hour can be difference between lovely potato chunks and an accidental potato puree lurking inside sausage soup.

Once potatoes are tender, stir in kale a handful at a time. It will look like an unreasonable amount for approximately thirty seconds, then wilt down dramatically, as kale tends to do after making a very theatrical entrance.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes, until leaves become tender and bright dark green.

Reduce slow cooker to LOW, stir in heavy cream and Parmesan, then allow soup to heat for another 10 minutes without letting it aggressively bubble. Stir in lemon juice right before serving and taste for salt.

Parmesan and sausage both contribute saltiness, so seasoning cautiously at beginning protects you from a bowl that tastes like it took a swim in seawater.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with toasted ciabatta, garlic knots, focaccia, or a chopped Caesar salad.

For topping, try grated Parmesan, cracked black pepper, red pepper flakes, or a few crisp pieces of cooked bacon if dinner needs a little showing off.

4. Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Servings: 6

This final soup brings a completely different personality to your fall dinner rotation!

Broth is smoky, tomato-rich, lightly spicy, and loaded with shredded chicken, black beans, sweet corn, peppers, and warm cumin.

Then comes fun part: avocado, lime, cheese, cilantro, and crunchy tortilla strips, which means everyone can make their own bowl as restrained or gloriously overloaded as they please.

Chipotle pepper is what makes this version especially good. A small amount gives broth smoke and slow warmth without turning dinner into a spice endurance test.

Don’t skip lime at end either. Tomato, beans, and cumin all taste noticeably brighter once fresh acidity arrives.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from can
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Juice of 1 large lime
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

For Serving

• Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
• Diced avocado
• Shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar
• Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• Fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges
• Sliced jalapeño

How to Make It

Scatter onion, bell pepper, garlic, black beans, corn, fire-roasted tomatoes, and tomatoes with green chiles through slow cooker, then place chicken breasts over vegetables.

Pour chicken broth around chicken and add chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir broth around chicken without worrying about completely submerging every piece.

Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or HIGH for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Start checking chicken near earlier end because lean chicken breast can go from beautifully tender to stringy if left cooking far longer than necessary. Chicken should reach 165°F internally before shredding.

Transfer chicken to a cutting board, let it sit for a couple of minutes so it is easier to handle, then shred it into fairly chunky pieces using two forks. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir everything gently.

At this point broth should smell smoky and savory, corn should still have a little bite, and beans should be tender without falling apart.

Stir in lime juice and chopped cilantro, then taste before adding anything else. If tomato flavor seems slightly sharp, give soup another 10 minutes on LOW before adjusting seasoning because heat mellows that edge.

If you want more smoke, add another teaspoon of adobo sauce rather than another entire chipotle pepper. That gives you far more control over heat, and your dinner guests can keep speaking to you afterward!

Ladle soup into bowls while piping hot and add toppings immediately. Crunchy tortilla strips should go on last so they stay crisp rather than quietly dissolving while you hunt for avocado.

Serving Suggestions

I would serve this one with warm cornbread, cheese quesadillas, Mexican-style rice, or a simple avocado salad.

For a casual dinner, put toppings in little bowls and let everyone finish their own serving with avocado, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, lime, jalapeño, and plenty of tortilla strips.

These crockpot soups for fall are exactly why I love handing dinner over to a slow cooker once cooler weather arrives!

Hungry for more feel-good meals? Explore these 21 Anti-Inflammatory Breakfast Recipes for a nourishing start and 10 Anti-Inflammatory Dinner Recipes for delicious evenings that make healthy eating easy!