• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Peel with Zeal

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • GF Resources
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • GF Resources
    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Gluten-Free Soups

    Published: Jun 15, 2020 · Modified: Sep 2, 2021 by Jen Wooster

    Creamy Summer Squash Soup (GF, Vegan)

    6.0K shares
    • Share
    • Yummly
    • Email
    - Jump to Recipe -
    two bowls with yellow squash soup

    The best summer squash soup recipe. Creamy, silky smooth, and loaded with the flavors of summer. This soup is a great way to use up an abundance of summer squash. This soup is a simple recipe, best made with in-season yellow squash. Just like with our chilled peach soup, we kept things simple to let the summer squash shine!

    Our summer squash soup can be served warm or chilled plus it is naturally gluten-free and vegan. If eating vegan or dairy-free isn't your thing, you can up the creaminess factor by adding a splash of heavy cream or stirring in a full fat greek yogurt.

    soup in white bowl with garnishes
    Vegan Summer Squash Soup

    Please read the entire post for tips and tricks to ensure a perfect recipe every time. And don't forget to tag @peelwithzeal on Instagram so we can admire your creation!

    This post may include affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    I love the flavor of summer squash. I am just not a huge fan of the texture. Which is why I love this soup. All the flavor but in a silky smooth soup form. And while you can serve it hot or chilled, my favorite is definitely chilled. And if you are a fan of chilled soup check out our gazpacho recipe that is made without bread!

    It only takes a few easy ingredients. And like our cream of celery soup, we use a potato to thicken the soup. By pureeing the potato, we are giving the soup body while still keeping it gluten and dairy-free.

    Jump to:
    • 🧾Ingredients and Substitutions
    • 👩🏽‍🍳How to Select Summer Squash
    • ⏲️Instructions
    • 🥘Recipe Tips and Tricks
    • 💭 Summer Squash Soup Variations
    • 🥗Summer Vegetable Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • ⭐Reviews

    🧾Ingredients and Substitutions

    • Summer Squash- Because we are pureeing this soup you can use bruised or slightly underripe squash you may have picked too soon. I cut mine into half-moons but a dice works too. But you don't need to peel the squash.
    • Onion- One medium white or yellow onion. You could try leeks if you like.
    • Potato - No fancy potatoes needed. A basic russet potato works best. Be sure to peel your potato. You can use other varieties but the key is to use a high starch potato.
    • Vegetable Broth- We are not vegan but we do eat a heavily plant-based diet. I do prefer vegetable stock over chicken stock in this recipe.
    • Coconut Milk- This soup does not taste 'coconutty', so feel free to switch out for any plant-based milk or plain yogurt. I just find the richness of the coconut milk to really improve the overall texture of the soup. Be sure to use canned coconut, not coconut beverage from a carton.
    • Lemon Juice- The tiniest bit of lemon juice brightens up this soup in a surprising way. Don't skip it!
    • Aromatics- fresh garlic and thyme
    shopped ingredients on cutting board

    👩🏽‍🍳How to Select Summer Squash

    The success of this squash soup recipe is highly dependent on the ripeness of the yellow squash. Which is why I highly recommend only making this soup when it is in season.

    If growing your own summer squash, pick them early. The ideal size is 6 to 8 inches in length (variety dependent, of course!). You want to avoid allowing the squash to get too big, the texture will be mealy and the squash heavy with seeds. Additionally, the high water content will cause the soup to be too thin.

    When buying summer squash from your local grocery store or farmers market the same rules apply to size. Look for squash that feels firm with no soft spots. Because we are pureeing the squash, odd shapes and less than perfect skin is fine. You simply want to ensure the flesh isn't breaking down by giving it a light squeeze.

    ⏲️Instructions

    This summer squash soup is very straightforward. Your vegetables just need a rough dice. Because this soup it pureed a perfect dice isn't required.

    In a large stockpot and heat your oil before adding the squash, onion, and potato. Saute your veggies and aromatics until your onions begin to soften. This should take about 5 minutes.

    softening vegetables in a stock pot

    Then add the vegetable broth and bring it to a boil.

    Note: We don't recommend using low sodium broth or mushroom-based vegetable broths in this soup.

    Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until all the vegetables are soft. But really go by the potato, it should be fall-apart tender. If you cut the dices small enough it should be 15 minutes.

    Let the soup cool slightly then transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Be careful of the hot liquid! It should take about 60 seconds.

    At this point, you can strain through a mesh sieve. This will make the soup thinner. I always do this, but it isn't required. Alternatively, you strain through a regular colander just to be sure there are no large chunks or seeds.

    straining the squash soup

    Place the soup in a pan over medium-low heat stir in coconut milk and lemon juice. At this point I salt and pepper to taste. With the vegetable stock I use, I rarely need to add either.

    finished soup in blue pot

    Serve warm with additional fresh thyme leaves and a drizzle of olive oil or coconut milk.

    To serve cold chill in the fridge for at least three hours. When serving chilled you can use the basil oil from our peach soup as a garnish. Absolutely divine!

    two bowls of creamy yellow squash soup on a blue background

    🥘Recipe Tips and Tricks

    • You can strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve for a silky smooth soup.
    • For a thicker soup use an immersion blender.
    • Want an even thicker soup? For a bisque-like texture add an additional potato.
    • This soup freezes very well. Pour into a large mason jar, leaving plenty of headspace. Tightly seal. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours before moving to the freezer. The soup will keep for 3 months in the freezer.
    • The soup can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for 3 to 5 days. Making it perfect for meal prep!
    cream of squash soup in white bowl

    💭 Summer Squash Soup Variations

    This soup can be served warm or chilled making it extremely versatile. But it is also easy to change up the seasonings on the summer squash.

    • Thai Inspired- Skip the thyme and lemon juice. Instead, add 1 tablespoon of green curry paste in with the veggies and substitute lime juice for the lemon.
    • Spicy Indian- Add 2 tablespoon of madras curry powder plus ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper.
    • Corn and Squash Soup- You will need 1 ½ cups of fresh summer corn kernels divided. Add a ½ cup to the blender for the puree. Strain the soup and then stir in the remaining cup of kernels.

    🥗Summer Vegetable Recipes

    We love summer for the abundance of fresh veggies. But sometimes we run out of ways to cook them. If you are looking for more ideas on how to use up summer veggies check out these recipes:

    • Roasted Eggplant Rounds
    • Roasted Vegetable Sandwich (gluten-free!)
    • Easy Oven Roasted Zucchini
    • BBQ Chicken Zucchini Boats
    • Savory GF Zucchinni Bread
    • Pickled Watermelon Radishes
    • Spicy Cucumber Chutney

    If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave us a rating or a comment. It helps other wonderful people connect with our food.

    📖 Recipe

    yellow squash soup with olive oil and thyme

    Creamy Summer Squash Soup

    Recipe Created By: Jen Wooster
    The best summer squash soup recipe. Creamy, silky smooth, and loaded with the flavors of summer. This soup is naturally gluten free, dairy free, and vegan.
    4.99 from 72 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 8 mins
    Cook Time 22 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Lunch, Soup
    Cuisine American, Vegan
    Servings 4
    Calories 211 kcal

    Equipment

    • Stockpot
    • Blender or immersion blender

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 medium summer squash cut into half-moons
    • 1 medium onion diced
    • 1 medium potato peeled and diced
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 4 fresh thyme sprigs leaves removed from stems
    • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
    • 4 cups vegetable stock
    • ½ cup coconut milk, canned canned
    • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
    • kosher salt and pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Melt oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add all the vegetables and aromatics, until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil.
    • Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until all the vegetables are soft; 15-20 minutes.
    • Let cool slightly. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Be careful of the hot liquid!
    • Place pan over medium-low heat stir in coconut milk and lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste
    • Serve with additional fresh thyme leaves and a drizzle of coconut milk

    Video

    Notes

    • After pureeing, strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve for a silky smooth soup.
    • For a thicker soup use an immersion blender.
    • This soup freezes very well. Pour into large mason jar, leaving plenty of headspace. Tightly seal. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours before moving to the freezer. The soup will keep for 3 months in the freezer.
    • The soup can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for 3 to 5 days. Making it perfect for meal prep!
    • See post for recipe variations. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 211kcal
    Keyword Gluten Free, summer squash, Vegan, vegetarian
    Tried this recipe?Tag us @peelwithzeal so we can see your creation!

    Next Recipe

    • Homemade Turkey Broth
    • Gluten-Free Potato Soup
    • Easy Tomato Gazpacho
    • Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Gouda
    6.0K shares
    • Share
    • Yummly
    • Email

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Join the Discussion Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. LJ says

      January 17, 2023 at 3:21 pm

      Can I substitute coconut milk with sour cream?

      Reply
      • Jen Wooster says

        January 18, 2023 at 12:21 pm

        5 stars
        Yes you can! You can do a heavy cream or sour cream if you aren't worried about keeping it vegan or dairy free!

        Reply
      • Jen Wooster says

        January 18, 2023 at 12:21 pm

        5 stars
        Yes you can! You can do a heavy cream or sour cream if you aren't worried about keeping it vegan or dairy free!

        Reply
    2. Katie says

      January 03, 2023 at 12:45 pm

      5 stars
      This was so delicious it made my husband cuss at the dinner table.

      Reply
      • Jen Wooster says

        January 03, 2023 at 1:18 pm

        5 stars
        This truly might be the most fantastic review ever. Glad you both enjoyed the recipe.

        Reply
    3. MMN says

      October 18, 2022 at 7:37 pm

      5 stars
      Easy peasy! I got a free big squash from someone and don’t love the texture, so I decided to try this soup as a cold day Fall recipe. It was very low effort and made mostly with ingredients I already had at home. Will definitely try again!

      Reply
      • Jen Wooster says

        October 19, 2022 at 8:47 am

        5 stars
        Thanks for the review!

        Reply
    4. CG says

      September 26, 2022 at 3:26 pm

      4 stars
      Overall, I like the recipe. This was my first time cooking it. Its quick and easy to make. I substituted fresh tarragon for the thyme. Next time I'm going to omit the coconut milk. Without the coconut milk, I would give the recipe 5 stars; as is I give it 4 stars.

      Reply
      • Jen Wooster says

        September 27, 2022 at 10:20 am

        5 stars
        You can also try it with greek yogurt instead of coconut milk.

        Reply
    5. Rebecca says

      September 05, 2022 at 3:32 pm

      Any thoughts on how many cups or the weight of a medium summer squash would actually be? I'm not sure what medium squash would be. Got some really big ones from the neighbors garden to use.

      Reply
      • Jen Wooster says

        September 06, 2022 at 2:57 pm

        5 stars
        Medium sized squash are 6 to 8 inches long. Sorry I didn't weight it but next time I make it I will and update the post.

        Reply
    6. Sammy Catiis says

      August 27, 2022 at 4:27 pm

      5 stars
      O M Gosh Thank you. We an abundance of Squash this year. In past, it's been tomatoes and we learned to make soup and freeze for Winter, stores better and perfect for our hikes outside. So, after vetting a few recipies, I decided to try this.. and I'm actually surprised that I like it this much. This is so super delish. I will do the same and freeze in 4 cup batches (Fills up the thermos) for our Winter and early Spring hikes. I'm excited to open the thermos and have this.. right now, this first batch will be nothing saved as we are having all. Thank you <3 This is perfect and super delish..

      Reply
      • Jen Wooster says

        August 29, 2022 at 3:14 am

        5 stars
        Glad you loved it as much as we do!

        Reply
    7. Nancy says

      August 26, 2022 at 4:11 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! I added an apple when I was cooking the squash and it was so good! Such a great recipe!

      Reply
      • Jen Wooster says

        August 29, 2022 at 3:15 am

        5 stars
        Perfect! Thanks for the review!

        Reply
    8. Karen says

      August 20, 2022 at 11:51 am

      Can I substitute a sweet potato for white potato? Would that be a flavor compliment?

      Reply
      • Jen Wooster says

        August 20, 2022 at 12:43 pm

        Honestly- not sure about that one. A jewel sweet potato is likely to be too sweet but a yam or Japanese sweet potato might work.

        Reply
    9. Jp says

      August 18, 2022 at 5:38 pm

      5 stars
      Speaking of substitutes, how could I adjust for someone who is allergic to potato? Non vegan ingredients ok.

      Reply
      • Jen Wooster says

        August 19, 2022 at 4:15 pm

        I haven't made it without the potatoes. But I think celeriac root would be a complimentary flavor and the right consistency. You need a fibrous root vegetable. Rutabaga and turnips would be too overpowering. Greek yogurt also makes it thicker can than canned coconut milk.

        Reply
    10. Marlies says

      August 15, 2022 at 3:13 pm

      5 stars
      Amazing base soup, added red curry paste and sweetcorn and lots of coriander & parsley.

      Reply
      • Jen Wooster says

        August 15, 2022 at 7:15 pm

        5 stars
        Thanks for the feedback!

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome Friends!

    picture of Jen

    My name is Jen and I am the recipe developer, writer, and photographer around here. Since being diagnosed with celiac disease over 10 years ago I have been slowly curating a recipe box full of gluten-free goodness. I adore vegetables, crave chocolate, and I am always up for an adventure.

    Subscribe

    Seasonal Recipes

    • Roast Turkey with Sage and Orange
    • How to Dry Brine a Turkey
    • Citrus and Herb Cornish Hens
    • Cranberry Gin Cocktail
    • Cranberry Jalapeno Dip
    • Cranberry Salad with Raspberry Jello

    Popular Recipes

    • Cajun Garlic Butter Sauce
    • Parmesan Roasted Zucchini and Squash
    • San Marzano Tomato Sauce
    • Demerara Syrup
    • Tanghulu
    • Easy Dog Birthday Cake

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About Us
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Statement

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Check out our new Web Stories

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Partnerships

    Copyright © 2022 Peel with Zeal