Of all the fresh summer veggies in season right now, my favorites are yellow squash and zucchini. In fact, I often sauté 4-6 of them on Sunday nights so we can enjoy them as one of our side dishes all week! My love for summer squash first blossomed when I was learning to cook the summer after I graduated from college. I was living at home and my parents had a huge garden that was overflowing with summer squash. Every week I set about the task of finding a new recipe to use them in and I think this challenge really sparked my love of cooking because I had so much fun learning about all the different ways you could use one ingredient!
I recently saw a zucchini basil soup on a restaurant menu and immediately knew I wanted to recreate a healthy version at home. I thickened the soup with a potato instead of heavy cream and did my best to balance the bright basil with just the right amount of zucchini so that both flavors were well balanced. The raw zucchini on top was my favorite part because it added some texture to the dish. I can’t wait until I have my own garden full of summer squash!
Zucchini Basil Soup
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large zucchini, shredded with a coarse cheese grater (4 cups)
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large stockpot and sauté shallots for 5 to 7 minutes or until soft; add garlic and sauté 1 additional minute. Add 3 1/2 cups shredded zucchini, potato pieces, and stock and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in basil and salt and puree soup until smooth with an immersion blender. Scoop soup into 4 bowls and garnish with remaining 1/2 cup shredded zucchini. Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition: 199 calories, 4.2g fat, 6.9g fiber, 6.4g protein per serving
Cost: $1.52 per serving
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This sounds really good! I bet a vegan cashew cream would work nicely for thickening as well! We had zucchini & yellow summer squash last night too. It really does make a fabulous addition to so many dishes (in our case shrimp & grits for the man veggies and grits for me). Hope you have a good week
I’ve been cooking with summer squash like crazy lately also. At least one new recipe a week! And I’m loving it.
This zucchini basil soup sounds incredibly tasty and I love that it’s healthy to boot! I also just read your guest post over at 5 Star Foodie – impressive and delicious as usual!
I find that soups are such a great way to get all of your extra summer veggies in as they start to pile up by this time of the summer! This looks great and its such a great trick to thicken it up with potato instead of heavy cream!
I know what you mean about the challenging, yet fun experience it is to try to come up with different uses for one ingredient. You did a fabulous job coming up with this soup, and lucky me, I have a fridge drawer filled with zucchini
Hi Kerstin! My first time here. Found you at 5 Star Foodie.
I love summer squashes too and this soup sounds wonderful. I’ll have to give it a try.
Zucchini & basil…this soup must taste just like a summer day!!! Sounds absolutely delicious
I love summer squash too… this sould sounds delicious and looks lovely.
I’ve been meaning to make zucchini soup (always looking to use zucchini in new and creative ways!!) and this is by far the healthiest version I’ve seen. I can’t wait to try!
Super healthy and delicious, what more could you ask for? I love zucchini and basil–this would hit the spot!
I think I may try this on Ben. He loves light veggie soups.
Love the idea of this Kerstin! I love zucchini – not a huge fan of yellow squash though for some reason!
Great guest post on 5-Star Foodie!
good thing you enjoy zucchini and squash–they rarely come in small amounts.
gorgeous soup, kerstin–it sounds positively scrumptious!
Wow, what a lovely soup, love the flavor, love the color…beautiful!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Apollo Sinkevicius, Kerstin Sinkevicius. Kerstin Sinkevicius said: New post: Zucchini Basil Soup http://cakebatterandbowl.com/zucchini-basil-soup.html [...]
I love this combination. This is a soup for the summer. Fortunately, we get zucchinis, all year round.
Zucchini is one of my favorites too. I lvoe that it can be eaten raw, cooked insavory dishes or baked into sweet ones. It’s kind of a miracle veggie!
This soup looks delicious too!
Every bit of this soup sounds delicious. I especially love how you added texture with the raw zucchini on top.
I already love zucchini! I bet it taste great with basil!
The Peach Kitchen
peach and things
blowing peachkisses
I love the idea of a soup thickened with potato rather than cream. I’ve done that before and it works very well.
ooh, this sounds delicious. i just made a summer squash buttermilk soup that was amazing from 101 cookbooks… i should mention it soon
What a delicious summery soup! Light and fresh. I love it.
This looks awesome!! I’m a sucker for summer soups (am planning a peach gazpacho for tonight) and also love fresh zucchini (and squash). Plus, add basil to anything and it makes me super summer happy
This is beautiful to look at and simple to do. That makes it a winner in my book. I hope you are having a wonderful day. Blessings…Mary
That sounds so good! I am totally going to make that and thanks for adding the nutritional info!
Tonight I am making zucchini blueberry bread, so I’ll let you know how that turns out!
looks yummy. Now I know what to do with the zucchini may friend gave me from her garden.
I will have to try this soup/ We have lots of basil and zucchini. Thanks.
A tasty & fab summer’s soup full of real flavopurs!
Kisses from Brussels!
Thanks everyone!
Erica – The cashew cream sounds interesting!
Monica – I agree, it’s so versatile and yummy!
This looks so divine. I’m loving soups this winter and your recipe has been printed and placed in the box of “things to cook”. Thanks so much. What a great combination of flavours!
Oh man this looks delicious!
Everything here looks so yummy! And your photographs are beautiful.
I recently launched my own blog http://www.prettygoodfood.com I’d love for you to check it out and let me know what you think! Thanks and Happy Cooking!
[...] little small for picking when we left and now each tips the scales at over 3 lbs EACH. I found this recipe (given that we also are home to an out of control basil forest); hopefully it can put away at least [...]