Zucchini Soup
Published on July 17, 2023
Quick Summary
Zucchini Soup- use your garden zucchini to make this creamy zucchini soup. The soup is made with onion, garlic, herbs, zucchini, and white beans that are blended to thicken the soup. Ladle into bowls and top with homemade croutons or serve with crusty bread.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItI have a love hate relationship with zucchini. It is one of my favorite vegetables, but during the summer months when I can’t keep up with all of zucchini, it kind of stresses me out, ha! I do my best to keep up (I make zucchini bread, zucchini muffins, zucchini fritters, salads, and more), but sometimes it is impossible.
When my counter has a pile of zucchini on it, I love making Zucchini Soup. It is an easy recipe that is nutritious and delicious!
I know soup may not seem like the best idea during the summer, but trust me, this soup is worth making. And if you aren’t in the mood for soup, this soup freezes well so you can make a big batch and put it in the freezer for the chilly months.
There is a secret ingredient in this zucchini soup recipe. Any guesses? Let me tell you, white beans! They thicken the soup and make the soup super creamy. Plus, they give the soup a protein boost.
The soup is simple, but in the best way. It has lots of flavor and the texture is smooth and creamy. Garnish with fresh herbs, Parmesan cheese, and homemade croutons. Serve with crusty bread for dunking and a salad and dinner is done!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Olive oil– butter will also work if you don’t need the recipe to be vegan or dairy-free.
- Zucchini– you will need about 2 pounds. Cut of the ends and cut into chunks.
- Onion– yellow onion or white onion!
- Garlic– minced!
- Vegetable broth– chicken broth will also work if you don’t need the recipe to be vegan or vegetarian.
- Dried thyme– for a boost of flavor!
- Cannellini beans– the beans are the secret ingredient. I use canned beans to keep the recipe super simple. Rinse and drain before using. Navy beans or Great Northern beans will work too.
- Lemon juice– the lemon adds a fresh zing to the soup.
- Heavy cream– this is optional but makes the soup super creamy. You can also use plain Greek yogurt, sour cream, or coconut milk for a vegan/dairy-free option.
- Garnish– fresh herbs, Parmesan cheese, and homemade croutons. All are optional but so good!
How to Make Zucchini Soup
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute..
- Add the zucchini, broth, salt, pepper, and thyme; bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender.
- Stir in the white beans and lemon juice.
- Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can transfer the soup to a blender, in batches, and blend for 20 seconds or until smooth.
- Taste and add additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice, if necessary.
- For a creamier soup, stir in the heavy cream. You can also use plain Greek yogurt, sour cream, or coconut milk. All work well to give the soup a richer flavor.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh herbs, parmesan cheese, and croutons, if desired. Serve immediately
Serving Suggestions
This soup is great with a simple salad and a loaf of crusty bread, but if you need some ideas, here are some of my favorite dishes that go great with zucchini soup.
- Kale Salad
- Caesar Salad
- Tomato Salad
- Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Best Grilled Cheese
- Lemon Butter Chicken
- Steak Kabobs
- Easy Skillet Chicken Thighs
How to Store & Freeze
To store leftover soup: Let the soup cool completely and transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To freeze: Let the soup cool completely and transfer to a freezer container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave and serve.
More Zucchini Recipes
- Zucchini Fritters
- Grilled Corn & Zucchini Salad
- Zucchini Parmesan Pasta
- Corn & Zucchini Enchiladas
- Summer Squash Sauté
**Find more Zucchini Recipes HERE!**
More Soup Recipes
**Find more Soup Recipes HERE!**
Zucchini Soup
Equipment
- Dutch Oven (I love using my Staub for cozy soups!)
- Immersion Blender (This makes it easy to puree right from the pot!)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, can use butter
- 4 medium sized zucchinis, 2 pounds, ends trimmed and cut in large chunks
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups vegetable broth, can use chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 30 oz cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (2 cans)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, optional, can use plain Greek yogurt, sour cream, or coconut milk*
- Fresh herbs, basil, dill, or parsley, for garnish, optional
- Parmesan cheese, for garnish, optional
- Homemade croutons, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the zucchini, broth, salt, pepper, and thyme; bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender.
- Stir in the beans and lemon juice. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Taste and add additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice, if necessary. For a creamier soup, stir in the heavy cream (or Greek yogurt, sour cream, or coconut milk). See note.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh herbs, parmesan cheese, and croutons, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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I’m happy Maria is making a great living with her site. I have always enjoyed her recipes. But will have to move on as these non stop bombardment of ads, I can’t even read the site any more. Shame.
Her site is available to you and you enjoy her recipes because of the ads. How do you think one pays for all the groceries, time, photography, props, equipment, electricity, website, home office, utilities, etc? Food Network’s site is the same and they are a major corporation. I am so happy Two Peas has found a way to keep the business rolling, their recipes are AMAZING and some of the BEST out there. Thank you Two Peas! I am makng this soup and the croutons as I type this, another delicious meal for my family courtesy of you!
Thank you for your kind words:)
If you put any site recipe on print mode ….no ads!
Yuumy! I had a bunch of Zucchini that I needed to use in my garden. Perfect solution! Do you think it will freeze well?
Yes, you can freeze the soup. See the tips in the post.
This was a hit with the whole family at dinner this evening. Thank you for another delicious recipe! I’ll be adding this one to our soup repertoire. Served with croutons, cheese, and parsley as suggested along with salad and corn on the cob as well.
Sounds like a wonderful meal. I am so glad you loved the soup!
My son adores zucchini. This is going to be lovely surprise for him! Thank you so much and enjoy your day!
I hope he loves it.
This soup was awesome! Thank you for this recipe! Made it for lunch, “ for just myself” husband isn’t a fan of zucchini ! Doesn’t know what he’s missing,not a problem I love zucchini!
I am so glad you loved it!
I made this last night with no changes to the recipe, it is delicious! Topped with croutons, shaved parmesan and fresh basil. Also the serving size of 6 is spot on. My husband and I each had a generous serving for dinner with a salad, with enough left over for lunch, and two more portions for the freezer. Will use this in my regular soup recipe rotation!
I am so glad you loved the soup. Such a great way to use up the summer zucchini!
Hi, Maria Just discovered your yummy zucchini soup recipe. Items are on my grocery list! Have you ever served this cold? Its pretty warm here in Virginia. I know some parts of the country are BLAZING hot. I’ll make this in the morning and have it for dinner in the evening. We’re retired. On hot days I do alot of kitchen prep work in the morning so not to heat up the kitchen during the hot part of the day. Looking forward to serving this for dinner soon. Will let you know how it tastes!!!
Yes, you can do a chilled soup!
I mean…SO delicious!!
Yes!!
This soup is phenomenal! I added the Greek yogurt as well as sautéed extra lean ground turkey to increase the protein. Perfect for all ages too! Thanks, Maria, for yet another winner
I am loving it too!
Great recipe although I did perk it up a little. Once everything was blended, I added a couple of finely chopped green chillies and a good handful of chopped coriander leaves with a little cooking cream followed by a final blend to mix it all in. My family loved it! Thanks
That sounds amazing! Thanks for leaving a comment!
I made this recipe last night with fresh zucchini out of my neighbors garden. I used chicken broth and added some red pepper flakes at the end. Delicious!!! Thank you!!!
Perfect! You are welcome!
Could you use shredded frozen zucchini
Yes!
This was very easy and very good. I made as written but added a few small parmesan rinds in while it was simmering and used half a can of light coconut milk at the end. Topped with freshly grated parmesan and rather than the immersion blender, I put it in the Vitamix and it was super smooth and yummy. Also surprisingly filling. Will make again!
So happy you tried it and loved it!
This is my favourite soup. I’ve made it about 4 or 5 times in the last month. I’m currently pregnant and it’s one of my major cravings. Also one of the only things that doesn’t trigger my morning sickness. Thanks so much for the recipe!
I am SO happy you love it. Sending my best to you! Congrats!
Can I substitute garbanzo beans for canelli?
They won’t be as smooth, but you can try it. You might need more liquid.
Thank you for sharing this recipe with us. I have made it twice. First time I made it, I followed all your steps and it turned out good. Second time, I added half a bunch of cilantro to the soup and let it simmer for ten minutes before blending. This added a pleasant flavor of cilantro which we loved. This soup is now one of our favorites.
Thanks for sharing!
This is a very light, yet filling soup. I made it as directed, without dairy and it was very tasty. A great way to take advantage of zucchini on sale or an overly productive summer garden! I appreciate that it uses exactly one “box” of broth. Also, I think there is a lot of room for variation, e.g., add a cup of fresh corn or chopped mushrooms, a handful of frozen chopped spinach, a cup of leftover rice, some halved cherry tomatoes and chopped basil just before serving. Also, this is a splendid way of increasing vegetable intake without a lot of added fat or calories. Zero cholesterol and saturated fat if you make it without dairy. Bookmarked!
Glad you loved it. I need to make it again!
Fantastic! So much flavor, which I was skeptical about given the few seasonings listed. The lemon is key! I did add some red pepper flakes, too. Used sour cream instead of heavy cream. We garnished with grated parmesan, toasted pepitas, and oyster crackers. This is an easy, filling, healthy and delicious recipe. Perfect as written, but could also be a base recipe for other variations. I might try adding broccoli or spinach as opportunities to up our veggie intake. Either way – as written or customized based on what you have on hand – this is a keeper!!
So glad you loved the soup!
I am a confirmed soup-aholic. I love love love soup. I make soup all the time. I have had a zucchini soup many times in a favorite French bistro in Southern California. If we ever went for breakfast, if it was late enough, I’d still ask if the zucchini soup was ready yet. Zucchini is not a strong flavor, but so good. I know the French version was sure to have butter and cream, which I was not using. I did make the recipe as stated with the exception that I did not have white beans, so I used chopped potato for that creamy element, which I do a lot. I tasted it all the way through and it was delicious until I added the lemon. I normally love that pop of lemon in many dishes, and it makes a great fresh taste, so I was sure it would do the same here. Sadly, I did not care for the end product because of the lemon. Some may love it, but for me, not here. I would suggest taste before you add the lemon. Or take a small portion out and add the lemon and make sure you like it before adding lemon to the whole pot of soup. I will definitely make again, just without the lemon.
You can make the soup without the lemon. I personally love the kick of lemon, but it is easy to omit too.
This was delicious and super easy to make. I’m glad I found something to use my zucchini up
Yay!
Amazing! I used one cup less of the broth, because I love extra thick veggie soups. I didn’t have dried thyme, so I used herbs de provence that I had on hand and it worked fine (there’s dried thyme in it). I skipped the heavy cream but went crazy on lots of parmesan-reggiano. This is now up there on my list of favorite creamy veggie soups! Thank you, Maria!
I am so glad you loved the soup.
Really good! I added red pepper flakes and chopped celery before I pureed and then added fresh sweet corn after I pureed. Served with sourdough focaccia. Perfect late summer dinner!
I am glad you loved the soup.
I don’t have any of the cream components on hand. Can I put a potato’s in it to thicken it up? Looks amazing. Can’t wait to make!
That should be fine. The texture will be a little different.
Hi Maria. I love this soup so much. Thanks for sharing the recipe. We have a bumper crop of zucchini this year in our garden. I was wondering if you have ever canned this soup before? I would love to preserve some of our zucchini in the form of this soup for the cool days ahead. (I would not be adding any dairy product in the canning process, just afterward, when serving it.)
I am glad you love the recipe. I have never tried canning it. It might be fine if you don’t add the dairy?
I found my soup to be bitter. Could it be my zucchini? I didn’t use canned beans. I cooked dried beans. Any suggestions?
It might be the zucchini. I’ve never had it taste bitter before.
Really good. Highly recommend.
I would suggest that if you have large zucchinis with tough skin that you peel them first.
What a great treat. And, if you don’t add the cream, you can freeze the soup and use it in fall and winter. You can add the cream later.
Thanks for sharing!
Soooooo good! I added an extra clove or two of garlic, chicken broth, and a good shake of cayenne pepper. Husband and I really enjoyed this! With recipes like this I won’t complain when hubs dumps a bunch of zooks on the table for me. Thanks so much for a great recipe!
Perfect!
Just beautiful soup thankyou
You are welcome!
The bean to zucchini ratio was off for me. Tasted like a bean soup. Not a zucchini soup. Next time, will reduce bean by at least half. I love vegetable soups where the vegetable shines