Description
A creamy and comforting zucchini soup made with fresh zucchini, potatoes, and aromatic seasonings, blended smooth and enriched with cheese and half and half for a deliciously rich finish. Perfect as an easy appetizer or light meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon celery salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper, optional
- 5 cups zucchini, cut into chunks
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces (about 1 pound)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce
Finishing Ingredients
- ½ cup half and half or heavy cream
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Prepare cheese: Shred the cheddar cheese from a block and set aside at room temperature to help it melt smoothly in the soup later.
- Sauté aromatics: Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic, zucchini chunks, and all seasonings including rosemary, thyme, celery salt, pepper, salt, and cayenne if using. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add potatoes and broth: Peel and rinse the potatoes, cut into uniform small pieces. Add the potatoes, chicken broth, and soy sauce to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer soup: Simmer the soup partially covered for about 20 minutes until all the vegetables are very fork tender. Skim off any brown foam that forms on the top as needed.
- Blend until smooth: Remove the pot from heat and use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot until completely smooth. Alternatively, blend in batches in a blender.
- Add cream and cheese: If desired, return the pot to low heat and stir in the half and half slowly. Gradually sprinkle in the shredded cheese while stirring continuously until melted and combined. Remove from heat once smooth and creamy.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and serve warm for a comforting meal.
Notes
- The dairy is optional; the soup tastes great without half and half and cheese.
- Feel free to experiment with different cheese types like sharp white cheddar, Parmesan, or Gouda.
- Soy sauce adds subtle umami flavor without overpowering the soup.
- An immersion blender is very handy to blend soups smoothly without transferring to another container.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Try other zucchini recipes like Zucchini Casserole, Zucchini Crust Pizza, Zucchini Parmesan, and Minestrone Soup for variety.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
