Light Summer Zucchini Soup (Printable)

Light, silky zucchini soup with fresh herbs, lemon zest, and optional cream. Ready in 40 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 4 medium zucchinis (approximately 1.75 pounds), sliced
05 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
06 - 1 stalk celery, chopped

→ Liquids

07 - 4 cups vegetable broth
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut milk, optional for creaminess

→ Herbs and Seasonings

09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
11 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
14 - Zest of 1/2 lemon

→ Garnish

15 - Extra fresh herbs, finely chopped
16 - Drizzle of olive oil or swirl of heavy cream

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and celery, sautéing for 4 minutes until softened and translucent.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent browning.
03 - Stir in sliced zucchini and diced potato. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer partially covered for 15 minutes until all vegetables are very tender.
05 - Remove pot from heat. Add chopped parsley, basil, thyme, and lemon zest, stirring to combine.
06 - Blend the soup using an immersion blender until smooth and silky, or transfer in batches to a blender and process until desired consistency is achieved.
07 - Stir in cream or coconut milk if desired. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Reheat gently over low heat if necessary. Ladle into bowls and serve hot or chilled, garnished with fresh herbs and a light drizzle of olive oil or cream.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in 40 minutes flat, which means you can go from craving soup to actually eating it without drama.
  • The texture is impossibly creamy without being heavy, so you feel nourished rather than stuffed.
  • It tastes better the next day, which means weeknight leftovers become a genuine treat.
02 -
  • Don't skip blending this thoroughly, because underblended soup tastes grainy and broken instead of silky and unified.
  • If your zucchinis are particularly watery, remove them from the heat after cooking and let the pot sit undisturbed for a few minutes so excess moisture can settle.
03 -
  • If your soup breaks or looks separated after blending, whisk in a tablespoon or two of cold cream to bring it back together.
  • Make this without the cream first to taste the pure vegetable flavors, then decide if adding richness is what you actually want.
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