You don’t need loads of cream to make a Creamy Zucchini Soup because the natural texture of cooked zucchini blends into a thick, silky soup. This is a bowl of goodness to warm your soul, it’s ultra tasty and yet only 220 calories for a big bowl, or 98 calories if you skip the cream!
Creamy Zucchini Soup
Let’s talk SOUP.
Specifically, Creamy Zucchini Soup. A HEALTHY one. I haven’t deliberately made this healthy, this is simply the way I make Cream of Zucchini Soup. And in fact, there’s a good glug of cream stirred into the soup at the end. Which you can afford to do because even with the cream, it’s only got 220 calories per serving – for a big generous bowl.
And without the cream, it’s only got 98 calories a serving. Crazy, huh? And you know, yes I’m an advocate for adding a splash of cream into the soup (or butter!), but even without, this is a really ultra tasty soup!
Let’s take a good look at the star of this recipe. Zucchini. LOTS of it. 1 kg / 2 lb to be exact. This is such a great recipe to use up zucchini – it’s pretty much available all year round, and often very good value!
Once cooked until soft, zucchinis whizz up into a silky, smooth, thick soup. No roux, no potato, no cornflour, no thickeners required. The cream stirred in at the end isn’t for thickening, it’s for flavour.
See how thick it is?
There I am going on and on about how healthy this soup is, then I show you a photo of me dunking a butter slathered piece of toast into the soup with my little Chipolata-Sausage-like-fingers. (Though speaking of Chipolatas, they would be terrific in the Sausage Pasta I shared on Monday! 😂)
Here are some of my favourite Soup Dunkers:
This recipe makes a pretty big pot of this soup. In fact, it will serve 5 comfortably, or 4 with big appetites. I always make a gigantic pot because a) it freezes well; and b) this is my “go to” recipe when I load up on bargain zucchinis. I picked up 1 kg / 2 lb for a mere $1.99 from Harris Farms last week and had basic homemade vegetable broth made from offcuts so in all honesty, this entire recipe probably cost me $4 to make.
Enjoy! – Nagi x
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Healthy Creamy Zucchini Soup recipe video. Dozer fans – don’t miss his cameo at the end of the video! I gasped out loud with disapproval…..
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Creamy Zucchini Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 large onion , chopped (brown, yellow or white)
- 1 kg / 2 lb zucchinis , cut into 1.5cm / 3/5” slices, larger ones halved (Note 1)
- 3 cups / 750 ml vegetable or chicken broth , preferably salt reduced
- 1 cup / 250 ml water
- 3/4 cup / 185 ml cream, heavy / thickened (or light or add a good knob of butter instead) (Note 2)
- 1 cup / 250 ml milk , any fat %, or more cream
Garnish:
- Cream , for swirling
- Finely shredded parmesan
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add garlic and onions, and cook for 3 - 4 minutes until they are light golden brown.
- Add zucchinis, broth and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium. Optional: Scoop brown foam (scum) off surface every now and then.
- Cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until zucchini is very soft.
- Use a stick blender to whizz until smooth. (Note 1 for blender)
- Stir through cream and milk. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle into bowls, swirl over a touch of cream if desired, a pinch of shredded parmesan, and more pepper. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
PS Little tip for a basic “mash up” homemade vegetable broth – I don’t have a composter or chooks (that’s “chickens” in Aussie speak) so what I do is shove all veggie offcuts in large plastic bags and store them in the fridge. For a 4 litre/ 4 quart pot, I put in 6 cups of water then jam pack it (and I mean press it down good) with veggie scraps & sad floppy herbs, a quartered onion, 3 garlic cloves minced, big pinch of pepper and 2 bay leaves. Simmer away for 40 minutes – 1 hour lid off, reducing it right until I have 3 cups of liquid (strained, squeeze out liquid from veggies. Pretty much everything goes into the offcuts bag, even onion skins, dirty potato skin, the dirt coated roots of things, even corn cobs after I cut the corn off. If you have lots of dirt coated things in your stock, just let it settle then pour off the top, avoiding the bits at the bottom.
More zucchini recipes
-
Healthy Cream of Vegetable Soup (Zucchinis are the secret ingredient for ultra low cal creamy white soup!)
-
Zucchini Tian (French Rice Bake)
And more creamy soups!
-
Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup – bid Heinz goodbye!
-
Browse all Soups
LIFE OF DOZER
It’s really hard to concentrate on my computer when that face is shoved in front of me like that.
I’m pretty sure it’s not my tea he’s after, it’s the Shortbread. 😉
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I love zucchinis Nagi. I usually have a TON growing in my garden but this year I planted an heirloom variety and they don’t produce quite as much as the normal zucch’s. I wish I knew that or I would have planted more. I love your soup but I am pretty sure I love Dozer more. He is such a heart throb! It’s the eyes 🙂
Hear throb? No. He uses his cuteness like a lethal weapon! 😂
I am an old lady living on my own, but I love to cook. Would like some recipes for just one person. I do make the others and freeze them but sometimes it’s hard to reduce some ingredients. Love receiving your recipes every day. Thank you.
Recipes For One has been on my mind a lot lately Margaret, thanks for the suggestion! 🙂 N xx
Soup recipe looks yummy. Zukes are a gardeners best friend because they tend to grow so profusely, so we are always looking for ways to use zucchini.
A note on the blender warning: Some years back I read a great tip that said, when blending hot foods, simply remove the plastic center thingy from the lid and cover the hole it leaves with a folded kitchen towel while blending. It works like a dream for me, never once since using that method have I had any blender explosion events.
That is SUCH a great tip Faith, thank you! 🙂 N x
Love zucchini and eat them about 3-4 times a week – including in soups. Yours is moreish and easy . . and I’ll ‘forgive’ the little bit of cream . . . . Am at the moment unpacking a month’s on-line groceries and there is a big bag of zucchini tucked away somewhere . . . . guess what . . .
You buy a month of groceries at a time! I wish I was that organised! N xx
Easy-peasy! Wish time and geography limits had not led to that format of living, as products have to be used in order 🙂 !! No use wanting green salad in the fourth week unless able to do a ‘top-up’ – but, oh, the delight of looking at one’s fridge, freezer and pantry and ‘have’ most any recipe might require 🙂 !! For a crowd as well as self . . . and ‘the specials’ ‘found’ make it muchly worthwhile . . . ,
I tried to pick one of your ideas for the recipe book but I can’t decide…. my brain started hurting!! I want them all – except for pasta,pasta,pasta. Your healthy chicken and broccoli pasta bake has been on high rotation here and I should probably vary our carbs. Thank you for your recipes, sooooo good!!
You’re welcome for the recipes Melanie! So glad you like all the themes! (Except TOO MUCH PASTA! 🙂 ) N xx
Love this. So quick and easy. Because I follow a Paleo lifestyle for medical reasons, I use coconut cream instead of dairy cream. It worked well. Thanks.
Thank you for the review Claire, it’s so terrific to hear you enjoyed this! N xx
Hi again Nagi – I’ve just looked at the picture, and seen that the zucchini are unpeeled – doh!!!
No worries Sheryl! The skin is where most of the nutrition is and gives it the colour! 🙂 Nxx
Hi Nagi – love all your recipes (and Dozer!!!).
Do the zucchini need to be peeled or do I just chop off the ends?
Thank you! Zucchini, and more zucchini, in two, three months there will be plenty in my garden. Last time had 15 in one week and two as long as my arm, true. Whole street got share of zucchini. Is Doser having AM or Pm Cuper or both, love him just the same.
AS LONG AS YOUR ARM!!!😳
I’ll be making this…if we don’t add cream in soup and only drizzle creme freshe at end…will soup be tasty or/and thick enough???
YES definitely still tasty and DEFINITELY thick! 🙂 N xx
Nagi, this looks so yummy. Temps are rising again to 100 by the weekend so I’ll be saving this for cooler weather, but I just LOVE zucchini! I put it in everything. Years ago I made a brothy vegetable beef soup and left it on a back burner to stay warm quite a bit longer than intended when dinner guests were delayed. The zukes I’d put in near the end of the normal cook time broke down so much they nearly disappeared. Luckily there were still lots of other veggies left, but what I discovered was the zucchini that dissolved made the most luscious, silky broth I’d ever tasted. So sometimes now I purposely add some peeled diced zucchini at the beginning so it dissolves into a delicious mystery broth that people love but can’t identify. Thanks for another great recipe!
So crazy hot STILL??!!! I want cooler weather over there so you can enjoy some of my comfort food! 😂
I would never have thought to make soup with Zucchini either! Can’t wait to try this Nagi – but not this week. Sacramento, CA and the valley is in the midst of a heat advisory and even tho’ it’s only going to 98 today – two days from now they are forecasting 111!!!! Will be sure to make it in October? or November however – when it might be cooler!! Thanks for sharing this great recipe.
STILL stinking hot???!!!
Hi Nagi, I’m a huge soup fan and am so looking forward to making this Zucchini soup. There’s only my husband and I at home but I always end up with a large pot of soup. I will freeze some, and dole out the rest to my daughter and granddaughters.
Dozer, you are too much. You really have that “sad-sack” look down to perfection. Luv U sweet boy.
And, thank you Nagi again for another great recipe!
This one is perfect to make in a big batch then freeze! 🙂 Dozer is pathetic, uses his cuteness like a lethal weapon! 😂
Hi Nagi! What a lovely soup and a good way to use up zucchini if you grow too many! We had too many one year so I was making everything I could think of, breads, relish, pickles and giving a lot of it away. I don’t specifically make anything because it is lower in calories; if it sounds good I’ll make it. I happen to love making (and eating) soups and I would be dipping a chunk of buttered bread in this too! PS I know you gave Dozer a bit of shortbread 🙂
There were definitely THREE on that plate to start… 😳
Dozer is so cute, and I hope Asian Take out at home wins! I love your website~! Thank you so much for another lovely recipe.
IT WON!!!!
I’m a soup fan big time, and I never thought to make soup from Zucchini. I’m going to make this one for sure!!!
Zucchini is SO GOOD for soup!!
Hi Nagi, I voted for ‘other’ in your e-book theme. I’m thinking I’d be attracted to ‘Easy, Economical, and Tasty!’. Of course, it would be healthy, too, but I thought if that word were part of the title, it would be too long.
I really enjoy your site and recipes! I think you’re awesome! Thanks for being there for us. Dawn
Thanks for the suggestion Dawn, I will remember! 🙂 N xx
Love your recipes and will make this yummy soup tonight – but one suggestion! When listing something like zuchhinis (or carrots or the like), please give us an approximate number – like 5 or 6 medium zuccini, or an approximate number of cups of the chopped/sliced product. It gives us a better idea quantity than stating a weight. I for one absolutely cannot visualize 2 pounds of zuccini, but can certainly see 4 medium zuccini, or 6 cups sliced zuccini. Thanks!!
Added! 🙂 N x
Good looking soup! We’re getting into our soup season here and it’s a long one. This one is pinned and we’ll be giving it a try while our lovely local zukes are still around.
Did you count those shortbread? Dozer might have already beat you to one.
I KNEW IT! CHEEKY BUGGER! 😂
Would like to see recipes for inexpensive, but healthy dinners (low salt, low calorie). Basically, I’m looking for healthier versions of all the traditional favorites. For example, healthy Alfredo sauce without all the fattening cream. Ingredients need to be readily available at the grocery store (no special trip to the health food store). And I’m retired, so can’t break the budget.
Thanks for the feedback Steve! 🙂 N x