Simple and savory, this Cream of Zucchini Soup is made with roasted fresh zucchini, onions, garlic, and real cream. It’s a cozy and nourishing dish the whole family will love!
An Easy, Creamy Veggie Soup Recipe
Cream of mushroom, cream of potato, cream of asparagus… creamy soups are so delicious and comforting! And this homemade cream of zucchini is right up there with the best of them!
I love making this light and nourishing soup to serve as a simple lunch, or part of a light dinner. With a hearty salad or something bready (see the Serving Suggestions for ideas!) this is one that even picky eaters will love.
In fact, I highly recommend making this savory, creamy soup if you are trying to get your kids to like zucchini! Since the soup is blended, the zucchini’s texture (which is often what picky eaters really dislike about veggies) won’t be an issue. And, with plenty of garlic, butter, onion, and seasoning blended right on in, the flavor is out of this world!
What You’ll Need
For a simple soup like this, you don’t need a lot of fancy ingredients! Just the veggies, broth, cream, and seasonings. Perfection!
- Zucchini: No need to peel: Just wash and slice or chop.
- Olive Oil: For roasting the zucchini.
- Butter: For sautéing.
- Onion: You can use a sweet, white, or yellow onion, whichever you prefer.
- Garlic: I recommend using fresh garlic to really make this recipe shine.
- Parsley and Thyme: Again, fresh is best, but dried herbs would be fine as well.
- Salt and Pepper
- Vegetable Broth: You can substitute chicken broth if you prefer. Either way, I recommend using low sodium broth so that you can control the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Cream: Heavy cream gives the richest result, but half and half would also work.
- Bacon and Croutons: Crisply cooked diced bacon and croutons are great options for serving this creamy soup.
- Chopped Fresh Parsley: For garnish.
Can I use frozen zucchini in this soup?
Yes, you can! This is a great way to use frozen zucchini. Just thaw and gently squeeze out as much moisture as possible before roasting!
How to Make Cream of Zucchini Soup
Since this creamy soup is blended, it’s good to have your blender out and ready before you start cooking. I think an immersion blender is easiest, but a regular blender is fine, too. Just be careful blending the hot soup either way.
- Roast the Zucchini. Preheat your oven to 425˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Toss chopped zucchini with olive oil and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 10 to 11 minutes, or until tender.
- Sauté the Aromatics and Seasonings. In the meantime, melt butter in a Dutch oven or soup pot. Add onions to the melted butter and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender. Stir in garlic and cook for 20 seconds. Stir in parsley, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper.
- Add Zucchini and Broth, and Simmer. Carefully add the hot roasted zucchini to the Dutch oven and cook for a minute or so. Pour in the vegetable broth, and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce heat to a simmer; simmer for 5 minutes.
- Blend. Remove the cover and using an immersion blender, blend the soup until creamy and smooth. You can also use a blender. Stir in the heavy cream; cook for a minute or two, or until heated through.
- Finish the Dish and Serve. Taste the soup for salt and pepper and adjust as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with cooked bacon, croutons, and parsley (if using).
Tips for Success
It’s so easy to make this roasted zucchini soup, you’ll want to make it all the time! And, you can customize it in so many ways. Here are just a few ways to tweak things and make the recipe work for you.
- Make It Vegan: If you go this route, the flavor profile will be slightly different (but still amazing). Substitute full-fat coconut milk for the heavy cream, and use vegan butter or your favorite oil for sauteing.
- Use Squash: This basic soup recipe can also be used with yellow summer squash or even delicata squash!
- Add Cheese: Make the final product a cheesy, indulgent soup by stirring in half a cup or so of your favorite shredded melting cheese, like Colby, cheddar, Gruyere, or mozzarella.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve soup with salad, or bread, or some kind of festive dipper. Or all three! Check out these simple recipes for soup sides you’ll adore.
- Onion Rings: Crispy Air Fryer Onion Rings are so good with any dipping sauce, and make a great crunchy contrast to creamy zucchini soup!
- Kifli: These tender Macedonian Dinner Rolls are a family favorite! The feta cheese gives them an extra zesty taste.
- Salad: A hearty main-course salad, this Apples and Cheddar Chicken Salad is full of flavor and color! The walnuts add extra crunch. Yum!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- To store leftover soup, place it in an airtight soup container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
- To reheat, place the desired portion in a covered saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until piping hot.
Can I Freeze Cream of Zucchini Soup?
- While you can definitely freeze this and have it turn out safe to eat, I don’t recommend freezing creamy soups in general. The creamy soup base often separates after freezing and thawing, which results in a clumpy, grainy texture.
- If you do freeze leftovers, try blending again after reheating to make the soup smoother.
ENJOY!
Cream of Zucchini Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound zucchini, sliced or chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 3 to 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup heavy cream, you can also use Half & Half
- 4 slices bacon, diced and cooked to a crisp, for serving
- Croutons, for serving, optional
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425˚F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Toss chopped zucchini with olive oil and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
- Roast for 10 to 11 minutes, or until tender.
- In the meantime, melt butter in a dutch oven or soup pot.
- Add onions to the melted butter and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender.
- Stir in garlic and cook for 20 seconds.
- Stir in parsley, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper.
- Add roasted zucchini to the dutch oven; stir and cook for a minute.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
- Cover the pot and reduce heat to a simmer; simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove the cover and using an immersion blender, blend the soup until creamy and smooth. You can also use a blender.
- Return blended soup to the pot and stir in the heavy cream; cook for a minute or two, or until heated through.
- Taste soup for salt and pepper; adjust accordingly.
- Ladle soup into bowls.
- Garnish with cooked bacon, croutons, and parsley.
- Serve.
Notes
- NET CARBS: 3 g
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
