Heat the butter and olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the leek, onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the leek and onion have softened. Transfer to a slow cooker/crock pot. Note: if you have a searing slow cooker, you can saute the leeks in it on the stovetop instead of using a frying pan.
Add the pumpkin and liquid chicken stock. Cook for 4 hours on HIGH or 8 hours on LOW (or until the pumpkin has softened).
Use a stick blender to blend until smooth. Add 150ml of the cream and stir through.
Serve the soup with fresh chopped chives and the remaining cream.
Notes
RECIPE NOTES & TIPS:
Always be careful when blending hot soup – keep the stick blender fully submerged to avoid splashes.
For dairy-free, swap cream for coconut milk.
For even quicker prep, microwave the pumpkin chunks for 5 minutes before adding to the slow cooker – this can take 1–2 hours off the cooking time.
Add extra stock if you prefer a thinner soup.
Taste before serving and adjust seasoning – pumpkin sweetness can vary.
Store in the fridge for 3–4 days in an airtight container.
Freeze for up to 3 months – portion into containers for easy reheating.
Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating gently on the stove or in the microwave.
Great for lunchboxes in a thermos – no mess, no fuss.