Enjoy this vibrant, tasty Zucchini Soup any time of year.
When I was growing up, my dad kept a good-sized vegetable garden in our backyard. While the tomatoes, green beans, and peppers all produced a tidy crop that we could use ourselves, the zucchini was, shall we say, overabundant. Our zucchini plants would seemingly try to outdo themselves each year. My dad would share with neighbors, and we would make zucchini stir-fries, zucchini bread, and even zucchini pancakes. At one point, he started just leaving random zucchini on our neighbors’ porches like some sort of vegetable fairy. If you have a bumper crop of zucchini or you just like zucchini, here is a great way to use them.
Zucchini soup is great because you don’t have to peel the zucchini. The peel gives this soup its lovely bright green color. And, bonus: zucchini is healthy and tastes great!
Zucchini soup is the perfect way to use fresh zucchini, or, if you’re not a soup person in the summer, you can freeze it and enjoy a dose of summer a few months later. It’s easy to make and can be a light lunch on its own or a lovely side to a larger meal.
Choosing zucchini
If you’re not a gardener or don’t have a generous neighbor like my dad who grows more zucchini than he knows what to do with, you’ll likely be picking yours up at the supermarket or a local farm stand. So, what exactly should you be looking for?
For this recipe, aim for medium-sized zucchini, ideally no longer than six to eight inches. Smaller zucchini tend to be more tender and flavorful, while larger ones can be watery or have tough seeds. Give each one a gentle squeeze; they should feel firm, dense, and heavy for their size, with no soft or mushy spots. Remember that firmness is a good indicator of freshness. The skin should be unblemished and a rich, dark green color. The skin should not be wrinkly.
How do I store leftovers?
Once your soup is cooled, you can ladle it into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days. Or, you can freeze it for up to 3 months. If reheating from frozen, let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
Serving suggestions
If enjoying zucchini soup on its own as a main, consider serving it alongside Lentil Salad and/or Focaccia. While tomato soup often gets top billing next to Grilled Cheese, try swapping it out for zucchini soup! It is also a lovely starter to a meal like Three-Cheese Lasagna for larger gatherings.
Zucchini Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 medium zucchinis chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4-5 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 cup heavy cream optional
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Fresh herbs for garnish such as parsley or basil
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic, sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add chopped zucchini, dried oregano, and dried thyme to the pot and cook for another 5 minutes. Pour in 4 cups vegetable broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth. If using a regular blender, allow the soup to cool slightly and blend in batches.
- Return the blended soup to the pot. Stir in the lemon juice and heavy cream (if using), and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add more broth if it needs to be thinned out. Heat through.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot. Garnish with fresh herbs and grated Parmesan.
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