Zucchini Soup Summer Squash (Printable)

Light and silky summer squash soup with fresh herbs and lemon hint

# 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

→ 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, adjusted to taste
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
14 - Zest of 1/2 lemon

→ Garnish

15 - Extra fresh herbs, finely chopped
16 - Olive oil or heavy cream for drizzling

# Directions:

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 to the pot and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
03 - Stir in sliced zucchini and diced potato. Cook while stirring occasionally for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover with lid, and simmer for 15 minutes until vegetables are very tender and easily pierced with a fork.
05 - Remove pot from heat. Add parsley, basil, thyme, and lemon zest, stirring to combine and allowing flavors to meld.
06 - Using an immersion blender, puree soup directly in pot until smooth and silky. Alternatively, carefully transfer soup in batches to a standard blender and puree until desired consistency.
07 - Stir in cream or coconut milk if using. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Reheat gently over low heat if needed. Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot or well-chilled, garnished with chopped herbs and a drizzle of olive oil or cream.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's sneakily elegant—your guests will think you spent all day cooking when you barely spent forty minutes.
  • Zucchini vanishes into creamy silk, so even skeptics become converts.
  • Works hot or cold, which means it's perfect for unpredictable summer weather.
  • The herb finish is bright enough to wake up your whole mouth without any cream needed.
02 -
  • Don't skip the potato—it's the secret to creaminess without requiring heavy cream, which some people find too rich for summer.
  • Taste the broth before adding it because homemade or brand-name variations affect the final salt level significantly.
  • Blend the soup while it's still warm because cold soup is harder to puree smoothly and the heat helps activate the herb flavors.
  • Add cream or milk after blending, not before—it can curdle or separate if boiled directly in the pot with acid from the herbs.
03 -
  • Toast some seeds—pumpkin, sunflower, or sesame—and sprinkle them over the top for a textural contrast that makes people pause and ask what they're tasting.
  • Make the soup a day ahead and serve it chilled with a swirl of basil oil for a sophisticated first course that looks effortless.
  • If you don't have fresh herbs at the end, a drizzle of really good olive oil and a crack of fresh pepper still delivers elegance and makes the soup memorable.
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