Description
A creamy, smooth zucchini soup made with fresh zucchini, garlic, onions, and flavored with fresh herbs and lemon juice. Perfect as a light lunch or starter, this recipe uses cashews for added creaminess without dairy.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 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
- ¼ cup raw cashews
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (dill, basil, or parsley), plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oil and sauté aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened. Then add the minced garlic and stir for another minute until fragrant.
- Cook the zucchini and soften: Add the sliced zucchini, broth, raw cashews, kosher salt, and ground black pepper to the pot. 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 blend: Stir in the chopped fresh herbs and fresh lemon juice. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Alternatively, transfer the soup in batches to a high-powered blender and blend for 15-30 seconds until smooth.
- Serve and garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and additional fresh herbs for extra flavor and a pretty presentation.
Notes
- This soup can be blended to your preferred texture either with an immersion blender for a slightly chunkier texture, or a high-powered blender for extra smoothness.
- Raw cashews provide creaminess without dairy, but you can substitute with soaked cashews or omit for a lighter option.
- Adjust the broth quantity to make the soup thinner or thicker as desired.
- Fresh herbs such as dill, basil, or parsley add bright flavor—feel free to mix and match according to your taste.
- Use vegetable broth for a vegetarian option or chicken broth for additional depth of flavor.
