Description
A creamy and flavorful zucchini soup that's easy to prepare with fresh zucchini, garlic, onion, and cashews, blended to a smooth texture and enhanced with fresh herbs and lemon juice. Perfect as a light starter or a wholesome meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 medium zucchini (1 ½ to 2 pounds), skin on, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise, and sliced
- 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth, or more as desired for a thinner texture
- ¼ cup raw cashews
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Finishing Touches
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (dill, basil, or parsley work great), plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil and sauté onion: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic and cook briefly: Stir in the minced garlic and continue cooking for another minute until fragrant.
- Simmer zucchini and cashews: Add the sliced zucchini, vegetable or chicken broth, raw cashews, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender.
- Add herbs and lemon juice, then blend: Stir in the chopped fresh herbs and fresh lemon juice. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth, or transfer the soup in batches to a high-powered blender and blend for 15 to 30 seconds until smooth.
- Serve and garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with a drizzle of olive oil and additional fresh herbs if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
- This recipe can be made vegan by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- For a creamier texture, soak the raw cashews for 1 hour before cooking.
- An immersion blender creates a slightly textured soup, while a high-powered blender yields a smoother consistency—choose based on your preference.
- Leftover soup stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or can be frozen for up to 1 month.
- Feel free to swap fresh herbs based on seasonality or taste preferences, such as swapping dill for basil or parsley.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
