This light, refreshing, and delicious zucchini soup is the ideal summer soup recipe. It’s loaded with fresh garden flavors and a great recipe when you have too much zucchini on hand. It’s versatile as a main course or as an appetizer and it can be served either hot or cold.
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This soup tastes great and even better, it is an easy meal to make with your summer harvest. It is based on my yellow summer squash soup recipe that my readers love. They have shared it 7,000 times! And I think you will love this recipe just as much.
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📖Why My Recipe Works
The simple ingredients of this soup highlight the mild, light flavor of the zucchini. You can use any size of zucchini in this recipe which is ideal. You can also use any leftover zucchini pieces you have from other recipes.
Blending this soup makes it perfectly smooth. However, the flesh of the zucchini is actually very light so the soup becomes silky without becoming heavy.
Using a potato and Greek yogurt, make this soup amazingly creamy without the need for heavy cream. This potato trick is the same one I used in my vegan cream of celery soup.
The other thing I tested in this cream of zucchini soup is adding cheese. It was not a hit with my testers. First off, you had to eat the soup warm, it couldn't be served chilled.
Second, the soup felt too heavy, and freezing and reheating became more difficult and problematic. What my testers did love, however, was a sprinkling of sharp white cheddar on top of the warm soup when serving.
🧾Ingredient Notes
Zucchini- For this recipe, you can use any zucchini you have. It’s a great way to use any large zucchini that aren’t great to eat on their own, or any squash you have in the fridge waiting to be used.
Potato- The potato thickens the soup and helps to add creaminess. Any potato is fine, but a more starchy variety like a Russet or Yukon gold will bring the best texture.
Chicken Stock- You can use homemade chicken stock or store-bought chicken broth. To make the soup vegetarian, you can use vegetable broth instead.
Greek Yogurt- Greek yogurt brings a creamy texture and a tangy edge to the soup. Use full-fat Greek yogurt for the best results. It can be replaced with creme fraiche or sour cream if you prefer. And yes you can use a heavy cream for a richer flavor.
Lemon Juice- Lemon juice brings acidity to the soup and adds lemon flavor that really complements the flavor of the zucchini.
Aromatics- Onion (white or yellow), garlic, bay leaves, and loads of fresh thyme create background flavor in the soup.
Optional Toppings- Shredded cheese, fresh thyme, sour cream, and green onion all make great toppings for the soup, but there are so many options and ways to get creative and personalize your dish.
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
💭 Vegan Variation
To make this recipe vegan like my summer squash recipe simply use vegetable broth and swap out the yogurt for cashew yogurt. Personally, I prefer the tang of yogurt over coconut milk but fill-fat coconut milk is also an option.
⏲️How to Make Zucchini Soup
For this recipe, you need a large pot and either a blender, food processor or immersion blender.
For this recipe, you need a large pot and either a blender, food processor or immersion blender.
Step 1- Saute the Vegetables
Melt the butter in your stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until they begin to soften. This usually takes about 3 to 5 minutes. Sweating the onions allows them to carmelize and sweeten before we add the veggies.
Add the zucchini, which I typically cut into half moons, peeled and diced potatoes, minced garlic, and herbs. Saute for just a couple of minutes before adding the broth.
Step 2- Simmer
Bring the soup to a low boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until all the vegetables are fully softened. It takes about 15 minutes for the potatoes to soften.
Step 3- Blend and Serve
Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. You want to do this in batches. Using an immersion blender will make the soup thicker than using a jar blender or food processor. And for an ultra-smooth soup, pass it through a fine mesh sieve after blending.
Pour the soup back into the pot. Stir in the Greek yogurt and lemon juice. If the yogurt isn't blending into the soup you can place it over low heat as your stir to make it easier.
Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. When serving you can add a dollop of sour cream or more yogurt, a sprinkle of fresh herbs, chopped green onions, or my favorite; cheddar cheese with lots of black pepper
To serve as a chilled zucchini soup, cool to room temperature and then store in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Stir before serving with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh herbs.
🥗What to Serve with Zucchini Soup
I serve this delicious soup with crusty bread typically GF crescent rolls, gluten-free garlic bread or a gluten-free flatbread, and caprese salad for a light dinner.
For a main course, serve a marinated grilled flank steak, old fashion coleslaw, and blue cheese and bacon potato salad. Wash it down with a mezcal paloma for the ultimate warm-weather meal.
It also makes a great starter for eggplant rollatini, my favorite summer meatless Monday dinner!
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tip
When serving, add raw zucchini noodles or zucchini strips to the soup for more texture.
🌡️Storing Leftovers
Cool the soup to room temperature before storing it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to five days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
This soup can be stored in the freezer for up to three months in an airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. After it has been frozen, you may want to re-blend it before heating it in the microwave or on the stove.
More Zucchini Recipes
💬Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use dried thyme instead of fresh?
Dried thyme has a slightly different flavor and you may want to add some fresh parsley or chopped chives to balance out the dried thyme.
What is the best way to puree the soup for a smooth texture?
Using either a blender or an immersion blender will make the soup smooth. However, for the smoothest texture possible, push the soup through a fine mesh sieve with a wooden spoon to remove any remaining chunks or pieces of zucchini skin.
Did you enjoy making this recipe? Show it some love with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment! Hungry for more FLAVORFUL recipes?
📖 Recipe Card
Creamy Zucchini Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 1½ pounds zucchini 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 bay leaf
- 4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
- ½ cup greek yogurt full fat
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- kosher salt and black pepper
- Shredded cheese, fresh thyme, sour cream, green onion optional garnishes
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining prepped vegetables and aromatics, saute for 2 to 3 minutes to soften slightly.1 tablespoon butter, 1½ pounds zucchini, 1 medium onion, 1 medium potato, 2 cloves garlic, 4 fresh thyme sprigs, 1 bay leaf
- Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until all the vegetables are soft; 15-20 minutes.4 cups chicken stock
- Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Be careful of the hot liquid!
- Place pan over low heat stir in Greek yogurt and lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste.½ cup greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, kosher salt and black pepper
- Serve with a topping of freshly shredded cheese, scallions, and/ or herbs.Shredded cheese, fresh thyme, sour cream, green onion
Notes
- To make a silky smooth soup after pureeing, pass the puree through a fine-mesh sieve.
- Using an immersion blender will make the soup thicker than a traditional blender or food processor.
- This soup is ideal for meal prep, it will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge.
- You can also freeze this soup. Thaw out overnight in the fridge and reblend before heating.
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