Chilled Zucchini Soup
Light Summer Eating: Chilled Zucchini Soup
From the looks of the weather around the world, it has been hot where you are. I don’t know how you feel about this, but I hate it. I have the fairest of complexions and I’m not much of a sweater. Much like a Victorian lady, I have been known to pass out. That means keeping cool is a high priority: lots of cold liquids, hiding from the sun, and light meals like this chilled zucchini soup.
When It’s Too Hot for Hot Food
While we were visiting the in-laws in France this summer, it was over 90 degrees most days. And unlike New York, the sun in France goes down really late – like 10pm. Often the hottest part of the day is at about 6pm. This was especially true when we headed to my husband’s aunt and uncle’s house. They live in a tiny town right on the road to Spain which means lots of sun and high temps. Lucky for us, my husband’s aunt, Janine, is an amazing cook who has mastered the art of cold food. Among some of the delicious meals we had were cold, stuffed tomatoes, cold green bean salad and this, chilled zucchini soup.
Chilled Zucchini Soup Beats the Heat
After a swim in the saltwater pool and an aperitif in the yard, we would head to the long outdoor table for dinner. Veggies always played a starring role. I have to say I was surprised when I bit into a stuffed tomato and discovered it was cold. But you know what? It was so good! By the time I made it through days of salads and cold beans, I was ready for this green soup. Chilled! And light and tasty. It was exactly the kind of thing you need when it is 95 degrees at 7pm.
Easy and Delicious
This soup involves very few ingredients and comes together really quickly. The longest part is the chilling. The texture can also be adjusted to your personal preference. My husband likes his vegetable soups on the thicker side, but you can add more liquid if you want something lighter. The one I just made was somewhere in-between.
Farm Fresh Zucchini in Your Chilled Zucchini Soup
Zucchini is also a great summer choice because you can find so many right from the farm, even at the supermarket. I would warn you that I used medium sized zucchini, not those monstrous ones people grow in their yards. So when I say five zucchini, I mean the small/medium sized vegetables.
Vegetable Broth Means a Vegan Meal
Zucchini are also pretty liquidy once they cook. I did add vegetable broth to add flavor and to thin it out a bit. Make sure you scoop out the zucchini without the liquid and then spoon in the broth until you have the texture you want.
Warm or cold, this is an easy summer dish. Serve it with a dollop of sour cream, or leave that out for a vegan meal.
Bon appétit!
Chilled Zucchini Soup
Ingredients
- 5-6 zucchini small and/or medium
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- salt and pepper
- sour cream optional
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables before you begin cooking.
- NOTE: This recipe was made using small and medium size zucchini, not the giant zucchini you may have growing in the yard. The texture is related to the zucchini: more zucchini and less broth means a thicker soup. Mine was more on the thin side.
- Cut off a bit of each end of the zucchini. Peel and slice the zucchini. Medium slices are best so they don't completely disintegrate during cooking.
- Finely chop the onion.
- Heat the olive oil in a deep frying pan, deep saucepan, or small stockpot.
- Add the onion and cook over medium heat until translucent. Do not let it brown.
- Add the sliced zucchini and the vegetable broth to the pan with the onions.
- Let the mixture simmer until the zucchini is very soft (you should be able to easily break it with a spoon), about 15 minutes.
- Scoop out the zucchini and onions using a slotted spoon and place in a deep container (I used a large mixing bowl). See the two different mixing options below.
- If you are using a blender instead of an immersion blender, let your soup cool a bit so you don't get burned. Then add it to the blender and blend to the desired consistency. You can add vegetable stock from your pan to make it thinner.
- I used an immersion blender. Blend keeping the blade below the liquid so you don't get burned. Keep blending until you reach the desired texture, adding vegetable broth from your pot it desired. I did use the broth to make a less dense soup.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Be sure to add in a little bit, taste it, and then adjust. You can't fix the soup if you put in too much salt to start!
- Chill your soup to the desired temperature, at least four hours in the fridge.
- Top with a dollop of sour cream if desired.
