Creamy Zucchini Basil Soup has fresh summer garden flavors in a creamy soup. Serve it hot or cooled to room temperature – either way is delicious!
Make a delicious soup with your garden harvest!
When your backyard garden is bursting with zucchini and basil – this Creamy Zucchini Basil Soup is the perfect recipe to put all of that fresh produce to good use.
This silky-smooth soup takes just fifteen minutes of hands-on prep before the vegetables simmer away on the stove until tender. Then you’ll blend it up and add fresh herbs and seasonings.
Serve this colorful, delicious soup for a light lunch or as a starter course for a summer dinner party.
Why you'll love Creamy Zucchini Basil Soup
- It calls for two pounds of zucchini – so it’s a perfect way to cook with your garden zucchini haul.
- It’s quick and easy to prepare.
- This soup freezes very well, so you can enjoy fresh garden flavors for months to come!
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Zucchini – Use fresh zucchini from your garden or local market. No need to peel your zucchini, but you will want to remove any seeds.
- Fresh basil – You’ll need a full, packed cup and a half of fresh basil for this recipe. Dried basil cannot be substituted – you won’t get the same fresh flavor.
- Other Vegetables – Russet potato is added to thicken the soup, while fresh carrots add some sweetness. Yellow onion and fresh garlic add a balanced savory flavor.
- Stock – We used vegetable stock to keep this soup vegetarian, but you can use chicken stock if you’d like.
- Fresh Mint – Don’t worry – this soup isn’t minty-flavored. The fresh mint enhances the fresh basil flavor.
- Seasonings – Kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, Worcestershire sauce and red pepper flakes all add additional savory flavors.
- White Wine – Used to deglaze the pan
- Sour cream – Whisked into the soup for more creaminess, plus a dollop is added to each serving
Special Tools Needed
- Medium Dutch oven or soup pot
- Cutting board and sharp knife
- Blender or immersion blender
How do I make Creamy Zucchini Basil Soup?
- Prepare the zucchini by cutting in half, scooping out the seeds with a spoon, and dicing.
- Sauté potato, carrot and onion in olive oil.
- Add zucchini, garlic, and pepper flakes and sauté further.
- Deglaze the pot with white wine.
- Add stock, salt and black pepper.
- Simmer until vegetables are cooked and tender.
- Puree until smooth.
- Add fresh basil, fresh mint, Worcestershire sauce and sour cream and puree again to smooth.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Serve with an additional dollop of sour cream over each portion.
Tips & Tricks
The fresh basil and fresh mint should be added once the soup is off the heat. This stops the basil from cooking and turning dark in color.
Plus, the freshness of the basil brightens the flavors of the soup and it also adds a vibrant green color.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make Creamy Zucchini Basil Soup ahead of time? Yes, this soup holds together very well and reheats very well.
- How do I store leftovers? Store refrigerated for up to three days.
- How do I reheat leftovers? Gently reheat in a sauce pan or microwave. Note that this soup is also delicious served at room temperature . (A cool summer soup is very refreshing when the temperatures rise!).
- Can I freeze? Yes, this soup freezes very well.
You might like these other Zucchini Recipes:
Click here for more delicious Zucchini Recipes!
Creamy Zucchini Basil Soup
Creamy Zucchini Basil Soup has fresh summer garden flavors in a creamy soup. Serve it hot or cooled to room temperature – either way is delicious!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: soup
- Method: blend, simmer
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
2 pounds zucchini (3–4 medium), ends trimmed, split and seeds removed then diced (see instructions below)
1/4 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 cup russet potato, diced (about one small to medium Russet)
1/3 cup carrot, diced (about one small to medium carrot)
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes
1/4 cup white wine
3 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup sour cream, plus more to serve with each portion
Instructions
- Trim the ends of each squash and split in half from one end to the other. Use a melon baller or spoon and scoop out seeds and discard. Cut into several long strips then cut the other way into small pieces and set aside.
- In a medium Dutch oven or soup pot, heat all of the olive oil over medium heat and once hot, add the potato, carrot and onion and stir frequently for five minutes. The potato pieces will want to stick so keep loosening up the bottom.
- Add the cut-up zucchini, along with the garlic, salt, pepper and pepper flakes and cook and stir for five more minutes.
- Add the wine and stir to deglaze the bottom and evaporate the wine, about one minute.
- Add the vegetable stock and bring heat to bubbling, then lower to a medium simmer and cook uncovered for five more minutes.
- Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender or a regular blender.
- Add all of the basil, mint, Worcestershire sauce and ¼ cup of the sour cream and puree to smooth.
- Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Serve with additional sour cream over each bowl.
I really enjoy your recipies
Thank you so much Melba!